Stylized map of the Western Hemisphere

Correct: here is the text (page 6, paragraph 2): The "backbone" of both North and South America is formed by a long mountain range extending from Alaska (the Rockies) through Mexico (Sierra Madre), South America (the Andes) and across the Drake Passage to Antarctica (the Antarandes). The Spanish word for a mountain chain is "cordillera", a word which has the same Latin root as "cord", so we can envision this mountain chain as a gigantic rope strung out from Alaska to Antarctica. On the east coast we have older and lower mountains. In between the two sets of mountains we find the great basins of North America (the Plains) and South America (Amazon and Pampas).