Countries of South America Full Information: We show you which are the countries of South America, with a complete and updated list, including maps, regions, flags and characteristics. Also, the most spoken languages.
What are the countries of South America?
The territory of South America is divided into twelve sovereign countries and one French colony (French Guiana). The countries that make up South America are:
| Country | Capital | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | 45,195,000 |
| Bolivia | La Paz | 12,222,000 |
| Brazil | Brasilia | 215,559,000 |
| Chile | Santiago | 19,661,000 |
| Colombia | Bogotá | 51,872,000 |
| Ecuador | Quito | 17,643,000 |
| Guyana | Georgetown | 808,000 |
| Paraguay | Asunción | 7,132,000 |
| Peru | Lima | 34,050,000 |
| Suriname | Paramaribo | 618,000 |
| Uruguay | Montevideo | 3,423,000 |
| Venezuela | Caracas | 28,335,000 |
Most of these nations were colonies of Spain and Portugal from the 15th century until their emancipation at different times in the 19th century, through a long and bloody war of independence. Since then, they have been sovereign democratic republics.
South America, South America or Sudamérica is one of the three subcontinents into which the American continent is divided, along with North America and Central America and the Caribbean. As its name indicates, it is the southernmost region of the continent. You must read about Planets of the Solar System once.
South America is one of the most biologically, demographically, culturally and socially diverse regions on the planet. It is home to the largest tropical forest in the world: the Amazon, whose 7,000,000 km2 are distributed among the territories of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
Map of South America
Argentina
| Official name | Argentine Republic |
|---|---|
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
| Currency | Argentine Peso |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Territory | 2,780,400 km² |
| Population | 45,195,000 inhabitants |
Argentina is located in the Southern Cone of the subcontinent and has borders with Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
It is a large and geographically diverse nation, whose territory includes the Andes mountain range, the great plains of the Chaco-Pampeana plain, southern Patagonia, the islands of the South Atlantic (including the Falklands, for which there is a territorial dispute with Great Britain) and the Argentine Antarctic sector.
Bolivia
| Official name | Plurinational State of Bolivia |
|---|---|
| Capital | La Paz |
| Currency | Bolivian |
| Official language | Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní and 33 other native languages |
| Territory | 1,098,581 km² |
| Population | 12,222,000 inhabitants |
Bolivia is one of the two South American states that do not have sea coasts, although it has a territorial claim with Chile for an exit to the Pacific. It has borders with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru, and is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity on the planet.
In its territory lived various pre-Hispanic civilizations that have already disappeared, such as the Tiwanaku and the Moxeña culture, as well as many others that still persist, such as the Colla or the Aymara.
Brazil
| Official name | Federative Republic of Brazil |
|---|---|
| Capital | Brasilia |
| Currency | Real |
| Official language | Portuguese |
| Territory | 8,515,770 km² |
| Population | 215,559,000 inhabitants |
Brazil shares borders with all the countries of South America, except Chile and Ecuador, and occupies more than half of the total surface area of the subcontinent.
It is the fifth most populous country in the world, although it has a fairly low population density, since most of its inhabitants live in the coastal regions. Its economy is the largest in the southern hemisphere, but at the same time it is one of the most unequal nations in the world. Maybe you should definitely read about Social Actors once.
Chile
| Official name | Republic of Chile |
|---|---|
| Capital | Santiago de Chile |
| Currency | Chilean peso |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Territory | 756,950 km² |
| Population | 19,661,000 inhabitants |
Chile is located in the south of the continent next to Argentina, a country from which it is separated by the Andes mountain range. It also has borders with Peru and Bolivia.
Its territory covers three distinct regions: continental Chile, insular Chile in the Pacific and Oceania, and the Chilean Antarctic territory. For this reason, it is defined as a tricontinental country.
Colombia
| Official name | Republic of Colombia |
|---|---|
| Capital | Bogotá |
| Currency | Colombian peso |
| Official language | Spanish and around 68 official native languages in its territories |
| Territory | 1,141,748 km² |
| Population | 51,872,000 inhabitants |
Colombia is located in the northern region of South America. It has borders with Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
It is the only nation in South America with coasts on the Pacific and the Atlantic, and its territory contains different climatic zones, mountain systems and plains that make Colombia one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity on the planet.
Ecuador
| Official name | Republic of Ecuador |
|---|---|
| Capital | Quito |
| Currency | US dollar |
| Official language | Spanish, Quechua, Shuar and eleven other native languages |
| Territory | 256,370 km² |
| Population | 17,643,000 inhabitants |
Ecuador is a country located in the northwestern region of South America. It borders Colombia to the north, Peru to the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Although it is one of the smallest countries on the continent, it is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna, especially in the Galapagos Islands, famous for inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The country is crossed by the 0° parallel or equatorial line, which divides the world into two hemispheres and gives it its name.
Guyana
| Official name | Cooperative Republic of Guyana |
|---|---|
| Capital | Georgetown |
| Currency | Guyanese dollar |
| Official language | English |
| Territory | 214,969 km² |
| Population | 808,000 inhabitants |
Guyana is the only South American country that was a British colony, from 1831 to 1966. It is located in the northeastern region of the subcontinent and has borders with Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela.
With the latter country, it is involved in a territorial dispute that covers almost three quarters of Guyanese territory, a region known as Essequibo. With Suriname, it is involved in another dispute over the Tigri region, a jungle area in the far south of both countries.
Paraguay
| Official name | Republic of Paraguay |
|---|---|
| Capital | Asunción |
| Currency | Guaraní |
| Official language | Spanish and Guaraní |
| Territory | 406,752 km² |
| Population | 7,132,000 inhabitants |
Paraguay is a pluricultural and bilingual state, without maritime coasts and with borders with Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.
Its territory is crossed by large navigable rivers, such as the Paraná and Paraguay, which give it access to the Atlantic Ocean. Its economy is mainly agricultural and industrial, with a strong emphasis on the service sector.
Peru
| Official name | Republic of Peru |
|---|---|
| Capital | Lima |
| Currency | Sol |
| Official language | Spanish, Quechua, Aymara |
| Territory | 1,285,216 km² |
| Population | 34,050,000 inhabitants |
Peru is located between the Pacific coast, the Andes mountain range and the Amazon, and has borders with Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador. Its territory combines valleys, plateaus, coasts and deserts, and is one of the most biodiverse countries with the largest mineral deposits in the world.
It has a very rich mestizo cultural tradition, which combines the Incan heritage with the Spanish colony, as well as a significant Asian migration.
Suriname
| Official name | Republic of Suriname |
|---|---|
| Capital | Paramaribo |
| Currency | Surinamese dollar |
| Official language | Dutch |
| Territory | 163,820 km² |
| Population | 618,000 inhabitants |
Suriname is the only sovereign Dutch-speaking country in South America. It shares borders with Brazil, Guyana and French Guiana, and has territorial claims with the latter two nations. It is the smallest country in South America both in size and population.
Its territory is mostly covered by tropical forests, making it one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet. It was a Dutch colony until 1975, when it gained its independence, although cultural and economic ties with its former mother country remain strong.
Uruguay
| Official name | Eastern Republic of Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Capital | Montevideo |
| Currency | Uruguayan peso |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Territory | 176,215 km² |
| Population | 3,423,000 inhabitants |
Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America and has borders only with Brazil and Argentina. It is a country with a fundamentally agricultural economy. Initially it was one of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, until its independence in 1828.
The population of Uruguay is mostly of European descent, especially Spanish and Italian, although it also has Afro-descendant and indigenous communities.
Venezuela
| Official name | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela |
|---|---|
| Capital | Caracas |
| Currency | Bolívar |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Territory | 916,445 km² |
| Population | 28,335,000 inhabitants |
Venezuela is located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea and has borders with Brazil, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, a country with which it has a territorial claim for the Essequibo Guayana.
It is the seventh country with the most biodiversity in the world and one of the most diverse ecosystems, as it includes beaches, deserts, part of the Amazon rainforest, river plains and the Andean mountain range. In addition, it has one of the largest oil reserves on the planet and is one of the main exporters of crude oil in the world.
South American languages by country
The most widely spoken languages in South America are Spanish and Portuguese. To a lesser extent, English, Dutch and French are also spoken. In addition, there are more than three hundred indigenous languages spoken by millions of people.
- Spanish: It is the official language in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela.
- Portuguese: It is spoken only in Brazil, but it is used as a native language by more than 200 million people.
- English: It is the official language of Guyana.
- Dutch: It is spoken only in Suriname.
- French: It is the official language of French Guiana.
- Quechua: It is one of the three official languages of Peru. It is spoken by more than 10 million people in Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile.
- Guaraní: It is the official language of Paraguay along with Spanish. It is spoken by more than 90% of the Paraguayan population. In addition, it is spoken by more than 12 million people in Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia.
- Aymara: It is recognized as an official language in Bolivia and Peru. It is spoken by more than 2 million people.
- Other indigenous languages: In addition to Quechua, Guaraní and Aymara, there are more than three hundred indigenous languages that are spoken by millions of people descended from indigenous peoples in different countries of South America.
