List of South American Countries
South America got its name because it encompasses the whole southern portion of the supercontinent of the Americas. The Pacific Ocean encircles it on its western side, the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern and northern halves, the Caribbean Sea on its northwest, and North America on its northeastern border. The border between Panama and Colombia forms an internal boundary between the two continents.
There are 12 independent countries & three dependent territories in South America. Brazil is the most populous and largest country in terms of land area; it makes up nearly 50% of the entire mainland and has more than 52% of South America's population. Suriname is the smallest independent state and the only country with Dutch as an official language in this region.
Regarding tourism, Brazil, Argentina, & Peru are the most popular destinations in South America. Peru is the country home to Machu Picchu, the fascinating city of the Incas, the continent's most well-known tourist destination. This article will discuss the list of South American Countries in detail.
1. Argentina
With a total size of 2,780,400 sq. km, Argentina is the '8th largest country in the world and the second-largest country in South America. It is around four times the size of the US state of 'Texas' or slightly more than five times the size of France.
The Andes Mountains dominate Argentina's western geography, and Chile borders Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and Uruguay. On the east, it is bordered by the South Atlantic Ocean. Buenos Aires, the capital and largest city of Argentina, is home to 45.4 million people (as of 2020). English, Italian, German, French, and Spanish (the official language) are all spoken in the towns.
Perito Moreno, the most famous glacier in Argentina, may be found in the Santa Cruz Province's "Los Glaciares National Park." Argentina is renowned for 'Road of the Seven Lakes' in Patagonia and 'Tierra del Fuego's stunning scenery.
2. Bolivia
The state of Bolivia is located in west-central South America. Brazil borders Bolivia to the east and north, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the South, Chile to the west and southwest and Peru to the northwest. It spans 950 miles (1,500 km) north to South and 800 miles (1,300 km) east to west. Bolivia and Peru share 'Lake Titicaca', the 2nd largest lake in South America (after Lake Maracaibo).
Bolivia is typically thought of as a highland nation. The Andes Mountains comprise only one-third of its total area, but most of its significant towns exist. Most of the nation's mining, commercial, and business investment has historically been drawn to the highlands. However, the social and economic climate began to change as the eastern lowlands—particularly the Santa Cruz department—rapidly developed in the late 20th century.
3. Brazil
Brazil is the largest nation in South America and the fifth-largest country globally. With a 4,500-mile (7,400-kilometer) Atlantic Ocean coastline, it forms a massive triangle on the continent's eastern side. Except for Chile and Ecuador, it shares borders with every country in South America.
Brazil has a highly diverse landscape. It is well renowned for its extensive woods, notably the Amazon, the largest jungle in the world, located in the north. But there are also vast wetlands, rough hills, pine woods, dry grasslands (known as pampas), enormous plateaus, & a long coastal plain.
The 'Amazon River' and the surrounding jungles dominate northern Brazil. The Amazon is a network of hundreds of waterways, not just one river, and it measures 4,250 miles in total (6,840 kilometres). The river is home to thousands of species, including the notorious piranha & the boto, or pink river dolphin.
4. Chile
'The Republic of Chile', also known as Chile, is a nation in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the globe and the one closest to Antarctica, occupying a long, narrow strip of territory between the 'Andes' to the east & the 'Pacific Ocean' to the west. Having a total size of 756,096 sq. km (291,930 square miles), Chile had 17.5 million people as of 2017. Its land borders Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, & the Drake Passage is in the South and northeast. In Oceania, the 'Pacific islands' of Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island are also governed by Chile. Spanish is the official language of Chile, and Santiago is its capital.
The country has a wide range of climates due to its great length, from the coastal desert that starts in the tropical north to the cold 'subantarctic southern point'.
5. Colombia
The Republic of Colombia, also known as Colombia, is a country in northwest South America. The Caribbean Sea's water surrounds '1,000 miles' (1,600 km) of the northern shore, and the Pacific Ocean's water encompasses '800 miles' (1,300 km) of the western coast. Panama, which separates the two oceans, is the nation's northernmost neighbour. Venezuela and Brazil are their eastern and easternmost neighbours, while Peru and Ecuador are their southern and southernmost neighbours. The nation's capital, Bogotá, is located on a high plateau in the northern 'Andes Mountains', while the population is primarily concentrated in the mountainous interior.
Because it is located in the northwest of the continent, where Central and North America meet South America, Colombia is known as the "gateway to South America." It is the second-largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world and the fifth-largest nation in Latin America.
Colombia is a country of extremes. The high, snow-capped Andes mountains and volcanoes cut through its core.
6. Ecuador
On the westernmost corner, Ecuador is at the very top of South America. Ecuador is called after the Equator, an imaginary line that divides the nation in half. The Southern Hemisphere contains the majority of the country. Cotopaxi in the Andes is the tallest & active volcano in the world.
The Galápagos Islands, a part of Ecuador, are the habitat of unusual birds, reptiles, and plants. They are 596 miles (960 km) west of the Ecuadorian mainland. Many bananas consumed worldwide are cultivated in the 'Costa', or coastal plain region. There is agricultural land in the Sierra. East of the Andes is the oil-rich Oriente.
European descent makes up about 10% of the population. The remaining 75% are primarily of mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds, with 25% belonging to indigenous or native cultures. Many indigenous people raise enough food for their families and are subsistence farmers.
7. Guyana
Guyana is located in the north-central region of South America, with a coastline that faces the 'North Atlantic Ocean'. Guyana shares marine boundaries with Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Suriname, and Venezuela. Along with these countries, it shares international borders.
The area was given the English name Guyana, which means "country of water," by the native inhabitants before the European settlers arrived. It is the only nation in South America where English is spoken. Since Guyana became independent in 1966, the country has relied heavily on its natural resources, particularly its untouched rainforests, sugarcane plantations, rice fields, and bauxite and gold reserves. Still, in Guyana's offshore 'Stabroek Block', the first successful Deepwater oil field findings were made in 2015, which fundamentally altered the nation's economic fortunes. Georgetown serves as both Guyana's capital and largest port.
8. Paraguay
The landlocked nation of Paraguay in south-central South America. Recent Paraguayan history has been marked by upheaval and authoritarian government. It participated in two of the three major conflicts that took place on the continent: the 'Chaco War' (1932–1955), which Bolivia fought in, and 'the War of the Triple Alliance' (1864–1865, which Argentina, Brazil, & Uruguay fought against). Additionally, a civil war in 1947 and Alfredo Stroessner's lengthy dictatorship (1954–89) created a lasting legacy of self-censorship and fear among Paraguayans, who only started to overcome such obstacles in the early 21st century. Since 1989, the path of democratisation has been difficult. Paraguay has seen periods of military instability, a vice president was assassinated in 1999, and former presidents 'Juan Carlos Wasmosy' (1993–98) & 'Luis González Macchi' (1999–2003) have been indicted on corruption-related charges. Asunción is the name of the capital city.
9. Peru
Peru is a West South American nation. Except for the 'Lake Titicaca basin' in the southeast, its borders are located in areas with low population densities. The boundaries with Colombia to the northeast and Brazil to the east span lower altitudes or tropical woods, as opposed to those with Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the South, and Ecuador to the northwest, which traverses the high Andes. Peru claims territorial waters extending 200 miles (320 km) into the 'Pacific Ocean west.
The country of Peru is divided into three main geographic areas: the coast (costa), which is made up of the narrow coastal plains between the ocean as well as the Andes, the highlands (Sierra), which are made up of the 'Andes Mountain range' and the 'Andean Plateau' (Altiplano, with an average height of about 3,700 m), and the jungle (selva), a vast plain to the east that is home to the Amazon rainforest on the other side of the Andes.
More than 31 million people are living in Peru (in 2015). The largest capital city is Lima. Spanish, Quechua, & Aymara are the three major languages.
10. Suriname
Located on South America's northern coast is the nation of Suriname. Despite being one of South America's smallest nations, Suriname has one of the most ethnically varied populations on the continent. Its economy relies on its abundant natural resources, particularly bauxite, of which it is one of the world's leading producers.
Suriname, formerly known as 'Dutch Guiana', became independent on November 25, 1975, after serving as a plantation colony for the Netherlands. Military governments ruled the nation from 1980 until 1987. In 1987, a new civil constitution was approved. 1990 saw yet another military takeover, but the following year saw a return to civilian authority. On the Suriname River, the nation's capital, Paramaribo, is about '9 miles' (15 km) from the 'Atlantic Ocean'.
Suriname has a hot, humid, tropical wet climate. There are two wet seasons each year, and from late April until mid-August, there is a long wet season.
11. Uruguay
Uruguay, the second-smallest nation in South America, is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast and is surrounded by Brazil and Argentina. Many countries are made up of gently rolling territory only a few hundred feet above sea level and valleys covered in trees.
Uruguay translates to "river of the colourful birds." The locals used the name in their native Guarani language.
Uruguay is frequently referred to as the 'Switzerland of South America', not because of its location but because of its developed financial sector built on bank secrecy, stable democracy, and social benefits like free education.
Most Uruguayans, like their neighbours in Argentina, are descended from immigrants from Spain and Italy who came to the nation in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Roman Catholicism predominates, although Montevideo, the country's capital, is home to one of South America's smallest but largest Jewish communities.
Soccer is the 'most popular' sport in the country, and Uruguay is one of the top countries in the world for championship victories. Additionally, popular sports include boxing, rugby, and basketball. The tango, which has its roots in Argentina, is a well-liked musical and dance form in Uruguay.
12. Venezuela
Venezuela is a nation near the continent of South America's north. Greater than France and Germany combined regions, it occupies a roughly triangular area. The Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean border Venezuela to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the South, and Colombia to the southwest and west. Venezuela's largest city, Caracas, is located deep within a valley. The city plays a significant role in domestic and international industries like banking and petroleum since it is a major hub for the nation and all of South America. But Caracas is also the cultural hub of Venezuela, home to numerous renowned galleries, theatres, and museums.
Venezuela's striking landscapes are regarded as the best on the continent and are well known for their spectacular beauty. On the continent's northern half, this city in South America has about 30 million residents.