South American Countries

South America is home to twelve sovereign countries and two dependent territories. Brazil alone covers nearly half the continent and holds around half its population, while the smallest sovereign nation, Suriname, would fit inside Brazil many times over. The continent stretches from the tropical Caribbean coast in the north to the sub-Antarctic tip of Chile and Argentina in the south.

12 countries Twelve sovereign states. French Guiana (an overseas region of France) and the Falkland Islands are territories, not independent countries.

Country	Capital	Currency	Population
Argentina	Buenos Aires	ARS $	45,851,378
Bolivia	Sucre	BOB Bs.	12,581,843
Brazil	Brasília	BRL R$	212,812,405
Chile	Santiago	CLP $	19,859,921
Colombia	Bogotá	COP $	53,425,635
Ecuador	Quito	USD $	18,289,896
Guyana	Georgetown	GYD $	835,986
Paraguay	Asunción	PYG ₲	7,013,078
Peru	Lima	PEN S/.	34,576,665
Suriname	Paramaribo	SRD $	639,850
Uruguay	Montevideo	UYU $	3,384,688
Venezuela	Caracas	VES Bs.S.	28,516,896

Frequently asked questions

How many countries are in South America?

There are 12 sovereign countries in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

What is the largest country in South America?

Brazil is the largest country in South America by both area and population, covering roughly 8.5 million square kilometres.

Is French Guiana a country?

No. French Guiana is an overseas region of France, so it is part of the European Union and uses the euro, but it is not an independent country.

Related lists

Populations from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL); other fields from open datasets. Sources and vintage on the data page. Membership of cultural regions can vary between sources; this list uses the definition described above.