Flagdex

South American Countries

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

No.CountryCapitalCurrencyPopulation
011Flag of ArgentinaArgentinaBuenos AiresARS $45,851,378
027Flag of BoliviaBoliviaSucreBOB Bs.12,581,843
031Flag of BrazilBrazilBrasíliaBRL R$212,812,405
046Flag of ChileChileSantiagoCLP $19,859,921
050Flag of ColombiaColombiaBogotáCOP $53,425,635
065Flag of EcuadorEcuadorQuitoUSD $18,289,896
096Flag of GuyanaGuyanaGeorgetownGYD $835,986
174Flag of ParaguayParaguayAsunciónPYG ₲7,013,078
175Flag of PeruPeruLimaPEN S/.34,576,665
214Flag of SurinameSurinameParamariboSRD $639,850
240Flag of UruguayUruguayMontevideoUYU $3,384,688
244Flag of VenezuelaVenezuelaCaracasVES Bs.S.28,516,896

How this list is defined

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

Membership of a cultural or political grouping is not always settled, and different sources draw the line in different places. Stating the rule up front is the point: it lets you judge whether this list answers your question, instead of wondering why a country you expected is missing. Every figure in the table comes from the dataset described on the data page.

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

Middle East CountriesCountries in North AmericaAfrican CountriesEuropean CountriesAsian CountriesCountries in Oceania

Populations from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL); other fields from open datasets. Membership of cultural regions can vary between sources; this list uses the definition stated above. Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.