All South American Countries: Complete List with Capitals and Flags

How many countries are in South America?

South America has 12 sovereign countries, spread across approximately 17.8 million km2 with over 440 million people — about 5.5% of the world's population.

From the Amazon rainforest to the glaciers of Patagonia, from the Andean peaks to the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, South America is a continent of superlatives. It is home to the world's mightiest river by discharge (the Amazon), the longest continental mountain range (the Andes, 8,900 km), the largest tropical rainforest (the Amazon) and the driest desert (the Atacama). It is also the cradle of major pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Incas and a continent of extraordinary cultural and linguistic richness.

Ready to test your knowledge? After exploring this list, try our Listing quiz to name all South American countries or our South American flag quiz!

Alphabetical list of the 12 countries in South America

If you want the quickest possible answer, here is the full list of South American countries covered in this guide. This scope includes all 12 sovereign states recognized by the United Nations.

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

For a more visual overview, you can also explore our South America regional page and the full directory of world countries.

What are the countries of the Northern Andes?

The Northern Andes has 3 countries. Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador form the northern part of South America, where the Andes branch into several cordilleras before plunging toward the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The region harbors exceptional biodiversity — Ecuador and Colombia rank among the most megadiverse countries in the world — as well as immense oil reserves, particularly in Venezuela.

What are the countries of the Central Andes?

The Central Andes has 3 countries. Peru, Bolivia and Chile share the highest peaks of the cordillera and some of the continent's most spectacular landscapes. Here you'll find Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca (the world's highest navigable lake at 3,812 m), Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni and Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest nonpolar desert on Earth. Bolivia has two capitals: Sucre (constitutional capital) and La Paz (seat of government, at 3,640 m altitude, the world's highest administrative capital).

What are the countries of the Southern Cone?

The Southern Cone has 3 countries. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay form the southernmost tip of the continent, where the Argentine pampas give way to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Argentina, the continent's second largest country, stretches over 3,500 km from the subtropical north to the glacial south. Uruguay, the smallest Spanish-speaking country in South America, is often cited as one of the continent's most stable democracies.

Brazil and the Guianas

Brazil and the Guianas bring together 3 countries on the Atlantic coast of the continent. Brazil, the continent's giant with over 216 million inhabitants, is home to most of the Amazon rainforest and boasts the world's greatest biodiversity. Guyana and Suriname, on the Guiana Shield, stand out for their official languages — English for Guyana, Dutch for Suriname — legacies of British and Dutch colonization, making them the only non-Spanish and non-Portuguese-speaking countries on the continent.

Which countries are members of MERCOSUR?

The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asuncion, is South America's main economic integration organization. It brings together 4 founding members: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, which together account for over 70% of the continent's GDP.

MERCOSUR aims to create a common market with free movement of goods, services and people. Bolivia has completed its accession process and is now a full member. Venezuela, admitted in 2012, has been suspended since 2016 for failing to comply with the democratic clause. Its headquarters are in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Six other South American countries are MERCOSUR associate states: Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname. In total, all 12 South American countries are linked to MERCOSUR, either as members or associates.

Non-sovereign territories in South America

South America is more than just its 12 sovereign states. Several non-independent territories play an important role in the region:

• French Guiana (🇬🇫): a French overseas department and region, with 298,000 inhabitants and 83,534 km2. The only territory of the European Union on the South American continent, it is home to the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, from which Ariane rockets are launched.
• Falkland Islands / Malvinas (🇫🇰): a British Overseas Territory, with 3,600 inhabitants and 12,173 km2. Subject to a territorial dispute between Argentina (which calls them Islas Malvinas) and the United Kingdom, the islands were the site of a war in 1982.
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (🇬🇸): an uninhabited British Overseas Territory (except for scientific personnel), 3,903 km2. Claimed by Argentina.

Although non-sovereign, these territories have a history and geography that enrich the continent's diversity.

What are South America's geographic records?

South America is a continent of superlatives. Here are the most notable records:

• Largest country: Brazil (8,515,767 km2), the 5th largest country in the world
• Smallest country: Suriname (163,820 km2)
• Most populated country: Brazil (~216 million inhabitants), the 7th most populated in the world
• Least populated country: Suriname (~623,000 inhabitants)
• Highest mountain: Aconcagua in Argentina (6,961 m), the highest point in the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere
• Longest river: the Amazon (~6,400 km), the world's mightiest river by discharge
• Largest tropical rainforest: the Amazon (~5.5 million km2), spanning 9 countries
• Highest navigable lake: Lake Titicaca (8,372 km2) between Peru and Bolivia, at 3,812 m altitude
• Driest desert: the Atacama Desert in Chile, the driest nonpolar desert on Earth

How can you learn South American countries?

Think you know all the South American countries? Challenge yourself with our interactive quizzes:

• Listing Mode: can you name all 12 South American countries on a map? It's the ultimate challenge for geography enthusiasts.
• Flag Quiz Mode: can you recognize South American flags? Test your visual memory with our flag quiz.
• MapGuessing Mode: place South American countries on the map as precisely as possible. Every kilometer counts!

Whether you're a student, traveler, or simply curious, these quizzes are the best way to learn South American geography while having fun.