Countries of South America

South America is a continent entirely located in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at its northern tip. It can also be described as the southern subregion of the unified continent called America.

South America is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east, with North America and the Caribbean Sea to the northwest. The continent typically includes twelve sovereign states: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela; two dependent territories: the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; and one internal territory: French Guiana. Additionally, islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ascension Island, Bouvet Island, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago may also be considered part of South America.

South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers (6,890,000 square miles). Its population as of 2021 is estimated at over 434 million people. South America ranks fourth in area (after Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population (after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America). Brazil is by far the most populous South American country, home to more than half of the continent's population, followed by Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and Peru. In recent decades, Brazil has also produced half of the continent's GDP and has become its leading regional power.

Most of the population lives along the western or eastern coasts of the continent, while the interior and far south are sparsely populated. The geography of western South America is dominated by the Andes Mountains. In contrast, the eastern part includes both highlands and vast lowlands, where rivers such as the Amazon, Orinoco, and Paraná flow. Most of the continent lies in the tropics, except for a significant portion of the Southern Cone, which is located in mid-latitudes.

The continent's cultural and ethnic identity stems from interactions between Indigenous peoples, European conquerors and immigrants, and—on a more local level—African slaves. Given its long colonial history, the vast majority of South America's inhabitants speak Spanish or Portuguese, and its societies and states are rich in Western traditions. Compared to Europe, Asia, and Africa, 20th-century South America was a relatively peaceful continent with few wars.