Countries of South America and their capitals
South America has 12 countries and one dependent territory. Here is the full list in alphabetical order with the capital, population and area of each country; below, the countries sorted by size and by population, and the Map of South America with all of them.
List of the 12 countries of South America
| # | Country | Capital | Population | Area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | Buenos Aires | 47,327,407 | 2,780,400 km² (1,073,518 sq mi) |  |
| 2 | Bolivia | Sucre / La Paz | 12,244,159 | 1,098,581 km² (424,164 sq mi) |  |
| 3 | Brazil | Brasília | 214,211,951 | 8,515,767 km² (3,287,956 sq mi) |  |
| 4 | Chile | Santiago | 19,458,000 | 756,102 km² (291,933 sq mi) |  |
| 5 | Colombia | Bogotá | 52,321,152 | 1,141,748 km² (440,831 sq mi) |  |
| 6 | Ecuador | Quito | 16,938,986 | 257,204 km² (99,307 sq mi) |  |
| 7 | Guyana | Georgetown | 878,674 | 214,970 km² (83,000 sq mi) |  |
| 8 | Paraguay | Asunción | 6,811,297 | 406,756 km² (157,049 sq mi) |  |
| 9 | Peru | Lima | 34,157,732 | 1,285,216 km² (496,225 sq mi) |  |
| 10 | Suriname | Paramaribo | 563,402 | 163,270 km² (63,039 sq mi) |  |
| 11 | Uruguay | Montevideo | 3,444,263 | 176,215 km² (68,037 sq mi) |  |
| 12 | Venezuela | Caracas | 31,250,306 | 912,050 km² (352,144 sq mi) |  |
Dependent or disputed territories: Falkland Islands (Stanley).
These are the 12 independent countries of South America. The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory claimed by Argentina and are listed separately.
The 6 largest countries
The 6 most populous countries
Map of South America with its countries
The flags of all these countries are on flags of South America, and the capitals of every country on capitals of the world.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries are in South America?
South America has 12 independent countries and one territory (Falkland Islands). These are the 12 independent countries of South America. The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory claimed by Argentina and are listed separately.
What is the largest country in South America?
Brazil, with 8,515,767 km² (3,287,956 sq mi). Next come Argentina and Peru.
What is the most populous country in South America?
Brazil, with about 214.2 million people.
What is the smallest country in South America?
Suriname, with 163,270 km² (63,039 sq mi).
Is there a map with all the countries of South America?
Yes: the map of South America on this site (labeled, blank and coloring), free to download as PNG and PDF.
More lists: Countries of Europe · Countries of Asia · Countries of Africa · Countries of North America · Countries of Oceania · Countries of Central America · Countries of the Caribbean · Countries of Latin America · Countries of the Middle East · Countries of the European Union · Countries of Southeast Asia · All countries of the world