How Many Countries Are in South America?
South America has 12 sovereign countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Brazil is by far the largest, covering nearly half of South America's land area and home to about half its population. South America is also home to the Amazon Rainforest — the world's largest tropical rainforest — and the Andes, the world's longest continental mountain range. The continent's dominant language is Spanish (spoken in 9 of 12 countries), with Portuguese spoken in Brazil and English and Dutch in the smaller northern nations.
Countries
14
Population
0.4B
% of total
5.6%
continents
1
Complete list
| # | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Paraguay | 6.11M |
| 2 |  Argentina | 46.74M |
| 3 |  Brazil | 213.42M |
| 4 |  Suriname | 616.5K |
| 5 |  Peru | 34.35M |
| 6 |  Uruguay | 3.50M |
| 7 |  Bolivia | 11.37M |
| 8 |  Falkland Islands | 3.7K |
| 9 |  Chile | 20.21M |
| 10 |  Guyana | 773.0K |
| 11 |  Colombia | 53.06M |
| 12 |  Venezuela | 28.52M |
| 13 |  Ecuador | 18.10M |
| 14 |  French Guiana | 292.4K |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries are in South America?
South America has 12 sovereign countries: 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 (8.5 million km²) and population (over 215 million people).
What is the smallest country in South America?
Suriname is the smallest country in South America by area, and Uruguay is the smallest by population among the mainland nations.