The 12 South American Countries in Alphabetical Order

South America is located in the Western Hemisphere, with the narrow Isthmus of Panama dividing it from its neighbors in the north. It has a population of approximately 439 million people, with almost half of the population located in Brazil, the largest country in South America.

Occupying much of the continent is the Amazon River Basin, the largest drainage basin and home to the world’s largest rainforest.

It also boasts the Andes Mountains, the longest mountain range above water, stretching some 5,500 miles (8,900 kilometers) across seven South American countries.

Countries of the World Map
Where is South America? A detailed map showcasing six of the continents (Shutterstock)

South America extends just north of the Equator to subantarctic latitudes. It is the closest continent to Antarctica, which gives rise to its glaciated coastal archipelagoes in Argentina and Chile.

The continent is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The Caribbean Sea creates the boundary in the north.

Related: Countries in the Caribbean

Countries in South America in alphabetical order

Here is the alphabetical list of South American countries and their capitals. We have also included the countries’ regions, the international standard for country codes (ISO 3166), and the continent. View their country flags here.

CountryCountry CapitalCountry AbbreviationRegionContinent
ArgentinaBuenos AiresARSouthern South AmericaSouth America
BoliviaSucre (Constitutional), La Paz (Administrative)BOCentral South AmericaSouth America
BrazilBrasiliaBREastern South AmericaSouth America
ChileSantiagoCLSouthern South AmericaSouth America
ColombiaBogotaCONorthernwestern South AmericaSouth America
EcuadorQuitoECWestern South AmericaSouth America
GuyanaGeorgetownGYNorthern South AmericaSouth America
ParaguayAsunciónPYCentral South AmericaSouth America
PeruLimaPEWestern South AmericaSouth America
SurinameParamariboSRNorthern South AmericaSouth America
UruguayMontevideoUYSoutheastern South AmericaSouth America
VenezuelaCaracasVENorthern South AmericaSouth America

View all country names.

South American countries map
Countries in South America Map (Shutterstock)

How many countries are in South America?

There are 12 countries in South America according to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Other sources may include the Falkland Islands and French Guiana, but these are considered overseas territories rather than countries.

Recommended reading: Which of these countries belong to Latin America?

United Nations members in South America

The United Nations (UN) recognizes all 12 as Latin American and Caribbean regional states:

  1. Argentina
  2. Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 
  3. Brazil
  4. Chile
  5. Colombia
  6. Ecuador
  7. Guyana
  8. Paraguay
  9. Peru
  10. Suriname
  11. Uruguay
  12. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 

The UN acknowledges 33 members of the Latin American and Caribbean regional group, with the other states located on the North American continent.

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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.

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