Countries of South America

Contents

Countries of South America South America comprises sovereign states on the South American continent, bounded by the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, and linked to North America by the Isthmus of Panama and to Antarctica by the Drake Passage and Southern Ocean. The region has been shaped by pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Inca Empire and Tairona, European colonization by Spain and Portugal, independence movements led by Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín, and 20th–21st century developments involving organizations like the Organization of American States and Union of South American Nations.

Overview

South American states range from large federations to small unitary republics, situated across biomes including the Amazon Rainforest, Andes Mountains, Atacama Desert and Pampas. Political trajectories include colonial viceroyalties such as the Viceroyalty of Peru and the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, independence wars like the Peru–Bolivian Confederation conflicts and 19th–20th century boundary disputes exemplified by the War of the Pacific and the Falklands War. Regional integration efforts include the Southern Common Market () and the Andean Community, while international partnerships involve BRICS and the World Bank.

The sovereign states on the continent include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay, plus the Venezuela Bolivarian Republic; overseas departments and territories linked to France such as French Guiana are geographically in the region but not sovereign. Historical predecessors and short-lived states include Gran Colombia, United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata and Patagonia (historical); contemporary microstates and dependencies involve diplomatic arrangements with Kingdom of the Netherlands and United Kingdom.

National constitutions vary from the 1824 constitution influenced by Simón Bolívar to modern texts like the Constitution of Brazil (1988) and the Constitution of Chile (proposed reforms). Systems include federal structures in Brazil and Argentina and unitary republics in Chile, Peru and Ecuador; subnational divisions cite provinces of Argentina, states of Venezuela, departamentos of Colombia and municipalities such as Lima District. Political parties and movements feature historic actors like Peronism, Fidel Castro-aligned currents, APRA in Peru and contemporary leaders who negotiated accords at summits including the Rio Group and Summit of the Americas.

The continent hosts the Amazon Basin, fed by tributaries like the Madeira River and the Negro River, and highlands such as the Altiplano and peaks like Aconcagua. Major cities include São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Bogotá, Lima, Santiago and Quito; island territories include Fernando de Noronha and Isla de los Estados. Indigenous nations such as the Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní and Yanomami coexist with populations of European, African and Asian descent shaped by migrations from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Japan and Lebanon. Demographic trends reflect urbanization seen in Mercosur countries, fertility patterns studied by the United Nations Population Fund and health initiatives coordinated with the Pan American Health Organization.

Regional economies range from export-oriented commodity producers like Chile (copper via Codelco), Brazil (soybeans, iron ore via Vale) and Peru (copper, gold) to service-oriented economies in Uruguay and Guyana with emerging oil sectors tied to ExxonMobil investments. Trade blocs include MERCOSUR with Argentina and Brazil, the Pacific Alliance with Chile and Colombia, and bilateral agreements with the European Union and China. Infrastructure projects involve the Pan-American Highway, hydroelectric dams like Itaipu Dam, and port hubs such as Puerto Bolivar and Callao; financial institutions active in the region include the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Cultural life is multilingual and syncretic, with official languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and indigenous languages such as Quechua and Guaraní; creole and immigrant languages include Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) communities and Japanese-Brazilian heritage in São Paulo. Artistic traditions encompass literature from Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges and Pablo Neruda, music genres like tango, samba, cumbia and bossa nova, and visual arts represented by Fernando Botero and Candido Portinari. Religious landscapes involve Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and indigenous spiritualities while festivals include Carnival (Rio de Janeiro), Inti Raymi and Fiesta de la Vendimia.

South American states engage multilaterally through the Organization of American States, MERCOSUR, the Andean Community, UNASUR initiatives and dialogue platforms with United States and European Union delegations. Security cooperation addresses transnational issues with agencies like Interpol and multilateral accords such as the Treaty of Tordesillas’s historical legacy influencing boundary commissions; climate diplomacy involves commitments under the Paris Agreement and collaboration with the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization. Foreign policy orientations vary from alignment with United States initiatives to partnerships with China, Russia and European Union member states, and participation in global forums like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.