List of sovereign states and dependent territories in South America explained

There are 12 sovereign states and 3 non-sovereign dependent territories in South America. The continent is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean. North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest. South America has an area of approximately 17,840,000 square kilometres (6,890,000 sq mi), or almost 3.5% of Earth's surface. As of 2018, its population is more than 430 million, according to estimates of population in The World Factbook. South America ranks fourth among all continents in area (after Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population (after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America).

The border between North and South America is at some point in the Isthmus of Panama. The most common demarcation in atlases and other sources follows the Darién Mountains watershed that divides along the Colombia–Panama border where the isthmus meets the South American continent (see Darién Gap). Virtually all atlases list Panama as a state falling entirely within North America and/or Central America.^[1]

Sovereign states

A sovereign state is a political association with effective sovereignty over a population for whom it makes decisions in the national interest.^[2] According to the Montevideo Convention, a state must have a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.^[3] The following states are all members of the United Nations^[4] and current or former members of the Union of South American Nations.^[5]

Flag	Map	English short, formal names, and ISO ^[6] ^[7] ^[8] ^[9]	Domestic short and formal name(s)	Capital ^[10] ^[11]	Population	data-sort-type="number"	Area ^[12]	Currency
		Argentina  Argentine Republic ARG	Spanish; Castilian: Argentina — República Argentina	Buenos Aires Spanish; Castilian: Ciudad de Buenos Aires		27804000NaN0	Argentine peso
		Bolivia  Plurinational State of Bolivia BOL	Spanish; Castilian: Bolivia — Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia Quechua: Buliwya — Puliwya Achka Aylluska Mamallaqta Aymara: Wuliwya — Wuliwya Walja Suyunakana Marka	Sucre (official) and La Paz (seat of government) Spanish; Castilian: Sucre^[13]		10985810NaN0	Bolivian boliviano
		Brazil  Federative Republic of Brazil BRA	Portuguese: Brasil — República Federativa do Brasil	Brasília Portuguese: Brasília		85148770NaN0	Brazilian real
		Chile  ^[14] Republic of Chile CHL	Spanish; Castilian: Chile — República de Chile	Santiago^[15] Spanish; Castilian: Santiago		7561020NaN0	Chilean peso
		Colombia  Republic of Colombia COL	Spanish; Castilian: Colombia — República de Colombia	Bogotá / Santa Fe de Bogotá Spanish; Castilian: Bogotá		11389100NaN0	Colombian peso
		Ecuador  Republic of Ecuador ECU	Spanish; Castilian: Ecuador — República del Ecuador Quechua: Ikwadur — Ikwadur Ripuwlika	Quito Spanish; Castilian: Quito		2835610NaN0	United States dollar
		Guyana  Co-operative Republic of Guyana GUY	English: Guyana — Co-operative Republic of Guyana	Georgetown English: Georgetown		2149690NaN0	Guyanese dollar
		Paraguay  Republic of Paraguay PRY	Spanish; Castilian: Paraguay — República del Paraguay Guarani: Paraguai — Tetã Paraguai	Asunción Spanish; Castilian: Asunción		4067520NaN0	Paraguayan guaraní
		Peru  Republic of Peru PER	Spanish; Castilian: Perú — República del Perú Quechua: Piruw — Piruw Ripuwlika Aymara: Piruw — Piruwxa Ripuwlika	Lima Spanish; Castilian: Lima		12852160NaN0	Peruvian sol
		Suriname  Republic of Suriname SUR	Dutch; Flemish: Suriname — Republiek Suriname	Paramaribo Dutch; Flemish: Paramaribo		1638200NaN0	Surinamese dollar
		Uruguay  Eastern Republic of Uruguay^[16] URY	Spanish; Castilian: Uruguay — República Oriental del Uruguay Portuguese: Uruguai — República Oriental do Uruguai	Montevideo Spanish; Castilian: Montevideo Portuguese: Montevidéu		1762150NaN0	Uruguayan peso
		Venezuela  Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela VEN	Spanish; Castilian: Venezuela — República Bolivariana de Venezuela	Caracas Spanish; Castilian: Caracas		9120500NaN0	Venezuelan bolívar

Non-sovereign territories

External territories

Flag	Map	English name	Legal status	Domestic name	Capital	Population^[17]	Area
		Falkland Islands  FLK	British overseas territory	English: Falkland Islands Spanish; Castilian: Islas Malvinas	Stanley English: Stanley	align=right	3,398^[18]
		South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands  ^[19] SGS	British overseas territory	English: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	King Edward Point English: King Edward Point	No permanent population^[20]

Internal territory

Economic statistics

Country/Territory	Currency	GDP (PPP) per capita^[23] (2008 est. in U.S. dollars)	class=unsortable	Notes
align=left		align=left	Argentine peso	align=left		align=center	^[24]
align=left		align=left	Boliviano	align=left		align=center	^[25]
align=left		align=left	Brazilian real	align=left		align=center	^[26]
align=left		align=left	Chilean peso	align=left		align=center	^[27]
align=left		align=left	Colombian peso	align=left		align=center	^[28]
align=left		align=left	United States dollar	align=left		align=center	^[29]
align=left	(United Kingdom)	align=left	Falkland Islands pound	align=left	(2002 est.)	align=center	^[30]
align=left	(France)	align=left	Euro	align=left	(2001 est.)	align=center	^[31] ^[32]
align=left		align=left	Guyanese dollar	align=left		align=center	^[33]
align=left		align=left	Paraguayan guaraní	align=left		align=center	^[34]
align=left		align=left	Peruvian sol	align=left		align=center	^[35]
align=left	^† (United Kingdom)	align=left	Falkland Islands Pound	align=left	0	align=center
align=left		align=left	Surinamese dollar	align=left		align=center	^[36]
align=left		align=left	Uruguayan peso	align=left		align=center	^[37]
align=left		align=left	Venezuelan bolívar	align=left		align=center	^[38]

^† Geographically associated with Antarctica, but due to geopolitical reasons, the United Nations geoscheme has included South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in South America instead.

See also

• List of South American countries by population
• List of South American countries by population density
• List of South American countries by GDP per capita
• List of South American countries by GDP (PPP)
• List of predecessors of sovereign states in South America
• List of sovereign states and dependent territories in the Americas

Notes and References

1. Web site: National Geographic Education . https://web.archive.org/web/20110728060745/http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/mapping/outline-map/?map=Panama . dead . July 28, 2011 . . 2011-05-12 .
   Book: National Geographic Atlas (list). National Geographic Society. 2010. 4.
   Book: Webster's New Geographical Dictionary (list and map). Merriam-Webster Inc.. 1984. 856, 859.
   "Americas" Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications (M49), United Nations Statistics Division
   "North America" Atlas of Canada
   North America Atlas National Geographic
2. Ashley . Richard K . Untying the Sovereign State: A Double Reading of the Anarchy Problematique . Millennium - Journal of International Studies . 4 . 2 . 227–262 . Sage Journals Online . 1 June 1988 . 10.1177/03058298880170020901 . 145130222 . 15 February 2012.
3. Web site: Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States . Council on Foreign Relations . 26 December 1933 . 15 February 2012.
4. Web site: United Nations Member States . United Nations . 15 February 2012.
5. Web site: Estados Miembros . Secretaria General de UNASUR . es . 15 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120627123555/http://www.unasursg.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=397&Itemid=343 . 27 June 2012 . dead .
6. Web site: Field Listing :: Names . https://web.archive.org/web/20070613002925/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2142.html . dead . June 13, 2007 . Central Intelligence Agency . 7 February 2012.
7. Web site: UNGEGN List of Country Names . United Nations Statistics Division . 2007 . 2011-02-24.
8. Web site: List of countries, territories and currencies . Europa . 7 February 2012 . 7 February 2012.
9. Web site: 1974 . ISO 3166 . 2022-07-24 . International Organization for Standardization.
10. Web site: Field Listing :: Capital . https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003402/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2057.html . dead . June 13, 2007 . Central Intelligence Agency . 7 February 2012.
11. Web site: UNGEGN World Geographical Names . United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names . 9 December 2011 . 7 February 2012.
12. Web site: Field Listing :: Area . https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003039/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2147.html . dead . June 13, 2007 . Central Intelligence Agency . 7 February 2012.
13. While Sucre is the constitutional capital, La Paz is the seat of the government.
14. Includes Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, a Chilean territory frequently reckoned in Oceania.
15. While Santiago is the constitutional capital of Chile, Valparaíso is the site of legislative meetings.
16. Also translated as "Oriental Republic of Uruguay".
17. Web site: Country Comparison :: Population . https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html . dead . June 13, 2007 . Central Intelligence Agency . 7 February 2012.
18. Web site: 2016 Census Report. 2017. Policy and Economic Development Unit, Falkland Islands Government. PDF. https://web.archive.org/web/20180124232820/http://www.fig.gov.fk/policy/index.php/component/jdownloads/finish/5-statistics/4788-falkland-islands-census-2016-report/0?Itemid=0. 24 January 2018.
19. Sometimes grouped with Antarctica rather than South America.
20. Present inhabitants are the British Government officer, deputy postmaster, scientists, and support staff from the British Antarctic Survey who maintain scientific bases on Bird Island and in the capital, King Edward Point, as well as museum staff at Grytviken.
21. The territory has been fully integrated into the French central state.
22. Web site: Estimation de population par région, sexe et grande classe d'âge – Années 1975 à 2021. INSEE. 2021-01-21. fr.
23. The CIA's estimate for GDP per capita (PPP) is used in the article. For the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's estimates, see List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita.
24. Web site: The World Factbook: Argentina . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
25. Web site: The World Factbook: Bolivia . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
26. Web site: The World Factbook: Brazil . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
27. Web site: The World Factbook: Chile . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
28. Web site: The World Factbook: Colombia . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
29. Web site: The World Factbook: Ecuador . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
30. Web site: The World Factbook: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
31. Book: Americas Review 2003/2004: Economic and Business Report. Kogan Page. London. 21st. 2003. 79. 0-7494-4064-3. 1351-4571.
32. Web site: Résultats régionaux des enquêtes de recensement de 2004 à 2007. INSEE. 2008-06-12. fr.
33. Web site: The World Factbook: Guyana . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
34. Web site: The World Factbook: Paraguay . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
35. Web site: The World Factbook: Peru . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
36. Web site: The World Factbook: Suriname . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
37. Web site: The World Factbook: Uruguay . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .
38. Web site: The World Factbook: Venezuela . CIA Directorate of Intelligence . 2008-06-12 . 2008-05-15 .