List of sovereign states and dependent territories in South America

This is a list of sovereign states and dependent territories in South America. It includes both fully recognized states and dependent territories of both South American and non-South American states. It lists 12 sovereign states and 3 non-sovereign territories.

South America 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 the Earth's surface. As of 2008, its population is more than 380 million, according to estimates of population in the 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).^[1]

The division between North and South America is unclear, lying somewhere in the Isthmus of Panama. However, Panama is not considered transcontinental, and is generally considered to be wholly a part of North America.

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 members of the Union of South American Nations.^[5]

Flag	Map	English short and formal names [6][7][8]	Domestic short and formal names [6][7]	Capital [8][9][10]	Population [11]	Area [12]
		Argentina Argentine Republic	Spanish: Argentina — República Argentina	Buenos Aires Spanish: Ciudad de Buenos Aires	41,769,726	2,780,400 km^2 (1,073,518 sq mi)
		Bolivia Plurinational State of Bolivia	Spanish: Bolivia — Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia	Sucre Spanish: Sucre[n 1]	10,118,683	1,098,581 km^2 (424,164 sq mi)
		Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil	Portuguese: Brasil — República Federativa do Brasil	Brasília Portuguese: Brasília	203,429,773	8,514,877 km^2 (3,287,612 sq mi)
		Chile[n 2] Republic of Chile	Spanish: Chile — República de Chile	Santiago[n 3] Spanish: Santiago	16,888,760	756,102 km^2 (291,933 sq mi)
		Colombia Republic of Colombia	Spanish: Colombia — República de Colombia	Bogotá / Santa Fe de Bogotá Spanish: Bogotá	46,366,364	1,138,910 km^2 (439,736 sq mi)
		Ecuador Republic of Ecuador	Spanish: Ecuador — República del Ecuador	Quito Spanish: Quito	15,007,343	283,561 km^2 (109,484 sq mi)
		Guyana Co-operative Republic of Guyana	English: Guyana — Co-operative Republic of Guyana	Georgetown Spanish: Georgetown	744,768	214,969 km^2 (83,000 sq mi)
		Paraguay Republic of Paraguay	Spanish: Paraguay — República del Paraguay Guarani: Paraguai — Tetã Paraguai	Asunción Spanish: Asunción	6,459,058	406,752 km^2 (157,048 sq mi)
		Peru Republic of Peru	Aymara: Perú Quechua: Perú Spanish: Perú — República del Perú	Lima Spanish: Lima	29,248,943	1,285,216 km^2 (496,225 sq mi)
		Suriname Republic of Suriname	Dutch: Suriname — Republiek Suriname	Paramaribo Dutch: Paramaribo	491,989	163,820 km^2 (63,251 sq mi)
		Uruguay Eastern Republic of Uruguay[n 4]	Spanish: Uruguay — República Oriental del Uruguay	Montevideo Spanish: Montevideo	3,308,535	176,215 km^2 (68,037 sq mi)
		Venezuela Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela	Spanish: Venezuela — República Bolivariana de Venezuela	Caracas Spanish: Caracas	27,635,743	912,050 km^2 (352,144 sq mi)

Non-sovereign territories

Dependent territories

Flag	Map	English name[6][8]	Legal status	Domestic name	Capital[9]	Population[11]	Area[12]
		Falkland Islands	British overseas territory	English: Falkland Islands	Stanley English: Stanley	3,140	12,173 km^2 (4,700 sq mi)

Other areas

Flag	Map	English name[6][8]	Legal status	Domestic name	Capital[9]	Population[11]	Area[12]
		French Guiana	French overseas region	French: Guyane	Cayenne French: Cayenne	250,109[13]	83,534 km^2 (32,253 sq mi)

Economic statistics

Name	Currency	GDP (PPP) per capita[n 5] (2008 est. in U.S. dollars)	Notes
Argentina	Argentine peso	14,200	[14]
Bolivia	Boliviano	4,500	[15]
Brazil	Brazilian real	10,100	[16]
Chile	Chilean peso	14,900	[17]
Colombia	Colombian peso	8,900	[18]
Ecuador	United States dollar	7,500	[19]
Falkland Islands (UK)	Falkland Islands pound	35,400 (2002 est.)	[20]
French Guiana (France)	Euro	6,000 (2001 est.)	[21][22]
Guyana	Guyanese dollar	3,900	[23]
Paraguay	Paraguayan guaraní	4,200	[24]
Peru	Peruvian nuevo sol	8,400	[25]
Suriname	Surinamese dollar	8,900	[26]
Uruguay	Uruguayan peso	12,200	[27]
Venezuela	Venezuelan bolívar	13,500	[28]

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

Notes

1. While Sucre is the constitutional capital, La Paz is the seat of the government.
2. Includes Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, a Chilean territory frequently reckoned in Oceania.
3. While Santiago is the constitutional capital of Chile, Valparaíso is the site of legislative meetings.
4. Also translated as "Oriental Republic of Uruguay".
5. 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.

References

1. The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge: A Desk Reference for the Curious Mind (2nd ed.), New York: St. Martin's Press, 2007, p. 598, ISBN 0-312-37659-6, OCLC 173243876
2. Ashley, Richard K (1 June 1988). "Untying the Sovereign State: A Double Reading of the Anarchy Problematique". Millennium - Journal of International Studies (Sage Journals Online) 17 (2): 227–262. doi:10.1177/03058298880170020901. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
3. "Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States". Council on Foreign Relations. 26 December 1933. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
4. "United Nations Member States". United Nations. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
5. "Estados Miembros" (in Spanish). Secretaria General de UNASUR. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
6. "Field Listing :: Names". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
7. "UNGEGN List of Country Names" (PDF). United Nations Statistics Division. 2007. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
8. "List of countries, territories and currencies". Europa. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
9. "Field Listing :: Capital". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
10. "UNGEGN World Geographical Names". United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
11. "Country Comparison :: Population". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
12. "Field Listing :: Area". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
13. INSEE. "Estimation de population au 1er janvier, par région, sexe et grande classe d'âge – Année 2013" (in French). Retrieved 2014-01-26.
14. "The World Factbook: Argentina". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
15. "The World Factbook: Bolivia". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
16. "The World Factbook: Brazil". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
17. "The World Factbook: Chile". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
18. "The World Factbook: Colombia". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
19. "The World Factbook: Ecuador". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
20. "The World Factbook: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
21. Americas Review 2003/2004: Economic and Business Report (21st ed.). London: Kogan Page. 2003. p. 79. ISBN 0-7494-4064-3. ISSN 1351-4571.
22. "Résultats régionaux des enquêtes de recensement de 2004 à 2007" (in French). INSEE. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
23. "The World Factbook: Guyana". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
24. "The World Factbook: Paraguay". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
25. "The World Factbook: Peru". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
26. "The World Factbook: Suriname". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
27. "The World Factbook: Uruguay". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
28. "The World Factbook: Venezuela". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.