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."Americas" Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications (M49), United Nations Statistics Division"North America" Atlas of CanadaNorth America Atlas National Geographic
Sovereign states
A sovereign state is a political association with effective sovereignty over a population for whom it makes decisions in the national interest. 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. The following states are all members of the United Nations and current or former members of the Union of South American Nations. Flag Map English short, formal names, and ISO Domestic short and formal name(s) Capital Population Area Currency Argentina Argentine RepublicARG Buenos Aires Argentine peso Bolivia Plurinational State of BoliviaBOL Sucre (official)and La Paz (seat of government)While Sucre is the constitutional capital, La Paz is the seat of the government. Bolivian boliviano Brazil Federative Republic of BrazilBRA Brasília Brazilian real Chile Includes Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, a Chilean territory frequently reckoned in Oceania.Republic of ChileCHL SantiagoWhile Santiago is the constitutional capital of Chile, Valparaíso is the site of legislative meetings. Chilean peso Colombia Republic of ColombiaCOL Bogotá / Santa Fe de Bogotá Colombian peso Ecuador Republic of EcuadorECU Quito United States dollar Guyana Co-operative Republic of GuyanaGUY Georgetown Guyanese dollar Paraguay Republic of ParaguayPRY Asunción 6,109,903 Paraguayan guaraní Peru Republic of PeruPER Lima Peruvian sol Suriname Republic of SurinameSUR Paramaribo Surinamese dollar Uruguay Eastern Republic of UruguayAlso translated as "Oriental Republic of Uruguay".URY Montevideo Uruguayan peso Venezuela Bolivarian Republic of VenezuelaVEN Caracas Venezuelan bolívar
Non-sovereign territories External territories
Flag Map English name Legal status Domestic name Capital Population Area Falkland Islands FLK British overseas territory Stanley 3,398 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Sometimes grouped with Antarctica rather than South America.SGS King Edward Point No permanent populationPresent 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.
Internal territory
Flag Map English name and ISO code Legal status Domestic name Capital Population Area French GuianaGUF Overseas department, region and single territorial collectivity of France and outermost region of the European UnionThe territory has been fully integrated into the French central state. Cayenne
Economic statistics Country/Territory Currency GDP (PPP) per capitaThe 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.(2008 est. in U.S. dollars)Notes Argentine peso Boliviano Brazilian real Chilean peso Colombian peso United States dollar (United Kingdom) Falkland Islands pound (2002 est.) (France) Euro (2001 est.) Guyanese dollar Paraguayan guaraní Peruvian sol † (United Kingdom) Falkland Islands Pound 0 Surinamese dollar Uruguayan peso Venezuelan bolívar
† 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 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
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