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 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 km2 (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 km2 (424,164 sq mi) | ||
Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil |
Portuguese: Brasil — República Federativa do Brasil | Brasília Portuguese: Brasília |
203,429,773 | 8,514,877 km2 (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 km2 (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 km2 (439,736 sq mi) | ||
Ecuador Republic of Ecuador |
Spanish: Ecuador — República del Ecuador | Quito Spanish: Quito |
15,007,343 | 283,561 km2 (109,484 sq mi) | ||
Guyana Co-operative Republic of Guyana |
English: Guyana — Co-operative Republic of Guyana | Georgetown English: Georgetown |
744,768 | 214,969 km2 (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 km2 (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 km2 (496,225 sq mi) | ||
Suriname Republic of Suriname |
Dutch: Suriname — Republiek Suriname | Paramaribo Dutch: Paramaribo |
491,989 | 163,820 km2 (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 km2 (68,037 sq mi) | ||
Venezuela Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela |
Spanish: Venezuela — República Bolivariana de Venezuela | Caracas Spanish: Caracas |
27,635,743 | 912,050 km2 (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 km2 (4,700 sq mi) | ||
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands[n 5] | British overseas territory | English: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | King Edward Point English: King Edward Point |
0 | 3,903 km2 (1,507 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 km2 (32,253 sq mi) |
Economic statistics
Name | Currency | GDP (PPP) per capita[n 6] (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] |
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) | |||
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
- ↑ While Sucre is the constitutional capital, La Paz is the seat of the government.
- ↑ Includes Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, a Chilean territory frequently reckoned in Oceania.
- ↑ While Santiago is the constitutional capital of Chile, Valparaíso is the site of legislative meetings.
- ↑ Also translated as "Oriental Republic of Uruguay".
- ↑ Sometimes grouped with Antarctica rather than South America
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States". Council on Foreign Relations. 26 December 1933. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ↑ "United Nations Member States". United Nations. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ↑ "Estados Miembros" (in Spanish). Secretaria General de UNASUR. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Field Listing :: Names". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- 1 2 "UNGEGN List of Country Names" (PDF). United Nations Statistics Division. 2007. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- 1 2 3 4 "List of countries, territories and currencies". Europa. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Field Listing :: Capital". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ↑ "UNGEGN World Geographical Names". United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Country Comparison :: Population". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Field Listing :: Area". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ↑ INSEE. "Estimation de population au 1er janvier, par région, sexe et grande classe d'âge – Année 2013" (in French). Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Argentina". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Bolivia". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Brazil". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Chile". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Colombia". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Ecuador". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ Americas Review 2003/2004: Economic and Business Report (21st ed.). London: Kogan Page. 2003. p. 79. ISBN 0-7494-4064-3. ISSN 1351-4571.
- ↑ "Résultats régionaux des enquêtes de recensement de 2004 à 2007" (in French). INSEE. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Guyana". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Paraguay". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Peru". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Suriname". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Uruguay". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Venezuela". CIA Directorate of Intelligence. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-06-12.