The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to South America.

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...

is the southern continent of the two

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...

, situated entirely in the

Western Hemisphere The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the antimeridian. The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Politically, the te ...

and mostly (about 3/4) in the Southern Hemisphere. It lies between the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

and

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

oceans. The continent is culturally,

ethnically An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

and racially diverse, home to

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

and to descendants of settlers from Europe, Africa and Asia. Due to its

history of colonialism The historical phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Turks, and the Arabs. Colonialism in the modern sense began ...

most South Americans speak

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

, and its societies and states are commonly modeled after Western traditions.

Geography of South America

Geography of South America The geography of South America contains many diverse regions and climates. Geographically, South America is generally considered a continent forming the southern portion of the landmass of the Americas, south and east of the Colombia–Panama bo ...

Geography by political division

Geography of countries

Geography of Argentina The geography of Argentina describes the geographic features of Argentina, a country located in Southern South America. Bordered by the Andes in the west and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, neighbouring countries are Chile to the west, Bol ...

Geography of Bolivia The geography of Bolivia includes the Cordillera Oriental (Bolivia), Eastern Andes Mountain Range (also called the Cordillera Oriental) which bisects Bolivia roughly from north to south. To the east of that mountain chain are lowland plains of t ...

Geography of Brazil The country of Brazil occupies roughly half of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Brazil covers a total area of which includes of land and of water. The highest point in Brazil is Pico da Neblina at . Brazil is bordered by the countr ...

Geography of Chile The geography of Chile is extremely diverse as the country extends from a latitude of 17° South to Cape Horn at 56° and from the ocean on the west to Andes on the east. Chile is situated in southern South America, bordering the South Pacifi ...

Geography of Colombia The Republic of Colombia is situated largely in the northwest of South America, with some territories falling within the boundaries of Central America. It is bordered to the northwest by Panama; to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by ...

Geography of Ecuador Ecuador is a country in western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, for which the country is named. Ecuador encompasses a wide range of natural formations and climates, from the desert-like southern coast to the snowcappe ...

Geography of Guyana The Geography of Guyana comprises the physical characteristics of the country in Northern South America and part of Caribbean South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela, with a land area of approximately 2 ...

Geography of Panama Panama is a country located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Panama is located on the narrow and low Isthmus of Panama. This S-shaped isthmus is situated between 7 ...

Geography of Paraguay Paraguay is a country in South America, bordering Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. The Paraguay River (Spanish: ''Río Paraguay'') divides the country into strikingly different eastern and western regions. Both the eastern region (officially called E ...

* Geography of Peru *

Geography of Suriname Suriname is located in the northern part of South America and is part of Caribbean South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana. It is mostly covered by tropical rainforest, containing a great diversity ...

Geography of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic republic in the southern Caribbean between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela. They are southeasterly islands of the Lesser Antilles, Monos, Huevos, Gaspar Grande (or G ...

Geography of Uruguay Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere on the Atlantic seaboard of South America between 53 and 58 west longitude and ...

Geography of Venezuela Venezuela is a country in South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana. It is situated on major sea and air routes linking North and South America. Located at the northernmost end of ...

Geography of dependencies and other territories

* Geography of Aruba *

Geography of Bonaire Bonaire (; , ; pap, Boneiru, , almost pronounced ) is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west ( leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC i ...

* Geography of Curaçao *

Geography of the Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean between 51°S and 53°S on a projection of the Patagonian Shelf, part of the South American continental shelf. In ancient geological time this shelf was part of Gondwana, and around 40 ...

* Geography of French Guiana * Geography of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Geographical features of South America

List of islands of South America The following are lists of the islands of South America by country. Argentina Atlantic Ocean islands *'' Isla Apipé'' *''Isla Bermejo'' *''Isla de los Estados'' *'' Isla de San Martín'' *''Isla del Cerrito'' *''Isla Martín García'' *'' Is ...

List of rivers of South America This is a list of rivers of the Americas, it includes major historical or physiological significant rivers of the Americas grouped by region where they are located (Central America, Northern America, West Indies and South Americas). The longest ...

List of World Heritage Sites in South America This is a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South America. Legend :Site; as per officially inscribed name :Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates :Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee :Area; in h ...

Regions of South America

Directional regions

* Eastern South America: Federative Republic of Brazil * Northern South America (the part of South America located in the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

) ** North-eastern South America: The Guianas ** North-western South America: Caribbean South America * Southern South America: Southern Cone * Western South America: Andean States

Natural regions

Altiplano The Altiplano (Spanish for "high plain"), Collao (Quechua and Aymara: Qullaw, meaning "place of the Qulla") or Andean Plateau, in west-central South America, is the most extensive high plateau on Earth outside Tibet. The plateau is located at the ...

Amazon basin The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...

Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...

** Brazilian Amazon **

Peruvian Amazon Peruvian Amazonia ( es, Amazonía del Perú) is the area of the Amazon rainforest included within the country of Peru, from east of the Andes to the borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia. This region comprises 60% of the country and ...

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

Tropical Andes The Tropical Andes is northern of the three climate-delineated parts of the Andes, the others being the Dry Andes and the Wet Andes. The Tropical Andes' area spans . Geography and ecology file:Andes_clima.png, 200px, Map of the climatic regions ...

Dry Andes file:Andes_clima.png, 200px, Map of the climatic regions of the Andes. The Dry Andes are shown in yellow. The Tropical Andes are shown in green and the Wet Andes in dark blue. The Dry Andes ( es, Andes áridos) is a climatic and glaciology, glaciol ...

Wet Andes file:Andes_clima.png, 200px, Map of the climatic regions of the Andes. The Wet Andes are shown in dark blue. The Dry Andes are shown in yellow and the Tropical Andes in green. The Wet Andes ( es, Andes húmedos) is a climatic and glaciology, glacio ...

Atacama Desert The Atacama Desert ( es, Desierto de Atacama) is a desert plateau in South America covering a 1,600 km (990 mi) strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes Mountains. The Atacama Desert is the driest nonpolar desert in the ...

Brazilian Highlands The Brazilian Highlands or Brazilian Plateau ( pt, Planalto Brasileiro) are an extensive geographical region, covering most of the eastern, southern and central portions of Brazil, in all approximately half of the country's land area, or some 4,5 ...

Caribbean South America Caribbean South America is a subregion of South America consisting of the countries that border the Caribbean Sea: Colombia and Venezuela. By extension, The Guianas, while not bordering the Caribbean Sea directly, are commonly reckoned with t ...

Gran Chaco The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Gro ...

Guianas The Guianas, sometimes called by the Spanish loan-word ''Guayanas'' (''Las Guayanas''), is a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories: * French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France * ...

Llanos The Llanos (Spanish ''Los Llanos'', "The Plains"; ) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical grasslands, sav ...

Pampas The Pampas (from the qu, pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil ...

Pantanal The Pantanal () is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and p ...

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...

Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of the Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla G ...

Atlantic Forest The Atlantic Forest ( pt, Mata Atlântica) is a South American forest that extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south and inland as far as Paraguay and th ...

Caatinga Caatinga (, ) is a type of semi-arid tropical vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in interior northeastern Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation" (''caa'' = forest, v ...

Cerrado The ''Cerrado'' (, ) is a vast ecoregion of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil, particularly in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, and the Federal District. The core areas of the Cerrado biome are t ...

Chiquitano dry forests The Chiquitano dry forests is a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in Bolivia and Brazil. The ecoregion is named for the Chiquitano people who live in the region. Setting The Chiquitano dry forests cover an area of . The ecoregion lies eas ...

Political divisions of South America

Countries of South America

List of South American countries There are 12 sovereign states and 4 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 n ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

Dependencies and other territories

Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...

Bonaire Bonaire (; , ; pap, Boneiru, , almost pronounced ) is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west ( leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC i ...

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = , song = , image_map = South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in United Kingdom.svg , map_caption = Location of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Oce ...

Regions by country

Regions of Argentina The provinces of Argentina are often grouped into eight geographical regions. Regions From West to East and North to South, these are: *Argentine Northwest: Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca *Gran Chaco: Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero ...

* Regions of Bolivia *

Regions of Brazil Brazil is geopolitically divided into five regions (also called macroregions), by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, which are formed by the federative units of Brazil. Although officially recognized, the division is merely ac ...

Regions of Chile Chile is divided into 16 regions (in Spanish, ''regiones''; singular ''región''), which are the country's first-level administrative division. Each region is headed by an intendant (''intendente)'', appointed by the President of Chile, and a di ...

Regions of Colombia Because of its natural structure, Colombia can be divided into six distinct natural regions. These consist of the Andean Region, covering the three branches of the Andes mountains found in Colombia; the Caribbean Region, covering the area adjacen ...

Regions of Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Ek ...

Regions of Guyana Guyana is divided into 10 Regions: Each Region is administered by a Regional Democratic Council (RDC) which is headed by a Chairman. The Regions are divided into neighbourhood councils, known as Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). The c ...

* Regions of Paraguay *

Regions of Peru According to the ''Organic Law of Regional Governments'', the regions ( es, regiones) are, with the departments, the first-level administrative subdivisions of Peru. Since its Peruvian War of Independence, 1821 independence, Peru had been divided ...

* Regions of Suriname *

Regions of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago is divided into nine regions, three boroughs, two city corporations and one ward. Trinidad The following are the municipalities and regions created after the amendment of Act No.8 of 1992: The following regions were me ...

* Regions of Uruguay *

Regions of Venezuela The Regions of Venezuela ( es, Regiones de Venezuela) are two groupings of Venezuela's states, capital district, and federal dependencies. Venezuela's natural regions (''Regiones naturales'') are divided by natural geography, and administrative ...

Demography of South America

Demographics of South America *

List of South American countries by population This is a list of South American countries by population based on the country population estimates published by the UN. References {{Lists of countries by population statistics Lists of countries by continent Demographics of South A ...

* List of South American countries by GDP PPP

Demographics by political division

= Demographics of countries

= *

Demographics of Argentina This is a demography of Argentina including population density, ethnicity, economic status and other aspects of the population. In the , Argentina had a population of 40,117,096 inhabitants, and preliminary results from the counted 47,327,407 ...

Demographics of Bolivia The demographic characteristics of the population of Bolivia are known from censuses, with the first census undertaken in 1826 and the most recent in 2012. The National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia (INE) has performed this task since 1950. ...

Demographics of Brazil Brazil had an official resident population of 214,000,000 in 2022, according to IBGE. Brazil is the seventh most populous country in the world, and the second most populous in the Americas and Western Hemisphere. Brazilians are mainly concentra ...

Demographics of Chile Chile's 2017 census reported a population of 17,574,003 people. Its rate of population growth has been decreasing since 1990, due to a declining birth rate. By 2050 the population is expected to reach approximately 20.2 million people. About ...

Demographics of Colombia This is a demography of the population of Colombia including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. It is the second-most populous count ...

Demographics of Ecuador Ecuadorians ( es, ecuatorianos) are people identified with the South American country of Ecuador. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Ecuadorians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collect ...

Demographics of Guyana This is a demography of Guyana including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Guyana's population (Guyanese people) is made up of fiv ...

Demographics of Panama This is a demography of the population of Panama including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Population Panama's population was pe ...

Demographics of Paraguay This is a demography of the population of Paraguay including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Characteristics Paraguay's popu ...

Demographics of Peru This is a demography of the population of Peru including population density, ethnicity, education level, the health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Peru is a multiethnic country, w ...

Demographics of Suriname This is a demography of the population of Suriname, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population. Most Surinamese people live in ...

Demographics of Trinidad and Tobago This article is about the demography of the population of Trinidad and Tobago including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Popula ...

Demographics of Uruguay This is a demography of the population of Uruguay including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Population According to ...

Demographics of Venezuela The Demographics of Venezuela are the condition and overview of Venezuela's peoples. Demographic topics include basic education, health, and population statistics as well as identified racial and religious affiliations. The Venezuelan people co ...

= Demographics of dependencies and other territories

= *

Demographics of Aruba This is a demography of the population of Aruba including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Having poor soil and aridity, Aruba was ...

* Demographics of Bonaire * Demographics of Curaçao * Demographics of the Falkland Islands * Demographics of French Guiana * Demographics of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Politics of South America

* Conflicts in South America * Political parties in South America

Politics by political division

Politics of countries

Politics of Argentina The politics of Argentina take place in the framework of what the Constitution defines as a federal presidential representative democratic republic, where the President of Argentina is both Head of State and Head of Government. Legislative pow ...

Politics of Bolivia The politics of Bolivia takes place in a tree of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president is head of state, head of government and head of a diverse multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the govern ...

Politics of Brazil The politics of Brazil take place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. The political and administrative or ...

Politics of Chile Chile's government is a representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Chile is both head of state and head of government, and of a formal multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the president and by their cabinet. Leg ...

Politics of Colombia The Politics of Colombia take place in a framework of a presidential system, presidential representative democracy, representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Colombia is both head of state and head of government, and of a mu ...

Politics of Ecuador The politics of Ecuador are multi-party. The central government polity is a quadrennially elected presidential, unicameral representative democracy. The President of Ecuador is head of state and head of the army on a multi-party system, and le ...

Politics of Guyana The politics of Guyana takes place in a framework of a representative democratic assembly-independent republic, whereby the President of Guyana is the head of government and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the President ...

Politics of Panama The politics of Panama take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic with multi-party system, whereby the President of Panama is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the ...

Politics of Paraguay Politics of Paraguay takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic. The National Constitution mandates a separation of powers in three branches. Executive power is exercised solely by the President. Legislati ...

Politics of Peru The politics of the Republic of Peru takes place in a framework of a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Peru is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party syste ...

Politics of Suriname Politics of Suriname take place in a framework of a representative democratic assembly-independent republic, whereby the president of Suriname is the head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is ...

Politics of Trinidad and Tobago The politics of Trinidad and Tobago function within the framework of a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, from which the country gained its independenc ...

Politics of Uruguay The politics of Uruguay abide by a presidential representative democratic republic, under which the President of Uruguay is both the head of state and the head of government, as well as a multiform party system. The president exercises executiv ...

Politics of Venezuela The politics of Venezuela occurs in a framework explained in Government of Venezuela. Venezuela has a dominant-party system, dominated by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela amidst other parties listed in the following section. The governin ...

Politics of dependencies and other territories

Politics of Aruba Politics of Aruba, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic country, whereby the governor in his capacity as the King's representative is the ''de jure'' head o ...

* Politics of Bonaire *

Politics of Curaçao Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with Decision-making, making decisions in Social group, groups, or other forms of Power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of res ...

Politics of the Falkland Islands The politics of the Falkland Islands takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary representative democratic dependency as set out by the constitution, whereby the Governor exercises the duties of head of state in th ...

Politics of French Guiana French Guiana is not a separate territory but is both an overseas région and overseas department of France, with the same government institutions as areas on the French mainland. The administrative center is Cayenne. The President of France ...

Politics of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = , song = , image_map = South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in United Kingdom.svg , map_caption = Location of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Oce ...

Elections by political division

= Elections in countries

= *

Elections in Argentina At the national level, Argentina elects a head of state (the President) and a legislature. The franchise extends to all citizens aged 16 and over, and voting is mandatory (with a few exceptions) for all those who are between 18 and 70 years of ag ...

Elections in Bolivia Elections in Bolivia gives information on elections and election results in Bolivia. Bolivia elects on national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president and the vice-president are elected for a five-yea ...

Elections in Brazil Brazil elects on the national level a head of state—the president—and a legislature. The president is elected to a four-year term by absolute majority vote through a two-round system. The National Congress (''Congresso Nacional'') has two ch ...

* Elections in Chile *

Elections in Colombia Elections in Colombia are regulated and controlled by the National Electoral Council which provides information on elections and election results in for the politics of Colombia. Colombia elects on national level a head of state - the president - ...

* Elections in Ecuador *

Elections in Guyana An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...

Elections in Panama An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operate ...

Elections in Paraguay Paraguay elects on the national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term by the people. The National Congress (''Congreso Nacional'') has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies (''C ...

Elections in Peru In Peru, the people directly elect a head of state (the president) as well as a legislature. The president is elected by the people for a five-year term. The unicameral Congress (''Congreso'') has 130 members, also elected for a five-year term by p ...

Elections in Suriname Suriname elects on the national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term by an electoral college based on the parliament. The National Assembly (''Nationale Assemblée'') has 51 me ...

Elections in Trinidad and Tobago Elections in Trinidad and Tobago gives information on election and election results in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago (located in the Caribbean) elects on national level a House of Representatives (the Lower House of its legislature). T ...

Elections in Uruguay Uruguay elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. Uruguay has a stable multi-party system. The two "traditional parties" ( Colorado Party and National Party) were founded in 1836, and were predominant for over ...

Elections in Venezuela Elections in Venezuela are held at a national level for the President of Venezuela as head of state and head of government, and for a unicameral legislature. The President of Venezuela is elected for a six-year term by direct election plurality ...

= Elections in dependencies and other territories

= *

Elections in Aruba Aruba elects a legislature on the national level. The Estates (''Staten'') have 21 members, elected for a four-year term by Open list Party-list proportional representation. Seats are distributed between parties that have gained at least one full ...

Elections in Bonaire Elections in Bonaire gives information on elections and election results in Bonaire, which was a member of the Netherlands Antilles until its dissolution in 2010. Bonaire is now a public body of the Netherlands. See also * Electoral calendar * E ...

Elections in Curaçao Curaçao elects a legislature called the Estates of Curaçao. It consists of 21 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. The first Estates of Curaçao were the succession of the Island council of Curaçao (a form of de ...

Elections in the Falkland Islands The politics of the Falkland Islands takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary representative democratic dependency as set out by the constitution, whereby the Governor exercises the duties of head of state in th ...

* Elections in French Guiana * Elections in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Human rights by political division

= Human rights in countries

= *

Human rights in Argentina The history of human rights in Argentina is affected by the Dirty War and its aftermath. The Dirty War, a civic-military dictatorship comprising state-sponsored violence against Argentine citizenry from roughly 1976 to 1983, carried out primaril ...

* Human rights in Bolivia *

Human rights in Brazil Human rights in Brazil include the right to life and freedom of speech; and condemnation of slavery and torture. The nation ratified the American Convention on Human Rights. The 2017 Freedom in the World report by Freedom House gives Brazil a sc ...

* Human rights in Chile *

Human rights in Colombia Colombia is a sovereign state situated in South America. It has been a member of the United Nations since 5 November 1945, and is party to a variety of international agreements concerning human rights. It also has a series of domestic laws conc ...

Human rights in Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

* Human rights in Guyana * Human rights in Panama * Human rights in Paraguay *

Human rights in Peru Within Peru, human rights are protected under the Constitution. The Peruvian Constitution underscores the importance of the state to preserve the dignity of all human beings. The Constitution includes articles that promote the right to self-determ ...

* Human rights in Suriname *

Human rights in Trinidad and Tobago Human rights in Trinidad and Tobago comprise a series of rights legally protected by the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago has ratified a number of international treaties and conventions on human rights and parts or principles ...

Human rights in Uruguay The Republic of Uruguay is located in South America, between Argentina, Brazil and the South Atlantic Ocean, with a population of 3,332,972. Uruguay gained independence and sovereignty from Spain in 1828 and has full control over its internal and ...

Human rights in Venezuela The record of human rights in Venezuela has been criticized by human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Concerns include attacks against journalists, political persecution, harassment of human rights defen ...

= Human rights in dependencies and other territories

= * Human rights in Aruba * Human rights in Bonaire * Human rights in Curaçao * Human rights in the Falkland Islands * Human rights in French Guiana * Human rights in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Law by political division

= Law of countries

= *

Law of Argentina The Legal system of Argentina is a Civil law legal system. The pillar of the Civil system is the Constitution of Argentina (1853). The Argentine Constitution of 1853 was an attempt to unite the unstable and young country of the United Provinces ...

* Law of Bolivia *

Law of Brazil The law of Brazil is based on statutes and, partly and more recently, a mechanism called ''súmulas vinculantes''. It derives mainly from the civil law systems of European countries, particularly Portugal, the Napoleonic Code and the Germanic la ...

Law of Chile The legal system of Chile belongs to the Continental Law tradition. The basis for its public law is the 1980 Constitution, reformed in 1989 and 2005. According to it Chile is a ''democratic republic''. There is a clear separation of functions, bet ...

* Law of Colombia * Law of Ecuador *

Law of Guyana The politics of Guyana takes place in a framework of a representative democratic assembly-independent republic, whereby the President of Guyana is the head of government and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Preside ...

* Law of Panama *

Law of Paraguay Politics of Paraguay takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic. The National Constitution mandates a separation of powers in three branches. Executive power is exercised solely by the President. Legislati ...

* Law of Peru *

Law of Suriname Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...

Law of Trinidad and Tobago Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

Law of Uruguay The legal system of Uruguay belongs to the Continental Law tradition. The basis for its public law is the 1967 Constitution, amended in 1989, 1994, 1996, and 2004. According to it, Uruguay is a ''democratic republic''. There is a clear separati ...

Law of Venezuela The legal system of Venezuela belongs to the Continental Law tradition. Venezuela was the first country in the world to abolish the death penalty for all crimes, doing so in 1863. Public law The basis for its public law is the 1999 Constitutio ...

= Law of dependencies and other territories

= * Law of Aruba *

Law of Bonaire Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...

* Law of Curaçao * Law of the Falkland Islands * Law of French Guiana * Law of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Law enforcement by political division

= Law enforcement in countries

= *

Law enforcement in Argentina In Argentina the most important law enforcement organization is the Argentine Federal Police with jurisdiction in all Argentine territory. Most routine police work is carried out by provincial/state police forces. In recent years several cities (su ...

Law enforcement in Bolivia Law enforcement in Bolivia is reliant on the 40,000-member ''Cuerpo de Policía Nacional'' (National Police Corps) responsible for internal security and maintaining law and order. Unlike many South American countries, the Bolivian police force a ...

Law enforcement in Brazil In Brazil, the Federal Constitution establishes eight law enforcement institutions - seven titulars and one auxiliar. The titular institutions are: the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Railroad Police, the Federal Penal P ...

* Law enforcement in Chile * Law enforcement in Colombia * Law enforcement in Ecuador * Law enforcement in Guyana * Law enforcement in Panama * Law enforcement in Paraguay *

Law enforcement in Peru Law enforcement in Peru is carried out by two organizations under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior (Peru), Ministry of the Interior: * The Peruvian National Police ( es, Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP), which acts as the national poli ...

* Law enforcement in Suriname *

Law enforcement in Trinidad and Tobago The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service or TTPS is the law enforcement agency of Trinidad and Tobago. It has been in operation for over 200 years. History In 1592 the Spaniards founded the first European settlement, Trinidad's capital town San Jo ...

* Law enforcement in Uruguay *

Law enforcement in Venezuela Law enforcement in Venezuela is highly fragmented, being split across multiple police agencies of various types. The National Guard, with around 33,000 officers, is attached to the Ministry of Defence. The ', with around 8,000 officers, is the pr ...

= Law enforcement in dependencies and other territories

= * Law enforcement in Aruba * Law enforcement in Bonaire * Law enforcement in Curaçao * Law enforcement in the Falkland Islands *

Law enforcement in French Guiana Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...

* Law enforcement in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Governments of South America

* South American Union

History of South America

History of South America, by period

Pre-Columbian era In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the Migration to the New World, original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization of the Americas, European colonization, w ...

* Early modern period **

European colonization of the Americas During the Age of Discovery, a large scale European colonization of the Americas took place between about 1492 and 1800. Although the Norse had explored and colonized areas of the North Atlantic, colonizing Greenland and creating a short ter ...

***

Portuguese colonization of the Americas Portuguese colonization of the Americas () constituted territories in the Americas belonging to the Kingdom of Portugal. Portugal was the leading country in the European exploration of the world in the 15th century. The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1 ...

****

Colonial Brazil Colonial Brazil ( pt, Brasil Colonial) comprises the period from 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese, until 1815, when Brazil was elevated to a kingdom in union with Portugal as the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. Durin ...

***

Spanish colonization of the Americas Spain began colonizing the Americas under the Crown of Castile and was spearheaded by the Spanish . The Americas were invaded and incorporated into the Spanish Empire, with the exception of Brazil, British America, and some small regions ...

****

Colonial Argentina Colonial Argentina is designated as the period of the History of Argentina when it was an overseas territory of the Spanish Empire. It begins in the Precolumbian age of the indigenous peoples of Argentina, with the arrival of the first Spanish c ...

****

Colonial Bolivia After the fall of Tiwanaku Empire, the many Aymara Lake Titicaca was conquered by the Inca Empire. Prior to the Spanish conquest, the Andean province of Qullasuyu was a part of the Inca empire, while the northern and eastern lowlands were inhab ...

****

Colonial Chile In Chilean historiography, Colonial Chile ( es, link=no, La colonia) is the period from 1600 to 1810, beginning with the Destruction of the Seven Cities and ending with the onset of the Chilean War of Independence. During this time, the Chilean ...

****

Colonial Peru The Viceroyalty of Peru ( es, Virreinato del Perú, links=no) was a Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in South America, governed from ...

****

Colonial Venezuela Spanish expeditions led by Columbus and Alonso de Ojeda reached the coast of present-day Venezuela in 1498 and 1499. The first colonial exploitation was of the pearl oysters of the "Pearl Islands". Spain established its first permanent South Ameri ...

History of South America, by region

* History of Andean South America

History of South America, by country

History of Argentina The history of Argentina can be divided into four main parts: the pre-Columbian time or early history (up to the sixteenth century), the colonial period (1536–1809), the period of nation-building (1810–1880), and the history of modern Argenti ...

History of Bolivia After the fall of Tiwanaku Empire, the many Aymara Lake Titicaca was conquered by the Inca Empire. Prior to the Spanish conquest, the Andean province of Qullasuyu was a part of the Inca empire, while the northern and eastern lowlands were inhabi ...

History of Brazil The history of Brazil begins with indigenous people in Brazil. Europeans arrived in Brazil at the ending of the 15th century. The first European to claim sovereignty over Indigenous lands part of what is now the territory of the Federative Republ ...

Empire of Brazil The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and (until 1828) Uruguay. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom Pe ...

History of Chile The territory of Chile has been populated since at least 3000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory was a colony between 1540 and 1818, when it gained independence from ...

History of Colombia The history of Colombia includes the settlements and society by indigenous peoples, most notably, the Muisca Confederation, Quimbaya Civilization, and Tairona Chiefdoms; the Spanish arrived in 1492 and initiated a period of annexation and coloni ...

History of Ecuador The History of Ecuador extends over an 8,000-year period. During this time, a variety of cultures and territories influenced what has become the Republic of Ecuador. The history can be divided into six eras: Pre-Columbian, the Conquest, the Colon ...

History of Guyana The history of Guyana begins about 35,000 years ago with the arrival of humans coming from Eurasia. These migrants became the Carib and Arawak tribes, who met Alonso de Ojeda's first expedition from Spain in 1499 at the Essequibo River. In the en ...

History of Panama The history of Panama includes the history of the Isthmus of Panama prior to European colonization. Before the arrival of Europeans, Panama was widely settled by Chibchan, Chocoan, and Cueva peoples. There is no accurate knowledge of the size ...

History of Paraguay The history of Paraguay begins with the interaction between the early Spanish colonists and the indigenous people. The agricultural Guaraní lived in eastern Paraguay and neighboring countries and the nomadic Guaycuruan tribes lived in wester ...

History of Peru The history of Peru spans 10 millennia, extending back through several stages of cultural development along the country's desert coastline and in the Andes mountains. Peru's coast was home to the Norte Chico civilization, the oldest civilization i ...

History of Suriname The early history of Suriname dates from 3000 BCE when Native Americans first inhabited the area. The Dutch acquired Suriname from the English, and European settlement in any numbers dates from the 17th century, when it was a plantation colony ...

History of Trinidad and Tobago The history of Trinidad and Tobago begins with the settlements of the islands by Indigenous peoples, Indigenous First Peoples. Trinidad was visited by Christopher Columbus on his Voyages of Christopher Columbus, third voyage in 1498, (he never la ...

History of Uruguay The history of Uruguay comprises different periods: the pre-Columbian time or early history (up to the 16th century), the Colonial Period (1516–1811), the Period of Nation-Building (1811–1830), and the history of Uruguay as an independent co ...

History of Venezuela The history of Venezuela reflects events in areas of the Americas colonized by Spain starting 1522; amid resistance from indigenous peoples, led by Native caciques, such as Guaicaipuro and Tamanaco. However, in the Andean region of western Vene ...

History of dependencies and other territories

* History of Aruba * History of Bonaire * History of Curaçao * History of the Falkland Islands * History of French Guiana * History of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

History of South America, by subject

* Military history of South America ** Spanish American wars of independence ** Latin American wars of independence ** South American dreadnought race * Slavery in South America ** Slavery in Brazil

Culture of South America

Culture of South America *Coats of arms of South America *Flags of South America * Religion in South America ** Islam in South America ** Christianity in South America ** Hinduism in South America * List of World Heritage Sites in the Americas, World Heritage Sites

Culture in South America, by country

Culture of countries

* Culture of Argentina * Culture of Bolivia * Culture of Brazil * Culture of Chile * Culture of Colombia * Culture of Ecuador * Culture of Guyana * Culture of Panama * Culture of Paraguay * Culture of Peru * Culture of Suriname * Culture of Trinidad and Tobago * Culture of Uruguay * Culture of Venezuela

Culture of dependencies and other territories

* Culture of Aruba * Culture of Bonaire * Culture of Curaçao * Culture of the Falkland Islands * Culture of French Guiana * Culture of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Architecture of South America

* Architecture of Argentina * Architecture of Colombia * Architecture of Peru

The Arts in South America

Cuisine of South America

Cuisine of South America * Cuisine of Argentina * Cuisine of Bolivia * Cuisine of Brazil * Cuisine of Chile * Cuisine of Colombia * Cuisine of Ecuador * Cuisine of Guyana * Cuisine of Panama * Cuisine of Paraguay * Cuisine of Peru * Cuisine of Suriname * Cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago * Cuisine of Uruguay * Cuisine of Venezuela

Languages of South America

Languages of South America, by country

* Languages of Argentina * Languages of Bolivia * Languages of Brazil * Languages of Chile * Languages of Colombia * Languages of Ecuador * Languages of Guyana * Languages of Panama * Languages of Paraguay * Languages of Peru * Languages of Suriname * Languages of Trinidad and Tobago * Languages of Uruguay * Languages of Venezuela

Languages of dependencies and other territories

* Languages of Aruba * Languages of Bonaire * Languages of Curaçao * Languages of the Falkland Islands * Languages of French Guiana * Languages of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Media of South America

* Media of Argentina * Media of Bolivia * Media of Colombia * Media of Paraguay * Media of Peru * Media of Venezuela

Prostistution in South America

Prostitution in South America * Prostitution in Argentina * Prostitution in Bolivia * Prostitution in Brazil * Prostitution in Chile * Prostitution in Colombia * Prostitution in Ecuador * Prostitution in Guyana * Prostitution in Paraguay * Prostitution in Peru * Prostitution in Suriname * Prostitution in Trinidad and Tobago * Prostitution in Uruguay * Prostitution in Venezuela

Racism in South America

Racism in South America * Racism in Argentina * Racism in Brazil

Religion in South America

Religion in South America * Religion in Argentina * Religion in Bolivia * Religion in Brazil * Religion in Chile * Religion in Colombia * Religion in Ecuador * Religion in Guyana * Religion in Panama * Religion in Paraguay * Religion in Peru * Religion in Suriname * Religion in Trinidad and Tobago * Religion in Uruguay * Religion in Venezuela

Sport in South America

Sport in South America, by country

* Sport in Argentina * Sport in Bolivia * Sport in Brazil * Sport in Chile * Sport in Colombia * Sport in Ecuador * Sport in Guyana * Sport in Panama * Sport in Paraguay * Sport in Peru * Sport in Suriname * Sport in Trinidad and Tobago * Sport in Uruguay * Sport in Venezuela

Sport in dependencies and other territories

* Sport in Aruba * Sport in Bonaire * Sport in Curaçao * Sport in the Falkland Islands * Sport in French Guiana * Sport in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy and infrastructure of South America

hjbuxugklhvun

Education in South America

South America lists

* List of newspapers in South America * List of radio stations in South America * List of television stations in South America

External links

;News
Infolatam. Information and analysis of Latin America

The Council on Hemispheric Affairs
An independent source of Latin American news and opinion ;Sports
CONMEBOL -- Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (The South American Football Confederation)
South America also has Rugby, Auto Racing, Golf, and Kayaking. ;Music

*Diana mercado, Diana Mercado from Barranquilla, Colombia Objetivo Fama 5 ;Tourism ;Articles
"The failure of Latin America"
an article by David Gallagher in th
TLS
February 29, 2008 {{DEFAULTSORT:South America Outlines of continents, South America Wikipedia outlines, South America South America, 1 South America-related lists,