Countries of South America Quiz
South America has 12 independent countries, and Brazil alone covers almost half of the continent, bordering every other country except Chile and Ecuador. The Andes run down the whole western edge, which gives Chile its famous ribbon shape, about 4,300 km long and rarely more than 350 km wide.
With so few countries, South America is the quickest continent to learn completely. Bolivia and Paraguay are the two landlocked countries, and the small trio on the north-east coast (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, which is part of France) is where most mistakes happen.
10 questions from 12 countries, four choices each. A new mix every round.
Study tips for South America
- Shapes: Chile's ribbon and Brazil's bulk are instant. The hard pair is Guyana and Suriname: Guyana is the larger, further west, next to Venezuela.
- Flags: Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela share yellow, blue and red stripes from Gran Colombia; Ecuador's yellow is wider and carries a coat of arms, Venezuela's has an arc of stars.
- Borders: Brazil borders ten countries. A country bordering Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia is Paraguay; one touching only Brazil and Argentina is Uruguay.
All 12 countries of South America
| Country | Capital | Land borders |
|---|---|---|
 Argentina | Buenos Aires | Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay |
 Bolivia | Sucre | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru |
 Brazil | Brasilia | Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, France, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela |
 Chile | Santiago | Argentina, Bolivia, Peru |
 Colombia | Bogota | Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela |
 Ecuador | Quito | Colombia, Peru |
 Guyana | Georgetown | Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela |
 Paraguay | Asuncion | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil |
 Peru | Lima | Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador |
 Suriname | Paramaribo | Brazil, France, Guyana |
 Uruguay | Montevideo | Argentina, Brazil |
 Venezuela | Caracas | Brazil, Colombia, Guyana |
Questions people ask
How many countries are in South America?
12 independent countries on this list (the 193 UN members plus Vatican City and Palestine, by continent). Territories such as French Guiana aren't counted.
Which are the most populous countries in South America?
Brazil (about 215 million), Colombia (about 52 million), Argentina (about 46 million).
Which countries in South America have no land borders?
None: every country in South America shares a land border with another.