Geography And Demographics

South America: A Continent of Rich Diversity

Geography and Demographics

South America, the fourth largest continent on Earth, boasts a population of over 420 million people. It comprises 12 independent countries and three dependent overseas territories of the UK and France. Notably, all South American countries are presidential republics except for Suriname, which is a parliamentary republic, and French Guiana, an overseas department of France.

Countries and Territories

The independent countries of South America are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The dependent overseas territories are: French Guiana (France), Falkland Islands (UK), and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK).

Size and Population

In terms of area, South America ranks fourth among all continents, after Asia, Africa, and North America. As for population, it ranks fifth after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Brazil is the most populous country in South America, with over 208 million inhabitants, followed by Colombia (49.6 million) and Argentina (43.5 million).