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Brazil |
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Brazil is the largest nation in South America. It is also the only
nation in the continent with Portuguese as its official language. Brazil is home to the Amazon Rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world. Large portions of the Amazon are cleared each year to make room for Brazil's growing population. |
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Population: 192,300,000 (5) |
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Area: 3,287,597 sq. miles (5) |
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Language(s): Portuguese |
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Capital: Brasilia |
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Largest City: Sao Paulo |
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Currency: Real |
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Chile's Easter Island, the world's most remote inhabited island, is famous for its mysterious figure-like statues called Moai carved by indigenous peoples in the 11-17th centuries. There are nearly 300 such statues that weigh, on average, 14 tons. Scientists believe they symbolize power and religion. |
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Population: 17,063,000 (60) |
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Area: 292,183 sq. miles (38) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Santiago |
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Largest City: Santiago |
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Currency: Peso |
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Argentina |
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Argentina has many different landforms including the Pampas (plains), Patagonia (desert, river valleys and towering mountains), and Tierra Del Fuego (archipelago of plains, glaciers and moun-tains). Argentina's Aconcagua is the highest peak outside of Asia. |
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Population: 40,134,425 (31) |
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Area: 1,068,302 sq. miles (8) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Buenos Aires |
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Largest City: Buenos Aires |
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Currency: Peso |
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Bolivia |
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Bolivia is one of two landlocked countries in South America. Bolivia's capital, La Paz, is the highest capital city in the world in terms of elevation. |
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Population: 10,908,000 (84) |
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Area: 424,163 sq. miles (28) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Sucre |
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Largest City: Santa Cruz de la Sierra |
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Currency: Boliviano |
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Paraguay |
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Paraguay is one of two landlocked nations in south America. It is divided by the Paraguay River - one of the world's largest rivers. |
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Population: 6,349,000 (101) |
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Area:157,048 sq. miles (59) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Asuncion |
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Largest City: Asuncion |
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Currency: Guarani |
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Peru |
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Peru is a nation dominated by the Andes Mountains. Many peaks exceed 20,000 feet in height. Machu Picchu, and ancient Incan city some 8,000 feet in the mountains, is one of the most spectacular places in the world. |
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Population: 29,500,000 (41) |
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Area: 496,225 sq. miles (20) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Lima |
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Largest City: Lima |
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Currency: Nuevo Sol |
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Ecuador |
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Galapagos Islands, apx. 600 miles west of Ecuador, in the Atlantic Ocean, was the site of the formation of one of the most important theories in modern times: Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. While observing different finches in the Galapagos Islands, Darwin argued that organisms most fit (adapted) to survive in their environments were able to succeed (live and breed), and those that were not would die off. |
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Population: 13,275,000 (67) |
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Area: 109,415 sq. miles (66) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Quito |
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Largest City: Guayaquil |
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Currency: U.S. Dollar |
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Colombia |
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Colombia is a land of contrasts. The western part is dominated by the Andes Mountains. Many peaks are more than 15,000 feet high. The eastern half is hot and rainy. Some of the world's best coffee is made in this part of Colombia. |
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Population: 45,393,000 (29) |
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Area: 440,839 sq. miles (26) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Bogota |
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Largest City: Bogotaa |
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Currency: Peso |
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Venezuela |
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Venezuela was originally discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1498. It was named in 1499 by Amerigo Vespucci. Its name means "Little Venice". Today, Most of Venezuela's population lives on the oil-rich northern coast. |
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Population: 26,815,000 (40) |
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Area: 353,831 sq. miles (33) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Caracas |
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Largest City: Caracas |
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Currency: Boliva fuerte |
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Uruguay |
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Uruguay is one of the top tourist destinations in South America. Although much of the interior of the nation is covered by low, rolling hills, there are world class beaches near the capital city of Montevideo. |
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Population: 3,394,000 (131) |
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Area: 68,037 sq. miles (90) |
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Language(s): Spanish |
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Capital: Montevideo |
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Largest City: Montevideo |
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Currency: Uruguayan Peso |
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Guyana |
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Guyana is a rugged country covered by tropical rainforests. It was a British colony before gaining independence in 1966. It is the only nation in South America where English is the official language. |
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Population: 772,000 (160) |
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Area: 83,000 sq. miles (84) |
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Language(s): English |
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Capital: Georgetown |
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Largest City: Georgetown |
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Currency: Guyanese Dollar |
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Suriname |
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Suriname is a small, developing nation. Nearly 80 percent of it is covered in thick rainforests. Much of central Suriname is dominated by rivers and transportation through this region is primarily achieved by water. |
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Population: 481,267 (167) |
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Area: 63,251 sq. miles (91) |
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Language(s): Dutch |
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Capital: Paramaribo |
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Largest City: Paramaribo |
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Currency: Surinamese Dollar |
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French Guiana |
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French Guiana has been a colony of France since 1817. Most of the nation is covered by rainforests, and the vast majority of the population is concentrated along the coast. |
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Population: 221,000 |
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Area: 32,252 sq. miles (140) |
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Language(s): French |
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Capital: Cayenne |
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Largest City: Cayenne |
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Currency: Franc |
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