South America contains 12 countries and 2 dependencies. Its total population is more than 433 million. Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America, while the British-controlled Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) is the least populous and smallest. The vast majority of countries in South America are Spanish-speaking, though Brazil’s official language is Portuguese, French Guiana’s is French, Suriname’s is Dutch, Guyana’s is English, and the Falkland Islands’ is also English. Here are some brief notes on the countries and dependencies in South America.

Argentina is located in the southern half of South America, alongside Chile to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The country has four geographic regions: The Andes in the north, the Pampas in the country’s center, and Patagonia in the south. Argentina has a population of more than 45 million people, the vast majority of whom live in cities. The largest city in Argentina is its capital, Buenos Aires. The city has a population of just over 13 million. Most of Argentina’s population is concentrated in its northern half of the country. Spanish is the country’s official language, though interestingly, more than half of Argentina’s population is of Italian descent.

Bolivia is a landlocked country in the center of South America. Three main geographic areas exist in the country: The Alto Plano highlands, the valleys, and the tropical lowlands. Bolivia contains about 11 million people. More than half of the country’s population is of indigenous origin, with the rest being of mixed or European ancestry. Spanish is the country’s most understood language, but the indigenous languages of Quechua and Aymara are also prevalent. Bolivia has the unfortunate distinction of being the poorest country in South America.