South America’s 12 sovereign country–capital pairs are Argentina—Buenos Aires; Bolivia—Sucre; Brazil—Brasília; Chile—Santiago; Colombia—Bogotá; Ecuador—Quito; Guyana—Georgetown; Paraguay—Asunción; Peru—Lima; Suriname—Paramaribo; Uruguay—Montevideo; and Venezuela—Caracas. This is the standard sovereign-state count used here. Bolivia needs one qualification: Sucre is the constitutional capital, while La Paz is the seat of government.
How to use this article: Start with the alphabetical capital table, check the Bolivia distinction, see why French Guiana is excluded, or compare the other regional lists.
List of 12 Countries in South America and Their Capitals
The countries are arranged alphabetically for quick lookup. Familiar short country names are used, while the capital spellings retain the relevant accent marks.
Alphabetical country-and-capital table
| Country | Capital |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Buenos Aires |
| Bolivia | Sucre — constitutional capital; La Paz is the seat of government |
| Brazil | Brasília |
| Chile | Santiago |
| Colombia | Bogotá |
| Ecuador | Quito |
| Guyana | Georgetown |
| Paraguay | Asunción |
| Peru | Lima |
| Suriname | Paramaribo |
| Uruguay | Montevideo |
| Venezuela | Caracas |
The table uses Brasília, Bogotá, and Asunción with their standard local accent marks. The unaccented English forms—Brasilia, Bogota, and Asuncion—may still appear in older references, search queries, and systems that do not preserve diacritics.
Capital Details That Need Clarification
Is Bolivia’s capital Sucre or La Paz?
Sucre is Bolivia’s constitutional capital, while La Paz is the seat of government. This is why maps, quizzes, and capital lists may give different answers. UNData’s Bolivia country profile makes the same distinction.
For a simple country–capital pair, Bolivia–Sucre is constitutionally accurate. A dependable reference should still mention La Paz because that is where the national government is seated. GeographyPin’s guide to countries with more than one capital compares Bolivia with other states that divide capital functions or government institutions between cities.
Capital names that are commonly mixed up
Brazil’s capital is Brasília, not Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. Guyana’s capital is Georgetown; Guyana should not be confused with neighboring French Guiana. Suriname’s capital is Paramaribo, while Uruguay’s is Montevideo.
What the 12-Country Count Includes
The sovereign-state counting method
This page counts the 12 sovereign UN member states in South America. The United Nations Statistics Division’s M49 classification places these countries in its South America subregion but also contains several additional “country or area” entries. A statistical area total and a sovereign-country total therefore answer different questions.
For readability, the table uses the familiar short names Bolivia and Venezuela. The corresponding UN statistical names are “Bolivia (Plurinational State of)” and “Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).” These naming differences do not change the country count or capital pairs.
Why French Guiana is not a 13th country
French Guiana is geographically part of South America, but it is not a separate sovereign state. The European Parliament’s overview of the EU’s outermost regions identifies French Guiana as a French overseas department. It is therefore not added to this list of countries and national capitals.
The UN regional classification also includes other area entries alongside the sovereign states. Their presence in a geographic dataset does not increase South America’s sovereign-country total beyond 12.
Related Country-and-Capital Lists
Compare other world regions
Use these related GeographyPin references to compare South America with the worldwide list and other continental groupings:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sovereign countries are in South America?
South America has 12 sovereign UN member states under the convention used here. Broader geographic datasets may also include territories and dependencies, but those are not additional sovereign countries.
What is the capital of Bolivia?
Sucre is Bolivia’s constitutional capital. La Paz is the seat of government, so both cities may appear in references when the distinction is not explained fully.
Is French Guiana a country in South America?
French Guiana is in South America geographically, but it is a French overseas department rather than a sovereign country. It is therefore excluded from the 12-country list.
Are Guyana and French Guiana the same place?
No. Guyana is a sovereign country with Georgetown as its capital. French Guiana is a separate territory administered as part of France.
What Did We Learn Today?
South America has 12 sovereign countries under the convention used here, and most capital pairs are straightforward. Bolivia is the main exception requiring context: Sucre is the constitutional capital, while La Paz is the seat of government. Regional datasets may also list territories and other areas, but those entries do not increase the sovereign-country total.
Sources & Data Notes
The country scope and capital names were checked against the United Nations Statistics Division’s M49 regional classification and UNData country profiles. Bolivia’s constitutional-capital distinction was checked through UNData, while French Guiana’s status was checked against European Parliament material on the European Union’s outermost regions. The total follows a 12-sovereign-state convention rather than counting every South American territory or statistical area. This article was prepared and editorially reviewed by Z.K. Atlas, who completed the final factual checks, editorial review, and publication approval and accepts publication responsibility. AI tools may have assisted during the editorial process, including with language refinement and the creation or editing of visual materials.
