World Geography / Unit 6: Latin America
6.3 Countries and Capitals of South America
Notes
South America has twelve independent countries.
- Brazil: the largest country in South America (nearly half the continent) and the only one that speaks Portuguese. Capital Brasília.
- Argentina: Buenos Aires. Chile: Santiago. Peru: Lima. Colombia: Bogotá. Venezuela: Caracas. Ecuador: Quito (the equator passes through the country). Uruguay: Montevideo. Paraguay: Asunción.
- Bolivia and Paraguay are landlocked. Bolivia's seat of government is La Paz, and its constitutional capital is Sucre.
- Spanish is the main language in most countries; Suriname (Dutch), Guyana (English) and French Guiana (a territory of France) are exceptions.
Practice
Which country in South America speaks mainly Portuguese?
Brazil was colonized by Portugal.
What is the capital of Argentina?
Santiago is Chile's, Lima is Peru's and Montevideo is Uruguay's.
Which two South American countries have no ocean coast?
Both are landlocked.
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