Name a Hundred

Wait — try the game first

How many South America countries can you name before peeking?

Play Name 100 Countries →

South America Countries List

Stuck on the last few in Name 100 Countries? Here is every south america countries entry on the continent — 13 names with capitals, population, and a one-line mnemonic so you never blank on Suriname again.

How many countries are in South America?

Twelve UN member states sit on the South American mainland. Add French Guiana — a French overseas department, not an independent country — and you get the common 13 countries and territories list below. We label territories honestly; the game uses Wikidata country types, so French Guiana may not score even if you remember it.

The big three — you won't forget these

More than 60% of South America's land and population live here. Name these three first and you always have a floor.

  • Brazil

    Capital: Brasília · Pop. ~216M (2024 est.)

    The only Portuguese-speaking player on the continent — and home to most of the Amazon. Capital is Brasília, not Rio.

  • Argentina

    Capital: Buenos Aires · Pop. ~46M (2024 est.)

    Tango, steak, and Avenida 9 de Julio — often cited as the world's widest avenue (~140 m).

  • Colombia

    Capital: Bogotá · Pop. ~52M (2024 est.)

    Coffee country — and the only South American nation with coastlines on both the Pacific and Atlantic.

The Andes five — mountain names you half-know

They line the Andes or the Pacific coast. The trap is swapping neighbors — Peru, Chile, and Ecuador are not interchangeable.

  • Peru

    Capital: Lima · Pop. ~34M (2024 est.)

    Machu Picchu country — easy to remember, harder to remember who sits next door (Ecuador north, Chile south, Bolivia east).

  • Chile

    Capital: Santiago · Pop. ~20M (2024 est.)

    A 4,300 km strip — one of the longest north–south countries on Earth.

  • Ecuador

    Capital: Quito · Pop. ~18M (2024 est.)

    Named for the equator; Galápagos Islands belong here. Quito sits ~2,850 m up — one of the highest capitals.

  • Bolivia

    Capital: Sucre (constitutional) · La Paz (administrative) · Pop. ~12M (2024 est.)

    Dual capitals and one of only two landlocked countries on the continent. La Paz is the world's highest administrative capital (~3,640 m).

    Game note: Try Bolivia in the game — Wikidata may resolve Sucre or La Paz as the capital label, not both.

  • Venezuela

    Capital: Caracas · Pop. ~28M (2024 est.)

    Angel Falls — Earth's tallest uninterrupted waterfall — is here. Don't let the spelling (Ven-e-zoo-ay-la) stall you.

The forgotten corner — Guyana, Suriname & French Guiana

This trio (plus the overseas department) is where Name 100 Countries rounds die. If you blank here, 100 stays out of reach.

  • Guyana

    Capital: Georgetown · Pop. ~810K (2024 est.)

    South America's only English-speaking sovereign state on the mainland.

  • Suriname

    Capital: Paramaribo · Pop. ~620K (2024 est.)

    Dutch-speaking and one of the smallest sovereign countries in South America — Paramaribo is the name to lock in.

  • French Guiana (territory)

    Capital: Cayenne · Pop. ~300K (2024 est.)

    Not a country — a French overseas department. Europe's spaceport at Kourou lives here. That is why many lists say 13, not 12.

    Game note: Territory, not a UN member — Wikidata may reject this in Name 100 Countries even though atlases list it.

The southern buffer — tiny, squeezed, easy to skip

Sandwiched between Brazil and Argentina. Players who cruise through eleven names often lose these two at the end.

  • Uruguay

    Capital: Montevideo · Pop. ~3.4M (2024 est.)

    The buffer between Argentina and Brazil — Montevideo rhymes with video if you need a nudge.

  • Paraguay

    Capital: Asunción · Pop. ~6.8M (2024 est.)

    Landlocked, split by the Paraguay River — Guaraní is co-official with Spanish, a rarity on the continent.

Why is it 13 and not 12?

Sovereign UN members on the continent: twelve. French Guiana is administered by France — euros, French passports, European Space Agency launches from Kourou — but it sits on the mainland between Suriname and Brazil. Atlases and classroom drills often count it as a 13th line item. We do too, with a (territory) tag so nobody thinks we are padding the list.

Use this list to beat Name 100 Countries

Continent sweep strategy: South America last is where rounds stall — Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana are the usual culprits. Read the hooks once, close the tab, and try the round again.

Now go name all 100 — Play Name 100 Countries →

FAQ

How many countries are in South America?

The UN counts 12 sovereign member states on the continent. Many geography lists add French Guiana as a 13th entry — a French overseas department, not an independent country. This page uses that common 13-name list because players often mention it during Name 100 Countries.

What are the 13 countries in South America?

Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Paraguay, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana (territory). The full list with capitals and hooks is grouped above.

Is French Guiana a country?

No. It is an overseas department of France — euro currency, French passport, but geographically on the South American mainland. We label it (territory) on this list. It may not pass Wikidata country checks in the game.

Which South American countries don't border the ocean?

Bolivia and Paraguay — the continent's only landlocked pair. They are easy to skip when you are racing through coastal names.

More geography cheat sheets

More lists for the countries challenge — added as they ship: