14 countries and territories
How many countries are in South America?
South America has 12 UN member states. Counting the territories travelers count on their own, Globestamp lists 14 countries and territories in South America.
- UN member states
- 12
- Countries and territories
- 14
- International arrivals
- 41.2 milliona year, summed, latest figures
- Largest
- Brazil8,504,975 km² (3,283,787 sq mi)
Argentina7.4 million visitors · Foil
Bolivia1.2 million visitors · Hologram
Brazil6.4 million visitors · Foil
Chile5.4 million visitors · Colour-shift
Colombia4.5 million visitors · Colour-shift
Ecuador2.1 million visitors · Colour-shift
Falkland IslandsPrism
French GuianaPrism
Guyana315,000 visitors · Prism
Paraguay4.4 million visitors · Colour-shift
Peru5.3 million visitors · Colour-shift
Suriname279,000 visitors · Prism
Uruguay3.5 million visitors · Colour-shift
Venezuela429,000 visitors · Prism
Not UN members, but counted
2 of South America’s 14 are not UN member states: Falkland Islands and French Guiana. Most travelers count them on their own, and so does Globestamp’s list of 250. Count by the UN’s 193 instead and they drop out. See territories that count and how many countries there are.
South America, most visited first
| # | Country | Visitors a year | Stamp | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 7.4 million (2019) | Foil | South America |
| 2 | Brazil | 6.4 million (2019) | Foil | South America |
| 3 | Chile | 5.4 million (2019) | Colour-shift | South America |
| 4 | Peru | 5.3 million (2019) | Colour-shift | South America |
| 5 | Colombia | 4.5 million (2019) | Colour-shift | South America |
| 6 | Paraguay | 4.4 million (2019) | Colour-shift | South America |
| 7 | Uruguay | 3.5 million (2019) | Colour-shift | South America |
| 8 | Ecuador | 2.1 million (2019) | Colour-shift | South America |
| 9 | Bolivia | 1.2 million (2019) | Hologram | South America |
| 10 | Venezuela | 429,000 (2017) | Prism | South America |
| 11 | Guyana | 315,000 (2019) | Prism | South America |
| 12 | Suriname | 279,000 (2017) | Prism | South America |
Questions people ask
How many countries are in South America?
South America has 12 UN member states. Counting the territories travelers count on their own, Globestamp lists 14 countries and territories in South America.
What is the most visited country in South America?
Argentina, with 7,399,000 international arrivals in 2019 by UN Tourism’s count. Countries count arrivals differently, so treat the order as a rough rank.
What is the least visited country in South America?
Of the places with figures, Suriname: 279,000 international arrivals in 2017. A few territories, such as Falkland Islands and French Guiana, have no published figure.
What is the largest country in South America?
Brazil, at 8,504,975 km² (3,283,787 sq mi). The smallest is Falkland Islands, at 11,553 km² (4,461 sq mi).