Lesson 1/45 min
The 12 countries at a glance
South America has 12 countries. Memory trick: BBC VS APEC Ur GP. B = Brazil, B = Bolivia, C = Colombia, V = Venezuela, S = Suriname, A = Argentina, P = Peru, E = Ecuador, C = Chile, Ur = Uruguay, G = Guyana, P = Paraguay.
Capital, currency, coloniser and independence (as in the book)
| Country | Capital | Currency | Ruled by | Independence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Brasília | Real | Portugal | 7 September 1822 |
| Bolivia | La Paz (Sucre is the constitutional capital) | Boliviano | Spain | 6 August 1825 |
| Colombia | Bogotá | Peso | Spain | 7 August 1819 |
| Venezuela | Caracas | Bolívar | Spain | 5 July 1811 |
| Suriname | Paramaribo | Surinamese dollar | Netherlands | 25 November 1975 |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | Peso | Spain | 9 July 1816 |
| Peru | Lima | Sol | Spain | 28 July 1821 |
| Ecuador | Quito | US dollar | Spain | 24 May 1822 |
| Chile | Santiago | Peso | Spain | 12 February 1818 |
| Uruguay | Montevideo | Peso | Brazil (as in the book) | declared 1825; recognised 1828 |
| Guyana | Georgetown | Guyanese dollar | Britain | 26 May 1966 |
| Paraguay | Asunción | Guaraní | Spain | 14 May 1811 |
Watch out: A few differences from the book's table: Guyana's independence is printed 25 May 1966 (correct: 26 May); Chile's year is hard to read in print (correct: 12 February 1818); Uruguay's date is 28 August 1828 (independence was declared on 25 August 1825 and recognised by the 1828 treaty); the Ecuador and Colombia dates are really battle-victory days (Pichincha and Boyacá) that the book counts as independence. Bolivia has two capitals: La Paz (administrative) and Sucre (constitutional).
Latin America
- The countries of North and South America that speak Romance languages derived from Latin (mainly Spanish and Portuguese) are together called Latin America.
- Most of South America speaks Spanish; Brazil speaks Portuguese; Guyana English; Suriname Dutch.
- South America's two landlocked countries: Paraguay and Bolivia.
Who leads now (November 2026, per news reports)
| Country | Leadership |
|---|---|
| Brazil | President Lula da Silva; re-elected for a fourth term on 25 October 2026 by beating Flávio Bolsonaro in the runoff (about 51.8%); the new term begins in January 2027 |
| Argentina | President Javier Milei (since 10 December 2023) |
| Chile | President José Antonio Kast (sworn in 11 March 2026) |
| Colombia | President Abelardo de la Espriella (sworn in 7 August 2026; predecessor Gustavo Petro) |
| Peru | President Keiko Fujimori (sworn in 28 July 2026; the first elected woman president) |
| Venezuela | Interim president Delcy Rodríguez (since 5 January 2026); on 3 January 2026 a US operation captured Nicolás Maduro and took him to the United States |
| Bolivia | President Rodrigo Paz |
| Ecuador | President Daniel Noboa |
| Uruguay | President Yamandú Orsi |
| Paraguay | President Santiago Peña |
Watch out: The book names Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela's “present president” (outdated). Leaders change; check recent news before your exam. The present leaders of Guyana and Suriname could not be verified here and are left out.
Check yourself
Which two South American countries are landlocked?
At a glance
- 1
South America has 12 countries; memory trick BBC VS APEC Ur GP.
- 2
Capitals: Brasília (Brazil), La Paz (Bolivia), Bogotá (Colombia), Caracas (Venezuela), Quito (Ecuador), Lima (Peru).
- 3
Currencies: Brazil real, Venezuela bolívar, Bolivia boliviano, Peru sol, Paraguay guaraní, Ecuador US dollar.
- 4
Brazil was a Portuguese colony (independent 7 September 1822); Suriname Dutch (25 November 1975); Guyana British (1966).
- 5
Bolivia is not a neighbour of Venezuela (44th BCS); Mexico is not in South America.
- 6
2026: Kast (Chile), Fujimori (Peru) and de la Espriella (Colombia) took office; Lula was re-elected for a fourth term.