Argentina is in South America, and is the eighth-largest country in the world. The highest and the lowest points of South America are also in Argentina: At 6,960m, Cerro Aconcagua is the tallest mountain in the Americas while Salinas Chicas, at 40m below sea level, is the lowest point in South America.
Sometimes referred to as the Tibet of South America, Bolivia is one of the most "remote" countries in the Western Hemisphere; except for the navigable Paraguay River stretching to the distant Atlantic, Bolivia and Paraguay are the only two landlocked nations in the Americas. It is also the most indigenous country in the Americas, with 60% of its population being of pure Native American ancestry.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. Brazil is an incredibly diverse country, in people, culture, and landscapes—from the famous summer carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Olinda, and Recife to the wild power of nature in the Amazon and Iguaçu Falls. You'll find bustling cities, laid-back beaches, and traditional lifestyles, often right next to each other.
Chile narrowly stretches along the southern half of the west coast of South America, between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. The bordering countries are Peru in the north and Argentina and Bolivia to the east. Chile has over 5,000 km (3,100 miles) of coast on the South Pacific Ocean. It is an amazing country, from the dry Atacama Desert to the cold of Chilean Patagonia.
Colombia is the only country in South America with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and it has the second-most biodiversity in the world. Lying to the south of Panama, Colombia controls the land access between Central and South America. With Panama to the north, Colombia is surrounded by Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, and Ecuador and Peru to the south west. The country was named in honor of Christopher Columbus, following the Italian version of his name (Cristoforo Colombo).
The "Republic of the Ecuador" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.
Ecuador's mainstream culture is defined by its Hispanic Mestizo majority and like their ancestry, it is traditionally Spanish heritage, influenced by different degrees of Amerindian traditions with African elements.
The Falklands are a UK Overseas Territory and are an associated territory of the European Union. The archipelago is roughly the size of Wales or, in North American terms, Connecticut, but extremely sparsely populated; penguins outnumber humans by a hundred to one. The islands are also claimed by Argentina as the Islas Malvinas and were the site of a major conflict between the two countries in 1982.
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements (collectively known as Devil's Island) until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou. It is the only portion of mainland South America still governed by an overseas nation.
Guyana mostly consists of rolling highlands with a low coastal plain and savannah in the south. The highest point is Mount Roraima at 2,835 m.
Not often regarded as a major travel destination, Paraguay has been experiencing a steady increase of visitors. Paraguay is South America's second-poorest country and it is a common sight to see beggars asking for money on Asunción's intersections.