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Sub-region of Americas · Country Index 2026

South America

How are the countries of South America doing?

Half of South America’s 12 placed countries sit at or above 74th of 178 in the Country Index 2026, which places the region 9th of 21 sub-regions. Uruguay is placed highest, 34th; Venezuela lowest, 137th. 1 reaches the world’s top fifth.

South AmericaUN M49 005

South America, shown in red on a map of the world

74th

median position of 178 · 9th of 21 sub-regions

Americas →median 78th

01Who is in it

The countries of South America

Alphabetical, with each country’s own banner photograph. The position is its place in the whole world ranking, never within the region.

02The region

About South America

The southern continent, from Colombia and the Guianas to Chile and Argentina.

South America runs from the Caribbean coasts of Colombia and Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego. The Andes line its western edge, the Amazon rainforest — the largest on Earth — covers much of the north, and the grasslands of the Pampas and the Patagonian steppe spread across the south.

The Inca Empire ruled much of the Andes before the Spanish conquest of the sixteenth century, while Portugal colonised Brazil. Most countries won independence in the early nineteenth century; Guyana and Suriname followed in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanish and Portuguese are spoken by most people, alongside Quechua, Guaraní and many other Indigenous languages.

03Where

South America on the map

Each member shaded by its position in the Country Index 2026, darkest for the best placed; the countries across its land borders in grey. Hover a country for its position, or select it to open its profile.

Country Index position: 1st178thMember, not placedAcross the border, another regionNot a country this site tracks

04Country Index 2026

Where South America’s countries place

Best placed first. Every position is a place in the whole world ranking of 178, never a second list within the region; “=” marks a position shared with another country. Hover the ⓘ for where a country would sit if any one key statistic were dropped.

The full Country Index 2026
South America’s 12 placed countries by their Country Index 2026 position, best placed first.
In regionCountryIn the world1st178th
1Uruguay34 / 178between 32nd and 35th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
2Chile42 / 178between 39th and 42nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
3Brazil47 / 178between 44th and 52nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
4Argentina58 / 178between 54th and 63rd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
5Peru69 / 178between 61st and 79th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
6Paraguay74 / 178between 67th and 92nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
7Colombia83 / 178between 74th and 94th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
8Ecuador88 / 178between 79th and 99th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
9Guyana90 / 178between 76th and 100th if any one key were dropped · standings on 14 of 16 topics
10Suriname97 / 178between 85th and 102nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
11Bolivia111 / 178between 104th and 115th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
12Venezuela137 / 178between 135th and 144th if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics

South America among the 21 sub-regions with a median

9th of 21. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

  1. Northern Europe6thPlaced countries run from Denmark 2nd to Latvia 25th.
  2. Western Europe10thPlaced countries run from Switzerland 1st to France 19th.
  3. Australia and New Zealand17thPlaced countries run from New Zealand 17th to Australia 24th.
  4. Northern America17thPlaced countries run from Canada 17th to United States 37th.
  5. Eastern Asia23rdPlaced countries run from South Korea 14th to Mongolia 73rd.
  6. Southern Europe32ndPlaced countries run from Slovenia 12th to Bosnia and Herzegovina 63rd.
  7. Eastern Europe39thPlaced countries run from Czechia 11th to Russia 68th.
  8. Polynesia70thPlaced countries run from Samoa 70th to Tonga 85th.
  9. South America74thPlaced countries run from Uruguay 34th to Venezuela 137th.
  10. Caribbean78thPlaced countries run from Barbados 63rd to Haiti 169th.
  11. Central America81stPlaced countries run from Costa Rica 40th to Nicaragua 134th.
  12. Western Asia93rdPlaced countries run from Cyprus 35th to Yemen 176th.
  13. South-eastern Asia95thPlaced countries run from Singapore 26th to Myanmar 153rd.
  14. Central Asia100thPlaced countries run from Kazakhstan 60th to Turkmenistan 148th.
  15. Southern Asia100thPlaced countries run from Bhutan 44th to Afghanistan 172nd.
  16. Melanesia106thPlaced countries run from Fiji 62nd to Papua New Guinea 138th.
  17. Southern Africa116thPlaced countries run from South Africa 102nd to Eswatini 140th.
  18. Northern Africa127thPlaced countries run from Tunisia 107th to Libya 174th.
  19. Eastern Africa143rdPlaced countries run from Mauritius 46th to Somalia 177th.
  20. Western Africa144thPlaced countries run from Cabo Verde 74th to Guinea-Bissau 168th.
  21. Middle Africa161stPlaced countries run from São Tomé and Príncipe 104th to Chad 175th.
  22. Micronesia—
  23. Americas, the whole continent78th
  24. The world’s midpoint88th
1st178thmedian

The square is each region’s median position; the grey bar runs from its best-placed to its lowest-placed country. Hover a row for their names.

05By subject

Topic by topic

Every country’s position on each topic, its shade darker the higher it sits in that topic’s field; select a cell for the country’s page on the topic. Strongest for South America: Energy, 5th of 22 sub-regions. Weakest: Poverty & Inequality, 17th of 21.

All topics
South America: each country’s position on each topic, with the region’s median and its place among sub-regions.
EnergyDigital & TechnologyEnvironment & SustainabilityEconomy & InnovationEducation & KnowledgeGender & EqualityHealth & WellbeingFood & AgricultureDevelopment & Human CapitalPeace & SecurityDemocracy & Civil LibertiesGovernance & InstitutionsWork & LabourRisk & ResilienceMobility & TradePoverty & InequalityMoney & Public FinancePeople & Population
Uruguay11 of 19326 of 19885 of 18151 of 17672 of 17156 of 18356 of 20055 of 17545 of 19614 of 17728 of 19831 of 19462 of 18263 of 19253 of 14771 of 159No standingNo standing
Chile41 of 19347 of 198116 of 18141 of 17635 of 17186 of 18345 of 20043 of 17550 of 19679 of 17739 of 19823 of 19494 of 18285 of 19266 of 147100 of 159No standingNo standing
Brazil27 of 1932 of 19860 of 18146 of 17652 of 17163 of 18380 of 20073 of 17587 of 196106 of 17784 of 19857 of 19456 of 182115 of 19259 of 147136 of 159No standingNo standing
Argentina70 of 19357 of 198109 of 18171 of 17639 of 171103 of 18386 of 20068 of 17561 of 19630 of 17781 of 19875 of 19492 of 182112 of 19296 of 14799 of 159No standingNo standing
Peru56 of 19353 of 19865 of 18180 of 17632 of 17149 of 18398 of 20062 of 175106 of 196105 of 177107 of 19896 of 19487 of 182140 of 19283 of 147122 of 159No standingNo standing
Paraguay24 of 193129 of 19853 of 18175 of 176110 of 17181 of 18380 of 20085 of 175113 of 19665 of 177103 of 198126 of 19464 of 18236 of 192133 of 147117 of 159No standingNo standing
Colombia60 of 19374 of 19858 of 18177 of 17669 of 17171 of 18383 of 200105 of 17594 of 196149 of 177104 of 19867 of 194121 of 182145 of 19260 of 147145 of 159No standingNo standing
Ecuador41 of 19386 of 19841 of 18190 of 17664 of 17158 of 183104 of 200103 of 175102 of 196134 of 177115 of 198103 of 19446 of 182172 of 19297 of 147129 of 159No standingNo standing
Guyana177 of 193156 of 19864 of 181No standing59 of 17161 of 183112 of 20021 of 17568 of 19626 of 17791 of 198109 of 194125 of 182117 of 192134 of 147No standingNo standingNo standing
Suriname61 of 193153 of 19881 of 18194 of 176131 of 17160 of 18392 of 200122 of 175122 of 19658 of 17760 of 19894 of 194119 of 18294 of 192112 of 14794 of 159No standingNo standing
Bolivia100 of 193142 of 19856 of 181113 of 17640 of 17134 of 183129 of 200144 of 175127 of 196117 of 177118 of 198143 of 19429 of 182100 of 192138 of 147111 of 159No standingNo standing
Venezuela8 of 193157 of 19889 of 181108 of 17693 of 17167 of 183135 of 200119 of 175140 of 196159 of 177187 of 198194 of 194164 of 182137 of 192123 of 147No standingNo standingNo standing
Region median41st of 19374th of 19864th of 18177th of 17659th of 17161st of 18386th of 20073rd of 17594th of 19679th of 17791st of 19894th of 19487th of 182112th of 19296th of 147111th of 159——
Among sub-regions5th of 227th of 228th of 219th of 219th of 219th of 219th of 2210th of 2111th of 2211th of 2012th of 2212th of 2212th of 2114th of 2215th of 2117th of 21——

Columns run from the topic where South America places best among sub-regions to the one where it places lowest. A region’s median on a topic needs at least two members with a standing; a hatched cell has no standing.

06In numbers

South America in 6 numbers

Each line is every country in the world at its published value; South America’s countries are the red ticks, and the dashed line is the world median. There is no regional average: a region has countries, not a life expectancy of its own.

All statistics

  • Population

    people · log scale

    UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · 222 countries · no better end

    SurinameBrazil496world median 6,541,4131,438,069,596

  • Land area

    km²

    FAO · 2024 · 221 countries · no better end

    SurinameBrazil0.4world median 87,58916,376,870

  • GDP per person

    international $, PPP · log scale

    World Bank Group · 2025 · 185 countries · higher is better

    No reading: Venezuela

    BoliviaGuyana1,067world median 17,265139,593

  • Life expectancy

    years at birth

    UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · 222 countries · higher is better

    BoliviaChile54.46world median 74.6386.37

  • Human development

    HDI, 0–1

    UNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · 193 countries · higher is better

    VenezuelaChile0.388world median 0.7620.972

  • Unemployment

    % of the labour force

    ILO · 2025 · 182 countries · lower is better

    BoliviaGuyana0.13world median 5.08434.2
Every value for South America’s countries
CountryPopulation 2023Land area 2024GDP per person 2025Life expectancy 2023Human development 2023Unemployment 2025
Argentina45,538,401rank 342,736,690rank 827,847rank 6777.39rank 780.865rank 477.145rank 55
Bolivia12,244,159rank 791,087,959rank 2711,001rank 11868.58rank 1670.733rank 1082.967rank 145
Brazil211,140,729rank 78,358,140rank 520,025rank 8275.85rank 1000.786rank 845.97rank 74
Chile19,658,835rank 65742,032rank 3830,863rank 6081.17rank 430.878rank 458.974rank 42
Colombia52,321,152rank 281,109,500rank 2618,779rank 8977.72rank 740.788rank 838.29rank 51
Ecuador17,980,083rank 72248,360rank 7714,319rank 10577.39rank 800.777rank 883.308rank 131
Guyana826,353rank 164211,140rank 8383,659rank 870.18rank 1540.776rank 8911.96rank 24
Paraguay6,844,146rank 108396,012rank 6017,246rank 9473.84rank 1180.756rank 994.803rank 101
Peru33,845,617rank 451,280,000rank 1916,079rank 10077.74rank 730.794rank 795.117rank 90
Suriname628,886rank 170160,508rank 9119,357rank 8673.63rank 1210.722rank 1147.834rank 52
Uruguay3,388,081rank 134175,016rank 9032,742rank 5778.14rank 650.862rank 487.516rank 54
Venezuela28,300,854rank 53882,050rank 32—72.51rank 1330.709rank 1215.307rank 86

07In records

South America in records

The member at the extreme of each statistic, read from its newest edition. Where two members share the top, no record is named.

08Latest editions

Who rose and fell in the published ranks

The moves of South America’s countries between each report’s two newest editions, in the publisher’s own ranks. A report whose field changed by more than 5% is left out.

Ranks as published by UNDP Human Development Report Office in the Human Development Index: reference years 2022 (192 countries ranked) → 2023 (193 ranked), both from its 2025 report.

Improved most

rank before → after
  1. Guyana95 → 89+6
  2. Bolivia113 → 108+5
  3. Paraguay102 → 99+3

Declined most

rank before → after

No country moved this way.

Every country in the Human Development Index

09In context

Across the border

The countries outside South America that share a land border with one of its members, with their world positions, and the sub-regions they belong to. Land borders only, as drawn on the map.

Central America

Western Europe

The neighbouring sub-regions

10Places

Landmarks of South America

Two places from each member with a gallery on its profile.

  • The terminus of the Perito Moreno Glacier, in the Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina.

    Perito Moreno Glacier

    Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia.

    Photo: Fernando · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

  • Aerial view of Foz de Iguaçu, Brazil-Argentina border.

    Iguazu Falls

    Waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border between Argentina and Brazil.

    Photo: Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

  • Cristo Redentor, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Christ the Redeemer

    Art Deco statue of Jesus on Corcovado mountain above Rio de Janeiro, completed in 1931.

    Photo: Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

  • Esta é vista mais linda do Rio de Janeiro. Dá para entender o carinhoso apelido de Cidade Maravilhosa!

    Sugarloaf Mountain

    Granite peak rising from Guanabara Bay at the entrance to Rio de Janeiro.

    Photo: Ccarelo · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

11Keep reading

Explore further

All regions

The rest of Americas

12Method

Questions, method and sources

Which countries are in South America?

12 countries and territories: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. Membership follows the United Nations’ M49 classification.

Which country in South America is placed highest?

Uruguay, placed 34th of 178 in the Country Index 2026. Venezuela is placed lowest, 137th. 12 of the region’s 12 countries and territories are placed; the rest hold standings on too few topics.

How does South America compare with other regions?

Half of its 12 placed countries sit at or above 74th of 178, which places it 9th of 21 sub-regions. The median across Americas is 78th. The middle of the whole field is 88th. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

How many people live in South America?

432,717,296 in 2023, the sum of the UN DESA Population Division’s figures for its 12 countries and territories.

What is the largest country in South America?

By land area, Brazil: 8,358,140 square kilometres (2024). By population, Brazil: 211,140,729 people (2023).

How a region’s figure is made
  1. Membership. Countries belong to regions by the United Nations’ M49 classification; each country declares its sub-region, and a continent is the sum of its sub-regions.
  2. Positions. Each country’s position is its Country Index 2026 result, unchanged. This page slices the world ranking by place; it does not re-rank anyone.
  3. The median. A region’s figure is the median of its placed countries’ positions: half sit at or above it, half below. With an even number of placed countries it takes the better of the two middle positions, since there is no country at a half place. Countries the index does not place are named, never counted in.
  4. A place among peers. Continents are compared with continents and sub-regions with sub-regions, never a part with the whole that contains it; regions sharing a median share a place. Nothing is weighted by population or size, and population and land area are the only figures ever added up.

Where the regions come from

United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49). M49’s middle level (Sub-Saharan Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean) is left out, so every sub-region sits directly under its continent. Kosovo, Northern Cyprus and Somaliland are not in M49 and are placed by geography.

Where the positions come from

Every position is a country’s result in the Country Index 2026 or one of its topics, unchanged. The population and land-area figures are the UN DESA Population Division’s and the FAO’s, added up and shown with their year; every other statistic names its publisher beside its numbers.

Photographs

Each country’s own banner from its profile: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). South America: countries, population and rankings, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/regions/south-america

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