Latin America
Economy -- Environment
Table:
Environmental indicators for Latin American countries

Country

Environmental
performance[175]
(2012)
EPI

CO2 emissions[176]
(2009)
(tons of CO2
per capita)

Argentina

56.48

4.14

Bolivia

54.57

1.31

Brazil

60.90

1.74

Chile

55.34

3.84

Colombia

62.33

1.33

Costa Rica

69.03

1.37

Cuba

56.48

2.40

Dominican Republic

52.44

1.79

Ecuador

60.55

2.09

El Salvador

52.08

1.10

Guatemala

51.88

1.03

Haiti

41.15

0.24

Honduras

52.54

0.96

Mexico

49.11

3.72

Nicaragua

59.23

0.73

Panama

57.94

2.10

Paraguay

52.40

0.64

Peru

50.29

1.32

Uruguay

57.06

2.31

Venezuela

55.62

5.45

Drawing on the table plus the textual context provided.

Solve the question: What is the area of the country with 4.14 tons of CO2 emissions per capita ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Argentina ( Spanish : [ aɾxenˈtina ] ) , officially the Argentine Republic [ A ] ( Spanish : República Argentina ) , is a country located mostly in the southern half of South America . Sharing the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west , the country is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north , Brazil to the northeast , Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east , and the Drake Passage to the south . With a mainland area of 2,780,400 km2 ( 1,073,500 sq mi ) , [ B ] Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world , the fourth largest in the Americas , the second largest in South America after Brazil , and the largest Spanish-speaking nation . The sovereign state is subdivided into twenty-three provinces ( Spanish : provincias , singular provincia ) and one autonomous city ( ciudad autónoma ) , Buenos Aires , which is the federal capital of the nation ( Spanish : Capital Federal ) as decided by Congress . The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions , but exist under a federal system . Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica , the Falkland Islands ( Spanish : Islas Malvinas ) , and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands . The earliest recorded human presence in modern-day Argentina dates back to the Paleolithic period . The Inca Empire expanded to the northwest of the country in Pre-Columbian times . The country has its roots in Spanish colonization of the region during the 16th century . Argentina rose as the successor state of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata , a Spanish overseas viceroyalty founded in 1776 . The declaration and fight for independence ( 1810-1818 ) was followed by an extended civil war that lasted until 1861 , culminating in the country 's reorganization as a federation of provinces with Buenos Aires as its capital city . The country thereafter enjoyed relative peace and stability , with several waves of European immigration , mainly Italians and Spaniards , radically reshaping its cultural and demographic outlook ; 62.5% of the population has full or partial Italian ancestry , and the Argentine culture has significant connections to the Italian culture .
Bolivia ( /bəˈlɪviə/ ( listen ) Spanish pronunciation : [ bo.ˈli.βja ] ) , officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia ( Spanish : Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia Spanish pronunciation : [ esˈtaðo pluɾinasjoˈnal de βoˈliβja ] ( listen ) ) , is a landlocked country located in western-central South America . The capital is Sucre , while the seat of government and financial center is located in La Paz . The largest city and principal industrial center is Santa Cruz de la Sierra , located on the Llanos Orientales ( tropical lowlands ) , a mostly flat region in the east of the country . The sovereign state of Bolivia is a constitutionally unitary state , divided into nine departments . Its geography varies from the peaks of the Andes in the West , to the Eastern Lowlands , situated within the Amazon Basin . It is bordered to the north and east by Brazil , to the southeast by Paraguay , to the south by Argentina , to the southwest by Chile , and to the northwest by Peru . One-third of the country is within the Andean mountain range . With 1,098,581 km2 ( 424,164 sq mi ) of area , Bolivia is the fifth largest country in South America , after Brazil , Argentina , Peru and Colombia ( and alongside Paraguay , one of the only two landlocked countries in the Americas ) , the 27th largest in the world , the largest landlocked country in the Southern Hemisphere and the world 's seventh largest landlocked country , after Kazakhstan , Mongolia , Chad , Niger , Mali and Ethiopia . The country 's population , estimated at 11 million , is multiethnic , including Amerindians , Mestizos , Europeans , Asians and Africans . Spanish is the official and predominant language , although 36 indigenous languages also have official status , of which the most commonly spoken are Guarani , Aymara and Quechua languages . Before Spanish colonization , the Andean region of Bolivia was part of the Inca Empire , while the northern and eastern lowlands were inhabited by independent tribes . Spanish conquistadors arriving from Cuzco and Asunción took control of the region in the 16th century .
Brazil ( Portuguese : Brasil ; Portuguese pronunciation : [ bɾaˈziw ] ) , [ nt 1 ] officially the Federative Republic of Brazil ( Portuguese : República Federativa do Brasil , listen ( help·info ) ) , is the largest country in both South America and Latin America . At 8.5 million square kilometers ( 3.2 million square miles ) and with over 211 million people , Brazil is the world 's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most populous . Its capital is Brasília , and its most populous city is São Paulo . The federation is composed of the union of the 26 states , the Federal District , and the 5,570 municipalities . It is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language and the only one in the Americas ; it is also one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations , due to over a century of mass immigration from around the world . Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east , Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers ( 4,655 mi ) . It borders all other countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile and covers 47.3% of the continent 's land area . Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest , home to diverse wildlife , a variety of ecological systems , and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats . This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries , and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection . Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral , who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire . Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808 , when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro . In 1815 , the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil and the Algarves .
Chile ( /ˈtʃɪli/ ( listen ) , /ˈtʃɪleɪ/ ; Spanish : [ ˈtʃile ] ) , [ nb 2 ] officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish : República de Chile ( help·info ) ) , is a South American country occupying a long , narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west . It borders Peru to the north , Bolivia to the northeast , Argentina to the east , and the Drake Passage in the far south . Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández , Salas y Gómez , Desventuradas , and Easter Island in Oceania . Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres ( 480,000 sq mi ) of Antarctica under the Chilean Antarctic Territory . [ nb 3 ] , The arid Atacama Desert in northern Chile contains great mineral wealth , principally copper and lithium . The relatively small central area dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources , and is the cultural and political center from which Chile expanded in the late 19th century when it incorporated its northern and southern regions . Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands , and features a string of volcanoes and lakes . The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords , inlets , canals , twisting peninsulas , and islands . Spain conquered and colonized the region in the mid-16th century , replacing Inca rule in the north and centre , but failing to conquer the independent Mapuche who inhabited what is now south-central Chile . After declaring its independence from Spain in 1818 , Chile emerged in the 1830s as a relatively stable authoritarian republic . In the 19th century , Chile saw significant economic and territorial growth , ending Mapuche resistance in the 1880s and gaining its current northern territory in the War of the Pacific ( 1879-83 ) after defeating Peru and Bolivia . In the 1960s and 1970s , the country experienced severe left-right political polarization and turmoil .
Colombia ( /kəˈlʌmbiə/ ( listen ) kə-LUM-bee-ə , /-ˈlɒm-/ -⁠LOM- ; Spanish : [ koˈlombja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Colombia ( Spanish : República de Colombia ( help·info ) ) , [ Note 1 ] is a country largely situated in the north of South America , with land and territories in North America . Colombia is bounded on the north by the Caribbean Sea , the northwest by Panama , the south by both Ecuador and Peru , the east by Venezuela , the southeast by Brazil , and the west by the Pacific . It comprises thirty-two departments , with the capital in Bogotá . Colombia is ethnically and linguistically diverse , with its rich cultural heritage reflecting influences by various Amerindian civilizations , European settlement , forced African labor , and immigration from Europe and the greater Middle East . Urban centres are concentrated in the Andean highlands and the Caribbean coast . Colombia has been inhabited by various American Indian peoples since at least 12,000 BCE , including the Muisca , Quimbaya , and the Tairona . Spaniards arrived in 1499 and by the mid-16th century annexed part of the region , establishing the New Kingdom of Granada , with Santafé de Bogotá as its capital . Independence from Spain was achieved in 1819 , but by 1830 the Gran Colombia Federation was dissolved , with what is now Colombia and Panama emerging as the Republic of New Granada . The new sovereign state experimented with federalism as the Granadine Confederation ( 1858 ) , and then the United States of Colombia ( 1863 ) , before the Republic of Colombia was finally declared in 1886 . Panama seceded in 1903 , leading to Colombia 's present borders . Beginning in the 1960s , the country suffered from an asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict and political violence , both of which escalated in the 1990s . Since 2005 , there has been significant improvement in security , stability , and rule of law .
Costa Rica ( /ˌkɒstə ˈriːkə/ , US : /ˌkoʊstə/ ( listen ) ; Spanish : [ ˈkosta ˈrika ] ; literally Rich Coast ) , officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( Spanish : República de Costa Rica ) , is a country in Central America , bordered by Nicaragua to the north , the Caribbean Sea to the northeast , Panama to the southeast , the Pacific Ocean to the southwest , and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island . It has a population of around 5 million in a land area of 51,060 square kilometers ( 19,714 square miles ) . An estimated 333,980 people live in the capital and largest city , San José , with around 2 million people in the surrounding metropolitan area . The sovereign state is a unitary presidential constitutional republic . It is known for its long-standing and stable democracy , and for its highly educated workforce , most of whom speak English . The country spends roughly 6.9% of its budget ( 2016 ) on education , compared to a global average of 4.4% . Its economy , once heavily dependent on agriculture , has diversified to include sectors such as finance , corporate services for foreign companies , pharmaceuticals , and ecotourism . Many foreign manufacturing and services companies operate in Costa Rica 's Free Trade Zones ( FTZ ) where they benefit from investment and tax incentives . Costa Rica was sparsely inhabited by indigenous peoples before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century . It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the First Mexican Empire , followed by membership in the United Provinces of Central America , from which it formally declared independence in 1847 . Following the brief Costa Rican Civil War in 1948 , it permanently abolished its army in 1949 , becoming one of only a few sovereign nations without a standing army . The country has consistently performed favorably in the Human Development Index ( HDI ) , placing 63rd in the world as of 2017 [ update ] , among the highest of any Latin American nation .
Cuba ( /ˈkjuːbə/ ( listen ) ; Spanish pronunciation : [ ˈkuβa ] ) , officially the Republic of Cuba ( Spanish : República de Cuba ( help·info ) ) , is a country comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos . Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean where the Caribbean Sea , Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean meet . It is east of the Yucatán Peninsula ( Mexico ) , south of both the U.S. state of Florida and the Bahamas , west of Haiti and north of both Jamaica and the Cayman Islands . Havana is the largest city and capital ; other major cities include Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey . The area of the Republic of Cuba is 110,860 square kilometers ( 42,800 sq mi ) ( 109,884 square kilometers ( 42,426 sq mi ) without the territorial waters ) . The island of Cuba is the largest island in Cuba and in the Caribbean , with an area of 105,006 square kilometers ( 40,543 sq mi ) , and the second-most populous after Hispaniola , with over 11 million inhabitants . The territory that is now Cuba was inhabited by the Ciboney Taíno people from the 4th millennium BC until Spanish colonization in the 15th century . From the 15th century , it was a colony of Spain until the Spanish-American War of 1898 , when Cuba was occupied by the United States and gained nominal independence as a de facto United States protectorate in 1902 . As a fragile republic , in 1940 Cuba attempted to strengthen its democratic system , but mounting political radicalization and social strife culminated in a coup and subsequent dictatorship under Fulgencio Batista in 1952 . Open corruption and oppression under Batista 's rule led to his ousting in January 1959 by the 26th of July Movement , which afterwards established communist rule under the leadership of Fidel Castro . Since 1965 , the state has been governed by the Communist Party of Cuba . The country was a point of contention during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States , and a nuclear war nearly broke out during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 .
The Dominican Republic ( /dəˈmɪnɪkən/ də-MIN-ik-ən ; Spanish : República Dominicana , pronounced [ reˈpuβlika ðominiˈkana ] ( listen ) ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region . It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island , which it shares with the Republic of Haiti , making Hispaniola one of only two Caribbean islands , along with Saint Martin , that are shared by two sovereign states . The Dominican Republic is the second-largest nation in the Antilles by area ( after Cuba ) at 48,671 square kilometers ( 18,792 sq mi ) , and third by population with approximately 10.5 million people ( 2020 est . ) , of whom approximately 3.3 million live in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo , the capital city . The native Taíno people had inhabited Hispaniola before the arrival of the Europeans , dividing it into five chiefdoms . The Taíno people had eventually moved north over many years , and lived around the Caribbean islands . The Taíno natives had done quite well for themselves and were on their way to being an organized civilization . Christopher Columbus explored and claimed the island , landing here on his first voyage in 1492 . The colony of Santo Domingo became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas , the oldest continuously inhabited city , and the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World . Meanwhile , France occupied the western third of Hispaniola , naming their colony Saint-Domingue , which became the independent state of Haiti in 1804 . After more than three hundred years of Spanish rule the Dominican people declared independence in November 1821 . The leader of the independence movement José Núñez de Cáceres , intended the Dominican nation to unite with the country of Gran Colombia , but the newly independent Dominicans were forcefully annexed by Haiti in February 1822 .
Ecuador ( /ˈɛkwədɔːr/ ( listen ) EK-wə-dor ; Spanish pronunciation : [ ekwaˈðoɾ ] ( listen ) ; Quechua : Ikwayur ; Shuar : Ecuador or Ekuatur ) , officially the Republic of Ecuador ( Spanish : República del Ecuador , which literally translates as Republic of the Equator ; Quechua : Ikwadur Ripuwlika ; Shuar : Ekuatur Nunka ) , is a country in northwestern South America , bordered by Colombia on the north , Peru on the east and south , and the Pacific Ocean on the west . Ecuador also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific , about 1,000 kilometres ( 620 mi ) west of the mainland . The capital city is Quito , which is also its largest city . The territories of modern-day Ecuador were once home to a variety of Amerindian groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca Empire during the 15th century . The territory was colonized by Spain during the 16th century , achieving independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia , from which it emerged as its own sovereign state in 1830 . The legacy of both empires is reflected in Ecuador 's ethnically diverse population , with most of its 17.1 million people being mestizos , followed by large minorities of European , Amerindian , and African descendants . Spanish is the official language and is spoken by a majority of the population , though 13 Amerindian languages are also recognized , including Quichua and Shuar . The sovereign state of Ecuador is a middle-income representative democratic republic with a developing economy that is highly dependent on commodities , namely petroleum and agricultural products . It is governed as a democratic presidential republic . One of 18 megadiverse countries in the world , Ecuador hosts many endemic plants and animals , such as those of the Galápagos Islands . In recognition of its unique ecological heritage , the new constitution of 2008 is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature , or ecosystem rights . It also has the fifth lowest homicide rate in the Americas .
El Salvador ( /ɛl ˈsælvədɔːr/ ( listen ) ; Spanish : [ el salβaˈðoɾ ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of El Salvador ( Spanish : República de El Salvador , literally Republic of The Savior ) , is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America . It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras , on the northwest by Guatemala , and on the south by the Pacific Ocean . El Salvador 's capital and largest city is San Salvador . As of 2018 [ update ] , the country had a population of approximately 6.42 million . El Salvador was for centuries inhabited by several Mesoamerican nations , especially the Cuzcatlecs , as well as the Lenca and Maya . In the early 16th century , the Spanish Empire conquered the territory , incorporating it into the Viceroyalty of New Spain ruled from Mexico City . However the Viceroyalty of Mexico had little or no influence in the daily affairs of the Central American isthmus , which would be colonized in 1524 . In 1609 the area became the Captaincy General of Guatemala , from which El Salvador was part of until its independence from Spain , which took place in 1821 , as part of the First Mexican Empire , then further seceded , as part of the Federal Republic of Central America , in 1823 . When the Republic dissolved in 1841 , El Salvador became a sovereign nation , then formed a short-lived union with Honduras and Nicaragua called the Greater Republic of Central America , which lasted from 1895 to 1898 . From the late 19th to the mid-20th century , El Salvador endured chronic political and economic instability characterized by coups , revolts , and a succession of authoritarian rulers . Persistent socioeconomic inequality and civil unrest culminated in the devastating Salvadoran Civil War ( 1979-1992 ) , which was fought between the military-led government and a coalition of left-wing guerrilla groups . The conflict ended with the Chapultepec Peace Accords .
Guatemala ( /ˌɡwɑːtəˈmɑːlə/ ( listen ) GWAH-tə-MAH-lə ; Spanish : [ gwateˈmala ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Guatemala ( Spanish : República de Guatemala ) , is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west , Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast , Honduras to the east , El Salvador to the southeast and the Pacific Ocean to the south . With an estimated population of around 17.2 million , it is the most populous country in Central America . Guatemala is a representative democracy ; its capital and largest city is Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción , also known as Guatemala City . The territory of modern Guatemala once formed the core of the Maya civilization , which extended across Mesoamerica . Most of the country was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century , becoming part of the viceroyalty of New Spain . Guatemala attained independence in 1821 as part of the Federal Republic of Central America , which dissolved by 1841 . From the mid- to late-19th century , Guatemala experienced chronic instability and civil strife . Beginning in the early 20th century , it was ruled by a series of dictators backed by the United Fruit Company and the United States government . In 1944 , the authoritarian leader Jorge Ubico was overthrown by a pro-democratic military coup , initiating a decade-long revolution that led to sweeping social and economic reforms . A U.S.-backed military coup in 1954 ended the revolution and installed a dictatorship . From 1960 to 1996 , Guatemala endured a bloody civil war fought between the US-backed government and leftist rebels , including genocidal massacres of the Maya population perpetrated by the military . Since a United Nations-negotiated peace accord , Guatemala has witnessed both economic growth and successful democratic elections , though it continues to struggle with high rates of poverty , crime , drug trade , and instability .
Haiti ( /ˈheɪti/ ( listen ) ; French : Haïti [ a.iti ] ; Haitian Creole : Ayiti [ ajiti ] ) , officially the Republic of Haiti ( French : République d'Haïti ; Haitian Creole : Repiblik D Ayiti ) and formerly called Hayti , [ note 1 ] is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea , to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands . It occupies the western three-eighths of the island which it shares with the Dominican Republic . To its south-west lies the small island of Navassa Island , which is claimed by Haiti but is disputed as a United States territory under federal administration . Haiti is 27,750 square kilometers ( 10,714 sq mi ) in size and has an estimated population of 11.1 million , making it the most populous country in the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) and the second-most populous country in the Caribbean after Cuba . The island was originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno people , who migrated from South America . The first Europeans arrived on 5 December 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus , who initially believed he had found India or China . Columbus subsequently founded the first European settlement in the Americas , La Navidad , on what is now the northeastern coast of Haiti . The island was claimed by Spain and named La Española , forming part of the Spanish Empire until the early 17th century . However , competing claims and settlements by the French led to the western portion of the island being ceded to France in 1697 , which was subsequently named Saint-Domingue . French colonists established lucrative sugarcane plantations , worked by vast numbers of slaves brought from Africa , which made the colony one of the richest in the world . In the midst of the French Revolution ( 1789-99 ) , slaves and free people of color launched the Haitian Revolution ( 1791-1804 ) , led by a former slave and the first black general of the French Army , Toussaint Louverture . After 12 years of conflict , Napoleon Bonaparte 's forces were defeated by Louverture 's successor , Jean-Jacques Dessalines ( later Emperor Jacques I ) , who declared Haiti 's sovereignty on 1 January 1804 - the first independent nation of Latin America and the Caribbean , the second republic in the Americas , the first country to abolish slavery , and the only state in history established by a successful slave revolt .
Honduras ( /hɒnˈdjʊərəs , -ˈdʊər-/ ( listen ) , /-æs/ ; Spanish : [ onˈduɾas ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Honduras ( Spanish : República de Honduras ) , is a country in Central America . The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala , to the southwest by El Salvador , to the southeast by Nicaragua , to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca , and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras , a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea . Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures , most notably the Maya , before the Spanish Colonization in the sixteenth century . The Spanish introduced Roman Catholicism and the now predominant Spanish language , along with numerous customs that have blended with the indigenous culture . Honduras became independent in 1821 and has since been a republic , although it has consistently endured much social strife and political instability , and remains one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere . In 1960 , the northern part of what was the Mosquito Coast was transferred from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice . The nation 's economy is primarily agricultural , making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998 . The lower class is primarily agriculturally based while wealth is concentrated in the country 's urban centers . Honduras has a Human Development Index of 0.625 , classifying it as a nation with medium development . When the Index is adjusted for income inequality , its Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index is 0.443 . Honduran society is predominantly Mestizo ; however , American Indian , black and white individuals also live in Honduras ( 2017 ) . The nation had a relatively high political stability until its 2009 coup and again with the 2017 presidential election .
Mexico ( Spanish : México [ ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) ; Nahuatl languages : Mēxihco ) , officially the United Mexican States ( UMS ; Spanish : Estados Unidos Mexicanos , EUM [ esˈtaðos uˈniðoz mexiˈkanos ] ( listen ) , lit . Mexican United States ) , is a country in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometers ( 770,000 sq mi ) , the nation is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world . With an estimated population of over 129 million people , Mexico is the tenth most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world , while being the second most populous nation in Latin America after Brazil . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states plus Mexico City ( CDMX ) , which is the capital city and its most populous city . Other metropolises in the country include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana , and León . Pre-Columbian Mexico dates to about 8000 BC and is identified as one of six cradles of civilization and was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya , and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its politically powerful base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan ( part of Mexico City ) , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . The Roman Catholic Church played a powerful role in governing the country as millions were converted to the faith , although King Charles III expelled the Jesuits in the 1770s . The territory became a nation state following its recognition in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence . The post-independence period was tumultuous , characterized by economic inequality and many contrasting political changes .
Nicaragua ( /ˌnɪkəˈrɑːɡwə , -ˈræɡ- , -ɡjuə/ ( listen ) ; Spanish : [ nikaˈɾaɣwa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Nicaragua ( Spanish : República de Nicaragua ( help·info ) ) , is the largest country in the Central American isthmus , bordered by Honduras to the northwest , the Caribbean to the east , Costa Rica to the south , and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest . Managua is the country 's capital and largest city and is also the third-largest city in Central America , behind Tegucigalpa and Guatemala City . The multi-ethnic population of six million includes people of indigenous , European , African , and Asian heritage . The main language is Spanish . Indigenous tribes on the Mosquito Coast speak their own languages and English . Originally inhabited by various indigenous cultures since ancient times , the region was conquered by the Spanish Empire in the 16th century . Nicaragua gained independence from Spain in 1821 . The Mosquito Coast followed a different historical path , being colonized by the English in the 17th century and later coming under British rule . It became an autonomous territory of Nicaragua in 1860 and its northernmost part was transferred to Honduras in 1960 . Since its independence , Nicaragua has undergone periods of political unrest , dictatorship , occupation and fiscal crisis , including the Nicaraguan Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s and the Contra War of the 1980s . The mixture of cultural traditions has generated substantial diversity in folklore , cuisine , music , and literature , particularly the latter , given the literary contributions of Nicaraguan poets and writers such as Rubén Darío . Known as the land of lakes and volcanoes , Nicaragua is also home to the second-largest rainforest of the Americas .
Panama ( /ˈpænəmɑː/ ( listen ) PAN-ə-mah , /pænəˈmɑː/ pan-ə-MAH ; Spanish : Panamá IPA : [ panaˈma ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Panama ( Spanish : República de Panamá ) , is a transcontinental country in Central America and South America , bordered by Costa Rica to the west , Colombia to the southeast , the Caribbean Sea to the north , and the Pacific Ocean to the south . The capital and largest city is Panama City , whose metropolitan area is home to nearly half the country 's 4 million people . Panama was inhabited by indigenous tribes before Spanish colonists arrived in the 16th century . It broke away from Spain in 1821 and joined the Republic of Gran Colombia , a union of Nueva Granada , Ecuador , and Venezuela . After Gran Colombia dissolved in 1831 , Panama and Nueva Granada eventually became the Republic of Colombia . With the backing of the United States , Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 , allowing the construction of the Panama Canal to be completed by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914 . The 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties led to the transfer of the Canal from the United States to Panama on December 31 , 1999 . Revenue from canal tolls continues to represent a significant portion of Panama 's GDP , although commerce , banking , and tourism are major and growing sectors . It is regarded as a high-income country . In 2018 Panama ranked 66th in the world in terms of the Human Development Index . In 2018 , Panama was ranked seventh-most competitive economy in Latin America , according to the World Economic Forum 's Global Competitiveness Index . Covering around 40 percent of its land area , Panama 's jungles are home to an abundance of tropical plants and animals - some of them found nowhere else on earth .
Paraguay ( /ˈpærəɡwaɪ/ ; Spanish pronunciation : [ paɾaˈɣwaj ] ( listen ) ; Guarani : Paraguái , [ paɾaˈɰwaj ] ) , officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish : República del Paraguay ; Guarani : Tetã Paraguái ) , is a country in South America . It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest , Brazil to the east and northeast , and Bolivia to the northwest . Although it is one of only two landlocked countries in South America ( the other is Bolivia ) , the country has coasts , beaches and ports on the Paraguay and Paraná rivers that give exit to the Atlantic Ocean through the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway . Due to its central location in South America , it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de Sudamérica ( Heart of South America ) . Spanish conquistadores arrived in 1524 after navigating northwards from the Río de la Plata to the Paraná River , and finally up the Paraguay River . In 1537 , they established the city of Asunción , which was the first capital of the Governorate of Paraguay and Río de la Plata . Paraguay was the epicenter of the Jesuit Missions , where the Guaraní people were educated and introduced to Christianity and European culture under the direction of the Society of Jesus in Jesuit reductions , mainly during the 17th century . However , after the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spanish territories in 1767 , Paraguay increasingly became a peripheral colony , with few urban centers and settlers . Following independence from Spain at the beginning of the 19th century , Paraguay was ruled by a series of authoritarian governments who generally implemented nationalist , isolationist and protectionist policies . This period ended with the disastrous Paraguayan War , during which Paraguay lost at least 50% of its prewar population and around 25-33% of its territory to the Triple Alliance of Argentina , Brazil and Uruguay . In the 20th century , Paraguay faced another major international conflict - the Chaco War - against Bolivia , from which the Paraguayans emerged victorious . Afterwards , the country entered a period of military dictatorships , ending with the 35 year regime of Alfredo Stroessner that lasted until he was toppled in 1989 by an internal military coup .
Peru ( /pəˈruː/ ( listen ) ; Spanish : Perú [ peˈɾu ] ; Quechua : Piruw Republika [ pʰɪɾʊw ] ; Aymara : Piruw Suyu [ pɪɾʊw ] ) , officially the Republic of Peru ( Spanish : República del Perú ( help·info ) ) , is a country in western South America . It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia , in the east by Brazil , in the southeast by Bolivia , in the south by Chile , and in the west by the Pacific Ocean . Peru is a megadiverse country with habitats ranging from the arid plains of the Pacific coastal region in the west to the peaks of the Andes mountains vertically extending from the north to the southeast of the country to the tropical Amazon Basin rainforest in the east with the Amazon river . At 1.28 million km2 ( 0.5 million mi2 ) , Peru is the 19th largest country in the world , and the third largest in South America . Peruvian territory was home to several ancient cultures . Ranging from the Norte Chico civilization starting in 3500 BC , the oldest civilization in the Americas and one of the five cradles of civilization , to the Inca Empire , the largest state in pre-Columbian America , the territory now including Peru has one of the longest histories of civilization of any country , tracing its heritage back to the 4th millennia BCE . The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a viceroyalty that encompassed most of its South American colonies , with its capital in Lima . Peru formally proclaimed independence in 1821 , and following the military campaigns of José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar , and the decisive battle of Ayacucho , Peru completed its independence in 1824 . In the ensuing years , the country enjoyed relative economic and political stability , which ended shortly before the War of the Pacific with Chile . Throughout the 20th century , Peru endured armed territorial disputes , coups , social unrest , and internal conflicts , as well as periods of stability and economic upswing . Alberto Fujimori was elected to the presidency in 1990 ; his government was credited with economically stabilizing Peru and successfully ending the Shining Path insurgency , though he was widely accused of human rights violations and suppression of political dissent . Fujimori left the presidency in 2000 and was charged with human rights violations and imprisoned until his pardon by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2017 .
Uruguay ( /ˈjʊərəɡwaɪ/ ( listen ) ; Spanish : [ uɾuˈɣwai ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( Spanish : República Oriental del Uruguay ; Portuguese : República Oriental do Uruguai ) , is a country in the southeastern region of South America . It borders Argentina to its west and Brazil to its north and east , with the Río de la Plata ( River of Silver ) to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast . Uruguay is home to an estimated 3.45 million people , of whom 1.8 million live in the metropolitan area of its capital and largest city , Montevideo . With an area of approximately 176,000 square kilometers ( 68,000 sq mi ) , Uruguay is geographically the second-smallest nation in South America , after Suriname . Uruguay was inhabited by the Charrúa people for approximately 4,000 years before the Portuguese established Colónia do Sacramento in 1680 ; Uruguay was colonized by Europeans relatively late compared with neighboring countries . Montevideo was founded as a military stronghold by the Spanish in the early 18th century , signifying the competing claims over the region . Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828 , following a four-way struggle between Portugal and Spain , and later Argentina and Brazil . It remained subject to foreign influence and intervention throughout the 19th century , with the military playing a recurring role in domestic politics . A series of economic crises put an end to a democratic period that had begun in the early 20th century , culminating in a 1973 coup , which established a civic-military dictatorship . The military government persecuted leftists , socialists , and political opponents , resulting in several deaths and numerous instances of torture by the military ; the military relinquished power to a civilian government in 1985 . Uruguay is today a democratic constitutional republic , with a president who serves as both head of state and head of government . Uruguay is ranked first in Latin America in democracy , peace , low perception of corruption , e-government , and is first in South America when it comes to press freedom , size of the middle class and prosperity .
Venezuela ( /ˌvɛnəˈzwɛlə/ ( listen ) ; American Spanish : [ beneˈswela ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( Spanish : República Bolivariana de Venezuela ) , is a country on the northern coast of South America , consisting of a continental landmass and many small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea . It has a territorial extension of 916,445 km2 ( 353,841 sq mi ) . The continental territory is bordered on the north by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean , on the west by Colombia , Brazil on the south , Trinidad and Tobago to the north-east and on the east by Guyana . The Venezuelan government maintains a claim against Guyana to Guayana Esequiba , an area of 159,542 km2 ( 61,600 sq mi ) . For its maritime areas , Venezuela exercises sovereignty over 71,295 km2 ( 27,527 sq mi ) of territorial waters , 22,224 km2 ( 8,581 sq mi ) in its contiguous zone , 471,507 km2 ( 182,050 sq mi ) of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean under the concept of exclusive economic zone , and 99,889 km2 ( 38,567 sq mi ) of continental shelf . This marine area borders those of 13 states . The capital and largest urban agglomeration is the city of Caracas . The country has extremely high biodiversity and is ranked seventh in the world 's list of nations with the most number of species . There are habitats ranging from the Andes Mountains in the west to the Amazon basin rain-forest in the south via extensive llanos plains , the Caribbean coast and the Orinoco River Delta in the east . The sovereign state is a federal presidential republic consisting of 23 states , the Capital District ( covering Caracas ) , and federal dependencies ( covering Venezuela 's offshore islands ) . Venezuela also claims all Guyanese territory west of the Essequibo River , a 159,500-square-kilometre ( 61,583 sq mi ) tract dubbed Guayana Esequiba or the Zona en Reclamación ( the zone under dispute ) . Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America ; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north , especially in the capital ( Caracas ) which is also the largest city in Venezuela .