Claim: South America contains at least five states.

South America is a continent located in the western hemisphere , mostly in the southern hemisphere , with a relatively small portion in the northern hemisphere . It may also be considered a subcontinent of the Americas , which is the model used in nations that speak Romance languages . The reference to South America instead of other regions -LRB- like Latin America or the Southern Cone -RRB- has increased in the last decades due to changing geopolitical dynamics -LRB- in particular , the rise of Brazil -RRB- .   It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean ; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest . It includes twelve sovereign states -LRB- Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil , Chile , Colombia , Ecuador , Guyana , Paraguay , Peru , Suriname , Uruguay , and Venezuela -RRB- , a part of France -LRB- French Guiana -RRB- , and a non-sovereign area -LRB- the Falkland Islands , a British Overseas Territory though this is disputed by Argentina -RRB- . In addition to this , the ABC islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , Trinidad and Tobago , and Panama may also be considered part of South America .   South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers -LRB- 6,890,000 sq mi -RRB- . Its population has been estimated at more than 371,090,000 . South America ranks fourth in area -LRB- after Asia , Africa , and North America -RRB- and fifth in population -LRB- after Asia , Africa , Europe , and North America -RRB- . Brazil is by far the most populous South American country , with more than half of the continent 's population , followed by Colombia , Argentina , Venezuela and Peru . In recent decades Brazil has also concentrated half of the region 's GDP and has become a first regional power .   Most of the population lives near the continent 's western or eastern coasts while the interior and the far south are sparsely populated . The geography of western South America is dominated by the Andes mountains ; in contrast , the eastern part contains both highland regions and large lowlands where rivers such as the Amazon , Orinoco , and Paraná flow . Most of the continent lies in the tropics .   The continent 's cultural and ethnic outlook has its origin with the interaction of indigenous peoples with European conquerors and immigrants and , more locally , with African slaves . Given a long history of colonialism , the overwhelming majority of South Americans speak Portuguese or Spanish , and societies and states commonly reflect Western traditions .