South America Geography Guide: Countries, Capitals, and Landmarks

South America is one of the fastest regions to master—and one of the most rewarding. Twelve countries, dramatic physical geography, and clear coastal vs. interior patterns make it perfect for map quiz practice.

The 12 countries (north to south mental map)

Start at the top of the continent and work down:

1. Colombia — capital Bogotá
2. Venezuela — Caracas
3. Guyana — Georgetown
4. Suriname — Paramaribo
5. Brazil — Brasília
6. Ecuador — Quito
7. Peru — Lima
8. Bolivia — Sucre (constitutional) / La Paz (administrative)
9. Paraguay — Asunción
10. Chile — Santiago
11. Argentina — Buenos Aires
12. Uruguay — Montevideo

(French Guiana is an overseas department of France—useful trivia, not a sovereign country.)

Physical geography that helps you locate countries

• Andes Mountains run along the west: Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela.
• Amazon Basin dominates northern Brazil and spills into Peru, Colombia, and neighbors.
• Patagonia covers southern Argentina and Chile.
• Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of Earth’s driest places.

When a quiz shows a long thin strip on the Pacific, think Chile. A huge eastern bulk is almost always Brazil.

Common mix-ups to fix early

• Uruguay vs. Paraguay: Uruguay has Atlantic coastline; Paraguay is landlocked.
• Guyana vs. Suriname: Guyana is west of Suriname along the north coast.
• Bolivia’s two capitals: both answers appear in trivia—know which question is asking for which.

Practice plan (5 days)

• Day 1–2: Place all 12 countries on a blank map.
• Day 3: Capitals only.
• Day 4: Physical features + countries.
• Day 5: Timed rounds on Country Spotter and Nation Guessr.

Explore further

Once South America feels automatic, compare it with our guides on African geography and European geography. Regional mastery stacks into full world-map confidence.