Map of South America with Countries, Capitals, Major Cities, Borders, and Roads

Discover South America: Countries, Capitals, and Major Cities Unveiled

Map of South America with countries and capitals, major cities, and road network. This detailed map shows every country in its own color, national capitals, well-known cities, the Caribbean Sea, South Pacific Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, and simple road-light corridors that help you trace trips from coast to coast. Use it as the best map style for school projects, travel planning, or quick reference.

South America Briefs and Fast Facts

Continent: South America, linked to North America through the Isthmus of Panama.

Coastlines: Long Pacific coast on the west, very long Atlantic coast on the east, and Caribbean shore in the north.

Major landforms on the map: The Andes Mountains, the Amazon Basin, the Brazilian Highlands, Patagonia, and the Guiana Shield. Rivers to know: Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná, Paraguay, Uruguay, Madeira, Negro, Tocantins. Islands shown: Galápagos (Ecuador) in the Pacific, Falkland Islands, and South Georgia in the South Atlantic.

Languages commonly used: Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Dutch in the Guianas, French in French Guiana, and many Indigenous languages.

Best use of this map: finding capitals and big cities, seeing where borders and oceans meet, tracing long travel routes across the Andes and along both coasts.

Read the South America Map from the North and the West

Northwest corner: Colombia and Venezuela on the Caribbean

At the top of the map, you see Colombia and Venezuela touching the Caribbean Sea.

• Colombia has Bogotá in the interior highlands, with Medellín, Cali, and the port of Barranquilla on the coast. The border with Panama sits at the narrow land bridge of the Americas.

• Venezuela shows Caracas near the north coast. Maracaibo sits by Lake Maracaibo in Zulia, while Valencia and Maracay appear on the central belt.

The Guianas on the Atlantic

Moving east, three countries face the open Atlantic Ocean.

• Guyana has Georgetown on the coast.

• Suriname shows Paramaribo along the shore.

• French Guiana is a French territory with Cayenne. This zone is part of the Guiana Shield with rivers that flow north to the sea.

The Andean backbone in the north and center

The long mountain wall of the Andes runs down the west side of the continent.

• Ecuador places Quito high in the Andes with Guayaquil on the Pacific. Offshore, you can spot the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) west of the coast.

• Peru shows Lima on the Pacific, while Arequipa, Cusco, and Trujillo help you see how cities step from coast to mountains to interior valleys.

• Bolivia is landlocked. The map marks La Paz in the high west and Sucre as the constitutional capital.

• Chile is a thin ribbon between mountains and ocean. Santiago stands in the central valley with Valparaíso on the nearby coast, and Punta Arenas near the southern tip.

Brazil and the Amazon interior

Most of the map is Brazil, the largest country on the continent.

• The Amazon River sweeps from Peru and Colombia across northern Brazil to the Atlantic. Manaus appears in the rain forest, and Belém sits at the river mouth.

• The capital, Brasília, is in the center east of the high plateau.

• Major Atlantic cities line the coast from north to south: Fortaleza, Natal, Recife, Salvador, Vitória, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, nearby inland, Curitiba, Florianópolis, and Porto Alegre.

• The states in Brazil are not labeled here, but the road-light network helps you follow long travel corridors between coastal ports and interior rivers.

Southern Cone, Borders, Corridors, and At-a-Glance Country Guide

Southern cone: Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and southern Chile

• Paraguay is landlocked at the heart of the Río de la Plata Basin with Asunción on the Paraguay River.

• Uruguay sits between Brazil and Argentina with Montevideo on the Atlantic near the wide Río de la Plata.

• Argentina stretches from the subtropics down to Patagonia. The map highlights Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza by the Andes, and south coast cities such as Bahía Blanca and Comodoro Rivadavia. The far south shows Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn.

• The Falkland Islands (UK) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) appear in the South Atlantic.

Borders, lines, and seas to spot fast

• The West Coast faces the South Pacific Ocean from Colombia down to Chile.

• The East Coast faces the South Atlantic Ocean from Venezuela to Argentina.

• The Caribbean Sea touches Colombia and Venezuela.

• The Equator crosses Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil.

• The Tropic of Capricorn crosses Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.

Simple road-light corridors you can trace

1. Andean north to south: Caracas - Bogotá - Quito - Lima - La Paz - Santiago.

2. Atlantic coastal arc: Fortaleza - Recife - Salvador - Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo - Porto Alegre - Montevideo - Buenos Aires.

3. Amazon axis: Belém - Manaus - Iquitos area on the Peru border.

4. La Plata Basin link: Buenos Aires - Rosario - Córdoba - Asunción, with branches toward Santa Cruz in Bolivia and southern Brazil.

5. Pacific chain: Guayaquil - Lima - Arequipa - Arica - Antofagasta - Valparaíso - Concepción - Puerto Montt in Chile.

Countries and capitals at a glance

Argentina - Buenos Aires

Bolivia - La Paz and Sucre

Brazil - Brasília

Chile - Santiago

Colombia - Bogotá

Ecuador - Quito

Guyana - Georgetown

Paraguay - Asunción

Peru - Lima

Suriname - Paramaribo

Uruguay - Montevideo

Venezuela - Caracas

French Guiana - Cayenne (French territory).

Islands marked: Galápagos in the Pacific, Falkland Islands, and South Georgia in the South Atlantic.

Study and trip tips

• For a coast tour, follow the Pacific edge from Lima to Santiago or the Atlantic arc from Salvador to Buenos Aires.

• For a river theme, trace the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná, Paraguay, and Uruguay rivers.

• For mountains, use the Andean corridor to compare capitals from Quito to Santiago.

Countries Constituting the South American Continent: 

Encompassing 12 countries, South America is a fusion of historic heartlands and modern metropolises. From Brazil, with its vibrant festivals and Amazonian expanses, to the mountainous terrains of Chile. From the rich folklore of Peru to the tango rhythms of Argentina.

Here are the 12 countries of South America:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Conclusion: 

The Map of South America is an outlet to an empire-fueled, ecosystem-rich, and fiery continent. The invitation to enter a world of courage, celebration and spirit comes alive.

Experience the extraordinary with this user-friendly map. In the modern world, insights like these map make it easier for cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. Be amazed by the wonders of South America and experience all the unique cultures, historical epochs and biodiversity of this hot-spot of wonders.

How to Use this Map on Your Phone.

To zoom in and out or change the perspective of the map on your mobile, use your thumb and index finger. This feature provides a desktop-like experience when you’re on the go.