Countries in South America Ranked by Population (2025)
Population: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Brazil ranks #1 with 212.81 million people. That is 4 times Colombia in second place (53.43 million people). The top five are Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela, RB. Together the top 10 account for 99.7% of the total across the 12 countries in South America listed. The median across all 12 is 19.08 million people; Suriname is last at 639,850 people. Brazil's figure has risen 21% since 2001 (176.3 million people to 212.81 million people in 2025).
- #1
- Brazil · 212.81 million people
- Median
- 19.08 million people
- Coverage
- 12 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Brazil 48.6%Colombia 12.2%Argentina 10.5%Peru 7.9%Venezuela, RB 6.5%All others 14.3%
Full ranking
About the top 10
#1 Brazil
Brazil ranks #1 on this list with 212.81 million people.
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#2 Colombia
Colombia ranks #2 on this list with 53.43 million people.
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 53.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$457.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 78.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali.
Also ranks #1 in income share of richest 10% · #1 in gini index · #4 in women in ministerial positions share.
#3 Argentina
Argentina ranks #3 on this list with 45.85 million people.
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#4 Peru
Peru ranks #4 on this list with 34.58 million people.
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#5 Venezuela, RB
Venezuela, RB ranks #5 on this list with 28.52 million people.
- Capital
- Caracas
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 28.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,495 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.
Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.
#6 Chile
Chile ranks #6 on this list with 19.86 million people.
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#7 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #7 on this list with 18.29 million people.
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#8 Bolivia
Bolivia ranks #8 on this list with 12.58 million people.
- Capital
- La Paz, Sucre
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$64.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Also ranks #2 in real effective exchange rate index · #3 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #4 in women in parliament share.
#9 Paraguay
Paraguay ranks #9 on this list with 7.01 million people.
- Capital
- Asunción
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.28 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in official exchange rate · #11 in income share of richest 10% · #14 in gini index.
#10 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #10 on this list with 3.38 million people.
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Population: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Population, total: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN); Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.