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Map quiz

Countries of South America quiz

We name a country and you tap it on the map. Play 10 or all 12, practice the ones you miss and challenge your class with a link.

Countries of South America

Tap the country it asks for on the map.

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The 12 countries in the quiz

They’re the 12 UN member countries of South America, on a map of the continent. Territories and areas that aren’t asked, such as Falkland Islands, Southern Patagonian Ice Field, and Brazilian Island, are shown in gray.

How to play

In Point mode we name a country and you tap it on the map; in Type mode one lights up and you type its name (accents don’t matter); and in Time trial you get 6 seconds per question. If you miss, we show you where it was, which way it lies and a hint drawn from the data: the countries it borders and its capital.

Each game has 10, 20 or all the questions, and at the end you can practice just the ones you missed. Your best score for each mode is saved in this browser only: neither we nor anyone else can see it, and there’s no sign-up.

The hardest ones

The smallest countries are the hardest, since they barely show on the map: Suriname (about 56,000 sq mi), Uruguay (68,037 sq mi), and Guyana (83,000 sq mi). Zoom in with the buttons or two fingers to tap them.

Tips to learn them

  • Go down the Pacific coast from north to south (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile), then along the Atlantic side; landlocked Bolivia and Paraguay sit in the middle.
  • Start with the three largest: Brazil, Argentina, and Peru cover 71% of the area of South America.
  • There are 2 landlocked countries: Bolivia and Paraguay. Look for them inland.
  • Brazil has the most neighbors: it borders 11 countries. Once you place it, you have a landmark for many more.

Playing in class

Put the map on the interactive whiteboard and play in teams: each right answer scores a point, and if one team misses, the other gets a turn.

With the Challenge your class link, everyone gets the same questions in the same order, with no accounts or passwords, and each student sees their own score, time and streak. To practice on paper, there’s a printable worksheet of the same map with an answer key.

List of all 12 countries

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

Frequently asked questions

How many countries are there in South America?

In the quiz, 12: the UN members. Territories of other countries are on the map but don’t count.

Which are the largest and smallest countries in the quiz?

The largest is Brazil (3,285,890 sq mi) and the smallest is Suriname (about 56,000 sq mi).

Is there a capitals quiz?

Yes: “Capitals of South America”, on its own page. The Capitals button in the quiz panel takes you there.

Where is my best score saved?

In this browser: your best score for each mode and number of questions. Neither we nor anyone else can see it; if you clear your browser data, it’s gone.

Is there a printable worksheet of South America?

Yes: a worksheet with the numbered map, three activities and an answer key. You’ll find it under Printable worksheets below, next to the blank map.

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