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    South America

    Continent of the Amazon, Andes and passionate cultures

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    About South America

    Continent of the Amazon, Andes and passionate cultures

    South America in numbers

    Area

    17,840,000 km²

    Countries

    12

    Population

    442 million

    Highest point

    Aconcagua, 6,961 m

    Lowest point

    Laguna del Carbón, -105 m

    Tourists per year

    35 million

    Time zones

    UTC−5 to UTC−2

    Sources: UN WPP, UNWTO and national statistics offices. Figures are rounded.

    Largest countries by area

    1. 1.Brazil8,515,767 km²
    2. 2.Argentina2,780,400 km²
    3. 3.Peru1,285,216 km²
    4. 4.Colombia1,141,748 km²
    5. 5.Bolivia1,098,581 km²
    6. 6.Venezuela916,445 km²

    Most visited countries

    1. 1.Brazil6.8 million
    2. 2.Argentina6.2 million
    3. 3.Colombia5.8 million
    4. 4.Chile4.5 million
    5. 5.Peru3.2 million
    6. 6.Uruguay3.1 million

    Most popular attractions

    1

    Machu Picchu

    Peru

    ~1.2 million visitors/yr

    2

    Christ the Redeemer

    Brazil

    ~2 million visitors/yr

    3

    Iguazú Falls

    Argentina / Brazil

    ~1.7 million visitors/yr

    4

    Salar de Uyuni

    Bolivia

    ~0.6 million visitors/yr

    5

    Galápagos Islands

    Ecuador

    ~0.3 million visitors/yr

    6

    Torres del Paine

    Chile

    ~0.3 million visitors/yr

    Live toplists in South America

    Warmest, coldest and driest places right now, based on our latest readings.

    Warmest right now

    Temperature

    1. 1Manaus28.1°C
    2. 2Cartagena25.9°C
    3. 3Paramaribo25.7°C
    4. 4Georgetown25.4°C
    5. 5Salvador24.7°C
    6. 6Caracas21.5°C
    7. 7Asunción21.4°C
    8. 8Rio de Janeiro20.9°C

    Coldest right now

    Temperature

    1. 1La Paz2.2°C
    2. 2Quito5.3°C
    3. 3Santiago11.8°C
    4. 4Bogotá12.1°C
    5. 5Buenos Aires15.9°C
    6. 6Montevideo17.6°C
    7. 7São Paulo18.4°C
    8. 8Brasília18.9°C

    Driest right now

    Humidity

    1. 1La Paz20%
    2. 2Salvador70%
    3. 3Brasília72%
    4. 4Rio de Janeiro78%
    5. 5Cartagena78%
    6. 6Manaus78%
    7. 7Caracas83%
    8. 8Lima83%

    Updated: 2026-09-20 09:30 UTC · Reused from our cached live weather pool — no extra API calls.

    Climate in South America

    Long-term normals 1991–2020 per climate zone — not a point forecast.

    The Amazon basin is permanently warm and wet, the Andes create cold high-altitude climates at every latitude, and the far south turns cool and windy — seasons are reversed compared with Europe.

    Climate zones

    Equatorial rainforest

    Amazon, Brazil

    Monthly average, coldest–warmest
    24°C – 32°C
    Annual precipitation
    2300 mm
    Best time to go
    Jun–Oct

    Andean highland

    Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador

    Monthly average, coldest–warmest
    2°C – 20°C
    Annual precipitation
    600 mm
    Best time to go
    May–Sep

    Atacama desert

    Northern Chile

    Monthly average, coldest–warmest
    12°C – 25°C
    Annual precipitation
    5 mm
    Best time to go
    Year-round

    Temperate & Patagonian

    Argentina, southern Chile

    Monthly average, coldest–warmest
    2°C – 24°C
    Annual precipitation
    700 mm
    Best time to go
    Nov–Mar

    Season calendar

    A green month is a good month to travel in that climate zone.

    Season calendar
    Climate zonesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
    Equatorial rainforestJan: –Feb: –Mar: –Apr: –May: –Jun: Best time to goJul: Best time to goAug: Best time to goSep: Best time to goOct: Best time to goNov: –Dec: –
    Andean highlandJan: –Feb: –Mar: –Apr: –May: Best time to goJun: Best time to goJul: Best time to goAug: Best time to goSep: Best time to goOct: –Nov: –Dec: –
    Atacama desertJan: –Feb: –Mar: –Apr: –May: –Jun: –Jul: –Aug: –Sep: –Oct: –Nov: –Dec: –
    Temperate & PatagonianJan: Best time to goFeb: Best time to goMar: Best time to goApr: –May: –Jun: –Jul: –Aug: –Sep: –Oct: –Nov: Best time to goDec: Best time to go

    Countries(14)

    Argentina

    Argentina

    Land of tango, Patagonian glaciers, vibrant Buenos Aires, and world-class wine regions.

    Bolivia

    Bolivia

    Salar de Uyuni, La Paz, and incredible Andean landscapes.

    Brazil

    Brazil

    Amazon rainforest, Rio's iconic beaches, carnival celebrations, and diverse ecosystems.

    Chile

    Chile

    From Atacama Desert to Patagonian fjords, Easter Island to wine valleys.

    Colombia

    Colombia

    Caribbean coast, coffee regions, colonial Cartagena, and biodiversity hotspots.

    Ecuador

    Ecuador

    Galápagos Islands, Andean highlands, Amazon basin, and colonial Quito.

    Falkland Islands

    Falkland Islands

    Remote British territory with penguin colonies.

    French Guiana

    French Guiana

    South American rainforest and European Space Centre.

    Guyana

    Guyana

    Kaieteur Falls and Amazonian rainforest.

    Paraguay

    Paraguay

    A landlocked South American country with Guaraní culture and natural reserves.

    Peru

    Peru

    Machu Picchu, ancient Inca heritage, Amazon adventures, and renowned cuisine.

    Suriname

    Suriname

    A South American nation with tropical rainforests and diverse ethnic communities.

    Uruguay

    Uruguay

    A South American nation with Atlantic beaches, gaucho culture, and progressive policies.

    Venezuela

    Venezuela

    A South American nation with Angel Falls, Caribbean coast, and diverse ecosystems.

    Local partners

    Travel businesses that pay to be visible here.

    Paid partner placements. GlobeFellas is compensated by these businesses. It never affects our rankings, ratings or climate data.

    Related Destinations

    Peru

    Machu Picchu, ancient Inca heritage, Amazon adventures, and renowned cuisine.

    Brazil

    Amazon rainforest, Rio's iconic beaches, carnival celebrations, and diverse ecosystems.

    Chile

    From Atacama Desert to Patagonian fjords, Easter Island to wine valleys.

    Colombia

    Caribbean coast, coffee regions, colonial Cartagena, and biodiversity hotspots.

    Argentina

    Land of tango, Patagonian glaciers, vibrant Buenos Aires, and world-class wine regions.

    Ecuador

    Galápagos Islands, Andean highlands, Amazon basin, and colonial Quito.