Historical map · 2020
Map of South America in 2020
In 2020, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 22 states, empires and other polities in South America. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Argentine Republic and the Republic of Peru.
See this map live. The interactive map opens on South America in 2020. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.
OPEN 2020 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 2020States and empires in South America in 2020
| State | In this region | In the data |
|---|---|---|
| Federative Republic of Brazil Wikipedia | 8.6 million km² | 1890–2024 |
| Argentine Republic Wikipedia | 2.8 million km² | 1930–2024 |
| Republic of Peru Wikipedia | 1.3 million km² | 1822–2024 |
| Republic of Colombia Wikipedia | 1.2 million km² | 1866–2024 |
| Bolivia Wikipedia | 1.1 million km² | 1825–2024 |
| Venezuela Wikipedia | 941,000 km² | 1811–2024 |
| Republic of Chile Wikipedia | 803,000 km² | 1812–2024 |
| Paraguay Wikipedia | 403,000 km² | 1811–2024 |
| Republic of Ecuador Wikipedia | 254,000 km² | 1834–2024 |
| Guyana Wikipedia | 213,000 km² | 1966–2024 |
| Oriental Republic of Uruguay Wikipedia | 181,000 km² | 1828–2024 |
| Republic of Suriname Wikipedia | 148,000 km² | 1820–2024 |
| French Fifth Republic Wikipedia | 86,000 km² | 1958–2024 |
| Republic of Panama Wikipedia | 84,000 km² | 1905–2024 |
| United Kingdom Wikipedia | 20,000 km² | 1709–2024 |
| British Overseas Territories Wikipedia | 20,000 km² | 2000–2024 |
| Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Wikipedia | 6,200 km² | 1963–2024 |
| Republic of Costa Rica Wikipedia | 3,790 km² | 1840–2024 |
| Barbados Wikipedia | 740 km² | 1967–2024 |
| Saint Lucia Wikipedia | 680 km² | 1979–2024 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Wikipedia | 570 km² | 1969–2024 |
| Grenada Wikipedia | 480 km² | 1976–2024 |
"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.
What changed since 2010
Between 2010 and 2020 the data shows the same states in South America; their borders may still have moved.
Questions about this map
Which countries were in South America in 2020?
The map data draws 22 states and other polities in South America in 2020. The largest by land were the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Argentine Republic, the Republic of Peru, the Republic of Colombia and Bolivia.
What was the largest empire in South America in 2020?
Of the states on this map, the Federative Republic of Brazil held the most land in total: about 8.6 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.
Can I explore South America in 2020 interactively?
Yes. Open the interactive map at 2020, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.
About these borders
The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.
South America in other years
- 1550
- 1648
- 1700
- 1750
- 1776
- 1789
- 1800
- 1815
- 1830
- 1850
- 1871
- 1880
- 1900
- 1910
- 1914
- 1918
- 1920
- 1930
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1942
- 1945
- 1950
- 1960
- 1970
- 1980
- 1990
- 2000
- 2010
- 2020