Discover the 12 Most Visited Countries in South America

South America is a beautiful place for anyone to go and visit. The continent has an expansive history, jaw-dropping natural wonders, and a culture unlike anywhere else. So, has it become a popular tourist destination? In 2022 alone, South America saw 20.6 million visitors! These numbers were affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, however. Pre-pandemic numbers ranged from 25 to 30 million visitors annually. Statisticians theorize that South America will achieve pre-pandemic tourist numbers in the coming years, which would help to stimulate their economy.

So, what are the most visited countries in South America? Read on to find out, and learn a bit about each country!

12. Suriname

Suriname is the twelfth most visited country in South America. It’s a tiny country, with a population of just over 600,000 people. In 2017, the country saw 279,000 visitors. It’s known for its variety of ecoregions–the country has highland forests, swamp forests, Tepuis, savannas, and mangroves. Forests cover 90.2% of Suriname, the highest out of any nation worldwide. Most tourists come to Suriname for its dense rainforests and unique flora, as well as its stunning waterfalls. Additionally, Suriname takes wildlife and nature preservation seriously–around 30% of Suriname’s total land area is protected by law and is deemed a natural reserve.

11. Guyana

Coming in as the eleventh most visited country in South America is Guyana. Guyana had 315,000 visitors in 2019. Like Suriname, the country is comprised of many different biomes. It has marshy plains where most of the population lives, a sand belt, rainforests, mountains, and a savanna. Tourists flock to Guyana due to its untouched natural wonders–Kaieteur Falls is a popular spot to visit.

10. Venezuela

Officially the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela, Venezuela is the tenth most visited country in South America. This country is on the northern coast of South America and has continental land as well as many islands off the coast, scattered throughout the Caribbean Sea. In 2017, 429,000 visitors came to the country. Venezuela boasts a wide variety of wildlife, a strong, rich culture, and a plethora of different landscapes. It’s home to Angel Falls, a top tourist attraction in the country. Additionally, it is the world’s tallest waterfall, reaching 3,212 feet in height!

9. Bolivia

Bolivia is next, coming in at ninth on the list of the most visited countries in South America. In 2019, the landlocked country had 1.2 million visitors coming from all over the world. There are many different things that Bolivia has to offer tourists. In the upper Amazon river basin lies Madidi National Park. Madidi is one of the world’s largest protected areas–it has an area of 18,958 km²! Also, Bolivia is known for having two capitals. La Paz is the administrative capital of the country, and Sucre is the constitutional capital. La Paz is home to the legislative and executive branches, whereas Sucre is home to the country’s Supreme Court. Bolvia’s beauty is another reason why tourists often visit the country.

8. Ecuador

Ecuador is officially known as the Republic of Ecuador. This country is eighth on the most visited countries in South America list, with 2.1 million visitors coming to the country in 2019. The reason so many people visit Ecuador is because of its incredible amount of natural wealth.

There are many different kinds of species here: 4,500 different kinds of butterflies, 258 different kinds of mammals, 345 different kinds of reptiles, the list could go on and on. It’s known as one of the countries with the world’s highest biodiversity is concentrated. In addition to its natural beauty and wealth, Ecuador has a vast cultural beauty about it as well. There are many different kinds of volcanoes within its borders and the entirety of the western border is the Pacific Ocean, full of many stunning beaches. The Galápagos Islands archipelago is also overseen and is an official province of Ecuador.

7. Uruguay

Uruguay is the seventh country on the list. In 2019, 3.5 million visitors went to the country. It’s known as one of the more progressive countries in South America and was also one of the founding members of the United Nations. Tourism is important in the country, as it is responsible for about 97,700 jobs. There are a lot of different historical monuments and cultural reasons to visit Uruguay. A top tourist attraction is Punta del Este. It’s a seaside city located on a peninsula, known for its split-up beaches. On one side of the peninsula lies Mansa, or the tame river side, and on the other side lies Brava, or the craggy ocean side. Mansa offers sunbathing, snorkeling, and more leisurely activities, whereas Brava offers surfing and other, more intensive sports.

6. Paraguay

Paraguay is the sixth most visited country in South America. It’s another landlocked country, like Bolivia. In 2019, Paraguay had 4.4 million visitors travel to the country. It’s split up by the Río Paraguay, creating two different regions in the country. The eastern side is called Región Oriental and the western half is officially known as Western Paraguay or Región Occidental. This country often hosts many visitors because of its varying wildlife: monkeys, wild boars, anteaters, armadillos, and more are all found throughout Paraguay. In addition, there is so much natural beauty throughout the country, like wetlands and the Gran Chaco.

5. Colombia

Next, Colombia is South America’s fifth most visited country. In 2019, the country was host to 4.5 million visitors. Fun fact about Colombia: most of the country’s landmass is in South America, but it does have some land in North America, off the coast of Mexico. Colombia’s high volume of tourism is due in part to its different kinds of ecosystems. The Andes mountains are in Colombia, in addition to different kinds of coastal regions, like the Pacific and Caribbean coastal regions. Cartagena is a popular place for tourists to visit, as it has lots of historical monuments like Castle San Felipe de Barajas and Monumento Torre del Reloj. Colombia is also part of the Ring of Fire, a region of the world that is particularly subject to earthquakes and volcanic explosions.

4. Peru

Peru is South America’s fourth most visited country. 2019 saw 5.3 million visitors visit the western country. The entirety of the country is located in the southern hemisphere, just south of the equator–it misses it by about two miles. Culturally, Peru is split into three different regions: the costa, or the coast; the sierra, or the highlands; and the selva, or the jungle. Within these different regions lie many iconic ecosystems and historical landmarks. The sierra contains Peru’s highest point, the Huascarán, which is an astonishing 22,205 feet tall. The selva contains a large portion of the Amazon rainforest. Perhaps the most famous attraction in Peru is Machu Picchu, an Incan citadel located high up in the Andes mountains.

3. Chile

Next, Chile is the third most visited country in South America, with 5.4 million visitors coming to the country in 2019. Located between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it’s only 217 miles from east to west at its max. Many tourists come to this western country to witness the stunning Incaic architecture that’s scattered all throughout the region. San Pedro de Atacama is a northern town in the country that many tourists go to to see the architecture left behind by the Incans. Easter Island is also a part of Chile, a very popular tourist destination located just off the coast in the Pacific Ocean. This small island of 3,300 people is most famous for the massive heads that are found throughout the island, called moai.

2. Brazil

Next up, Brazil–South America’s second most visited country. 6.4 million people visited the country in 2019. It’s the largest country in South America, the fifth-largest in the world by area, and the seventh most populous. Brazil is home to a wide variety of both cultural and historical landmarks, in addition to lots of natural beauty. Tourists come to the country for all of these different reasons. On the Argentinian and Brazilian border lies Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system on the entire planet. People also flock to Brazil to see the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon covers almost all of the Amazon basin on the continent, claiming almost 2,100,000 square miles of rainforest. In 2014, Rio de Janeiro hosted the FIFA World Cup, and then in 2016 hosted the Summer Olympics.

1. Argentina

Finally, the most visited country in South America is Argentina! In 2019, the country saw 7.4 million visitors come to see all it had to offer. It’s the second-largest country in South America, after Brazil of course, and is the eighth-largest country in the world. Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, is the most-visited city in all of South America. There’s lots to do in the capital city–it’s known for its rich architecture and longtime historical heritage, in addition to a modern, exciting nightlife scene. There are lots of options for different tours that will showcase the city and its magnificent history.

In addition to its manmade beauty, Argentina is a naturally beautiful country. It shares a border with Brazil, and at that border lies the jaw-dropping Iguazu Falls waterfall system, the largest of its kind in the world. The country also has the largest ice cap outside of Antarctica and Greenland, at Los Glaciares National Park. It’s the largest national park in South America. The park is home to some absolutely massive sheets of ice. The most famous glacier at the national park is Perito Moreno. Los Glaciares National Park is a World Heritage Site, due to its natural beauty. Argentina is the most visited country in South America for a reason, because of all it has to offer, culturally, historically, and naturally!

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