South America vs. Latin America: Continent vs. Cultural Region

They Are Not the Same

South America is a continent comprising 12 sovereign nations: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Latin America is a cultural/linguistic region encompassing all countries in the Americas where Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French) predominate. This includes:

• Mexico
• Central America (7 countries)
• South America (12 countries)
• Caribbean nations (e.g., Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico)

Thus, South America is a subset of Latin America. The term "Latin America" excludes English-speaking countries like the U.S., Canada, Jamaica, and Belize.