Brazil is by far the most populous country in South America.
Brazil occupies roughly half the continent’s land area and has a population several times larger than any other South American country. Its 2022 census counted about 203 million people, compared with roughly 46 million in Argentina and about 34 million in Peru. That scale makes Brazil the clear answer rather than merely the largest by a narrow margin.
Brazil’s population is concentrated along the Atlantic coast, especially in the southeast, where São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro form major economic and metropolitan centres. The interior, including much of the Amazon Basin, is far more sparsely settled. Brazil is also the continent’s only Portuguese-speaking country; most of its neighbours use Spanish.
The country’s size contributes to its regional dominance in population, territory, economy, and political influence. Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world by area and contains most of the Amazon rainforest. Colombia, Argentina, and Peru are substantial countries, but none approaches Brazil’s population.