The largest cities in South America by population

1. Sao Paulo

It is the largest city in terms of population in the Southern Hemisphere and the financial center of Brazil. The city is located in the valley of the river Tiete. Its motto is: "I am not ruled, but I am ruled."
The population of Sao Paulo in 2011 is over 11 million people, together with the suburbs - about 20 million. The city is the most ethnically diverse settlement in Brazil. Over a hundred ethnic groups are represented here. Among them are the largest:
. 6 million Italians.
. 3 million Portuguese.
. 1 million Arabs.
. 400 thousand Germans.
. 326 thousand Japanese.
. 120 thousand Chinese.

2. Lima


The capital and largest city of Peru, Lima, is the main cultural, economic and political center of the state. Together with the suburbs, the population is over 9 million people. Among other South American capitals, Lima stands out for its rich diversity of racial and ethnic composition. Among them:
. 40% are white.
. 44% are mestizos.
. 8% are Asians.
. 5% - Indians.
. 3% are African Americans.

3. Bogotá


The capital of Colombia and its largest city, Bogota, has a population of 7.5 million people, together with the suburbs - 8.7 million, which is 1/6 of the population of all of Colombia. It is the most important political, cultural and economic center of the country. In addition, it is one of the most influential cities on the continent.
Colombia is a cosmopolitan city. In addition to Colombians, a large number of foreigners live here. Among the inhabitants in Bogota, mestizos predominate. A smaller part are the descendants of Europeans, as well as mulattoes, blacks and purebred Indians. Thus, approximately 3/4 of the population of Bogota are of mixed blood.

4. Rio de Janeiro

The population of one of the largest cities in Brazil and an important tourist center of the world, Rio, is more than 6.3 million people, together with the suburbs - 11.8 million. The city is famous for its attractions: the grandiose statue of Christ the Redeemer, the legendary Copacabana beach and the symbol of the city - Sugar head. In addition, Rio is famous for its annual Carnival.
The racial composition of Rio:
. About 54% are white.
. About 34% are colored.
. 12.3% are black.
. 0.5% - Asians and Indians.

5. Santiago


The capital of Chile, Santiago, is located in the central valley of the state at the foot of the majestic Andes. Its area is approximately 600 sq. km. The area of ​​the entire metropolitan area is over 2 thousand sq. km. The population of Santiago is about 5.5 million people, together with the suburbs - 6.4 million. This makes the Chilean capital the fifth largest settlement in South America in terms of the number of inhabitants.