by John Knouse

This is an outline of the world's political divisions, organized by 1) continent; 2) area of continent if relevant; 3) nation; 4) national subdivision (province, state, department); 5) further subdivisions if they exist.

SOUTH AMERICA

South America Index

Argentina---Bolivia--- Brasil---Chile---Colombia
Ecuador---Falkland Islands---Guayana---Guyane Française
Paraguay---Perú---Suriname---Trinidad and Tobago--- Uruguay

South America West of the Andes

Pronunciation: koh - LOHM - byah
Official name: República del Colombia
Origin of name: After Cristobal Colombo (Christopher Columbus), or Republic of Columbus
Capital: Bogotá
Language: Spanish
Telephone Country Code: 57

Distrito Especial:

• Bogotá (capital)

Intendencias:

1. Arauca
2. Casanare
3. Putumayo
4. San Andres (Saint Andrew)

Comisarías:

1. Amazonas (Amazonia)
2. Guainia
3. Guaviare
4. Vaupes
5. Vichada

Departamentos:

1. Antioquia
2. Bolívar
3. Boyaca
4. Caldas
5. CaquetÁ
6. Cauca
7. Cesar
8. Chocó
9. Córdoba
10. Cundinamarca
11. Huila
12. La Guajira
13. Magdalena
14. Meta
15. Nariña
16. Norte de Santander
17. Quind¡o
18. Risaralda
19. Santander
20. Sucre (Named after General Sucre)
21. Tolima
22. Valle del Cauca

Official name: República del Ecuador
Meaning of name: Spanish for "Equator" ("Republic of the Equator")
Pronunciation: EH - kwah - dor, where the initial e is intermediate between the English short e and long a, and the r is the Spanish clicked r, and the c is pronounced softly
Capital: Quito
Official Language: Spanish; Quechua, the Incan tongue, is also a very important language
Telephone Country Code: 593

Divisions:

1. Azuay
2. Bolívar (Named after Simón Bolívar)
3. Caña
4. Carchi
5. Chimbarazo
6. Cotopaxi
7. El Oro (The Gold)
8. Esmeraldas
9. GalÁpagos
10. Guayas
11. Imbabura
12. Loja
13. Los Ríos (The Rivers)
14. Manab¡
15. Morona-Santiago
16. Napo
17. Pastaza
18. Pichincha
19. Zamara-Chinchipe

Official Name: Republica de Perú
Pronunciation: peh - ROO, where the e is intermediate between the English short e and long a, and the r is the Spanish clicked r
Origin of Name:
Capital: Lima
Origin of Capital Name:
Official Language: Spanish; Quechua, the Incan tongue, is almost as important
Telephone Country Code: 51

Provincia Constitutional:

• Callao

Departamentos:

1. Amazonas (Amazonia)
2. Ancash
3. Apurímaac
4. Arequipa
5. Ayacucho
6. Cajamarca
7. Cuzco
8. Huancavelica
9. HuÁnuco
10. Ica
11. La Libertad (The Liberty)
12. Lambayeque
13. Lima
14. Loreto
15. Madre de Dios (Mother of God)
16. Pasco
17. Piura
18. San Martín (St. Martin)
19. Tumbes
20. Ucayali

    ---

    CHILE

    Official Name: República del Chile
    Pronunciation: CHEE - lay
    Origin of Name: From the Quechua Chilimapa, referring to an area within the country, which original name meant "chilly land." Chili in Quechua meant cold or snow. Interestingly, the word, while being virtually synonymous with the English word chilly, had no common history with that word
    Capital: Santiago
    Origin of Capital Name: Contraction of Santo Diego (St. James)
    Official and Principal Language: Spanish
    Telephone Country Code: 56

    ---

    Regiones:

    1. Ais‚n del General Carlos IbÁ¤ez del Campo
    2. Antofagasta
    3. Atacama
    4. Biobío
    5. Coquímbo
    6. General Bernardo O'Higgins
    7. La Araucan¡a
    8. Libertador (Liberator)
    9. Los Lagos (The Lakes)
    10. Magallanes y AntÁrtica Chilena
    11. Maule
    12. Metropolitana (Metropolitania)
    13. Valparaiso

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    South America: North Coast

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    VENEZUELA

    Pronunciation: beh - neh - SWAY - lah; the initial "v" is actually intermediate between an English b and v

    Official name: Republica del Venezuela

    Meaning of name: Little Venice, after Venice, Italy

    Capital: CaracÁs

    Official and Principal Language: Spanish

    Telephone Country Code: 58

    ---

    Estados:

    1. Amazonas (Amazonia)
    2. AnzoÁtegui
    3. Apure
    4. Aragua
    5. Barinas
    6. Bolívar (after Simón Bolívar)
    7. Carabobo
    8. CaracÁs, Distrito Federal
    9. Cojedes
    10. Delta-Amacuro
    11. Falcón (Falcon)
    12. Guarico
    13. Lara
    14. Mérida
    15. Miranda
    16. Monagas
    17. Nueva Esparta (New ; island off Caribbean coast): Asuncion
    18. Portuguesa
    19. Sucre (after General Sucre)
    20. (Tachira?)
    21. Truillo
    22. (Valencia?)
    23. Yaraguy
    24. Zulia

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    TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

    Most references list Trinidad & Tobago with the Caribbean Islands, but they are much more closely associated with the South American mainland than with the other islands.

    Pronunciation: TRIH - nih - dad and toh - BAY - go

    Official Name: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

    Origin of Names: Trinidad = Trinity; Tobago = Tobacco; Tobago was named Asunci¢n by Christopher Columbus

    Capital: Port-of-Spain

    Language: [British] English

    Currency: Trinidad and Tobago Dollar ($ in the country; otherwise TT$ or TTD)

    Thanks to William Hitchins for info on T & T!

    ---

    Divisions:

    1. Caroni
    2. Mayaro
    3. Nariva
    4. St. Andrew
    5. St. David
    6. St. George
    7. St. Patrick
    8. Tobago
    9. Victoria

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    GUYANA

    Formerly a colony of the United Kingdom

    Pronunciation: ghee - AHN - nah

    Official Name:

    Origin of name: Along with Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana) and Guyane Fran‡aise, named for early Native Americans

    Capital: Georgetown (after King George)

    Language: English

    Telephone Country Code: 592

    ---

    Divisions

    1. Barima-Waini
    2. Cuyani-Mazanini
    3. East Berbice-Corentyne
    4. East Demerara-West Coast Berbice
    5. Essequibo Island-West Demerara
    6. Mahaica-Berbice
    7. Mazaruni-Potaro
    8. Northwest
    9. Pomeroon Supenaam
    10. Potero-Siparuni
    11. Rupununi
    12. Timekri
    13. Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

    ---

    SURINAME

    Formerly Dutch Guiana, a Dutch colony
    Pronunciation: SUR - i - nahm
    Official Name:
    Origin of name: After the Surinen people, Native American inhabitants of the region
    Capital: Paramaribo
    Languages: Dutch, English, Native Languages
    Currency: Surinam Guilder
    Telephone Country Code: 597

    ---

    Divisions:

    1. Brokopondo
    2. Commewijne
    3. Coronie
    4. Groningen
    5. Marowijne
    6. Nickerie
    7. Nieuw Amsterdam (New Amsterdam)
    8. Parariam
    9. Saramacca
    10. Suriname

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    GUYANE FRANÇAISE (FRENCH GUIANA)

    A French possession
    Pronunciation: ghee - YAHN franh - SEZ; the "nh" is not an n but a nasal sound made with the mouth open
    Official Name: Department de Guyane Française
    Origin of name: Along with Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana) and Guyana (formerly British Guiana)
    Capital: Cayenne
    Telephone Country Code: 594

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    Divisions:

    Cayenne

    St. Laurent-du-Maroni

South America: Eastern

English Language Name: Brazil
Pronunciation: brah - SEEL; where the r is the Spanish clicked r
Official Name:
Origin of Name: After pau brasil, a valuable, dark-red tropical wood that has been exported for centuries; the word "brasil" is supposed to mean "glowing coal," referring to the dark red color
Capital: Brasilia
Languages: Portuguese and Native Languages
Currency: Cruzado
Telephone Country Code: 55

Divisions:

1. Acre
2. Alagoas
3. AmapÁ
4. Amazonas (Amazonia)
5. Bahia
6. Brasilia, Distrito Federal
7. CearÁ
8. Esprito Santo (Saintly Spirit)
9. GoiÁs
10. Maranh o
11. Mato Grosso (Wide Belt)
12. Mato Grosso do Sul (Wide Belt of the South)
13. Minas Gerais
14. Moquegua
15. ParÁ
16. Paraíba
17. ParanÁ
18. Pernambuco
19. Piauí
20. Puno
21. Rio de Janeiro (January River)
22. Rio Grande do Norte (Great River of the North)
23. Rio Grande do Sul (Great River of the South)
24. Rond%f4nia
25. Santa Catarina (St. Catherine)
26. São Paulo (St. Paul)
27. Sergipe
28. Tacna

Pronunciation: boh - LEE - byah; the second b is a soft b
Official Name:
Origin of Name: After Simón Bolívar, the great liberator of South America
Capital: La Paz (The Peace)
Languages: Spanish and Aymara, an Inca-related Native American tongue
Telephone Country Code: 591
Bolivia formerly extended to the Pacific Ocean, which part was taken by force by Perú now totally landlocked.

Departamentos: