How many landlocked countries are there in South America?

In South America, there are two landlocked countries: Paraguay and Bolivia. A landlocked country is defined as a nation that is entirely surrounded by land and does not have a coastline along an ocean or sea, meaning it has no direct access to maritime trade routes. Paraguay, located in the central part of the continent, is bordered by Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. Bolivia, situated to the west of Paraguay, lost its coastal access to the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century due to the War of the Pacific, making it landlocked as well.

The other countries in South America, such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, have coastlines along either the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, so they do not meet the criteria for being landlocked. Thus, only Bolivia and Paraguay account for the total of two landlocked countries in the region.