South America Country Codes & International Dialing Guide
Browse all South American countries and territories — from Brazil and Argentina to the Andean and Guianas region — with their international calling codes, ISO 2/3 codes and main time zones. Use the smart filters below to quickly find the correct country code before placing international calls.
| Country / Territory | Sub-region | Calling Code | ISO 2 | ISO 3 | Main Time Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Southern Cone | +54 | AR | ARG | UTC−3 |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | Andean region | +591 | BO | BOL | UTC−4 |
| Brazil | Brazil (largest economy) | +55 | BR | BRA | UTC−5 to UTC−2 |
| Chile | Southern Cone (Pacific coast) | +56 | CL | CHL | UTC−4 / UTC−3 |
| Colombia | Andean & Caribbean | +57 | CO | COL | UTC−5 |
| Ecuador | Andean region & Galapagos | +593 | EC | ECU | UTC−5 (mainland) / UTC−6 (Galapagos) |
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | South Atlantic (British territory) | +500 | FK | FLK | UTC−3 |
| French Guiana | Guianas (French department) | +594 | GF | GUF | UTC−3 |
| Guyana | Guianas | +592 | GY | GUY | UTC−4 |
| Paraguay | Landlocked Southern Cone | +595 | PY | PRY | UTC−4 (UTC−3 DST) |
| Peru | Andean & Pacific coast | +51 | PE | PER | UTC−5 |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Remote South Atlantic (British territory) | +500 | GS | SGS | UTC−2 |
| Suriname | Guianas (northern Atlantic coast) | +597 | SR | SUR | UTC−3 |
| Uruguay | Southern Cone (Atlantic coast) | +598 | UY | URY | UTC−3 |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | Northern South America & Caribbean coast | +58 | VE | VEN | UTC−4 |
South America region overview
South America is a geographically compact but demographically significant region stretching from the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Venezuela to the southern tip of Chile and Argentina. The region is dominated by Portuguese-speaking Brazil and Spanish-speaking countries such as Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru, with English, Dutch and French used in the Guianas.
Unlike North America’s shared NANP system, each South American country has its own international dialing code (for example +55 for Brazil, +54 for Argentina and +57 for Colombia). Number lengths, area code formats and mobile prefixes vary from market to market, which makes a structured country-code directory essential for international contact centers, sales teams and travelers.
The table above brings together the main country codes, ISO codes and time zones for every South American country and territory in one place, helping you avoid mis-dialling and plan communication around local office hours.
South American sub-regions for telecom planning
For routing calls or designing marketing campaigns, it is helpful to cluster South American markets into a few practical sub-regions based on geography, language and economic ties.
Southern Cone
Argentina · Chile · Uruguay · ParaguayThe Southern Cone combines high urbanization with relatively similar time zones and business culture. Major hubs such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and Montevideo are key targets for financial services, technology, agriculture and tourism-related calling campaigns.
Most destinations in this cluster lie in UTC−3 or UTC−4, providing good overlap with North America and Europe.
Andean region
Colombia · Peru · Ecuador · BoliviaThe Andean countries stretch from Caribbean-facing Colombia down through the highlands of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. They host a mix of mining, energy, agriculture and rapidly growing service economies, with strong links to both North America and the rest of Latin America.
Most Andean markets use UTC−5 or UTC−4. Local holidays and daylight saving rules should be checked before scheduling large outbound campaigns.
Brazil as a stand-alone cluster
Brazil · Portuguese-speaking marketBrazil is the largest economy in South America and the only Portuguese-speaking country in the region. It has its own numbering plan, multiple time zones and a large domestic market, so many organizations treat Brazil as a dedicated cluster with separate language, compliance and routing rules.
Brazil spans multiple time zones (from roughly UTC−5 to UTC−2), and daylight saving policies may change from year to year, so local time should always be confirmed.
The Guianas & Atlantic territories
Guyana · Suriname · French Guiana · Falklands · SGSSIThe Guianas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana) share a northern Atlantic coastline and host energy, mining and space-launch infrastructure. South Atlantic territories such as the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are sparsely populated but relevant to shipping, fisheries and research networks.
These markets typically use UTC−4 to UTC−2. For niche destinations, tariffs and roaming conditions can differ from mainland South America.
Time zones across South America
Most of South America lies within a narrow band of time zones, typically between UTC−5 and UTC−2. This makes regional coordination easier than in regions that span many more hours, but you still need to account for local rules and daylight saving changes.
Common South American time zones
| Zone | UTC offset | Example countries | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC−5 | UTC−5 | Colombia, Peru, mainland Ecuador | Good overlap with North America’s Central and Eastern time zones. |
| UTC−4 | UTC−4 | Bolivia, Venezuela, parts of Brazil, Guyana | Often used as a reference zone for pan-regional operations. |
| UTC−3 | UTC−3 | Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname | Aligns well with European afternoon working hours. |
| UTC−2 | UTC−2 | Far-eastern Brazilian islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich | Mostly remote or low-population areas; calls tend to be specialist or maritime. |
Some countries occasionally modify their daylight saving policies. For sensitive operations, verify the current local time using a world clock or time API before major calling campaigns.
Suggested calling windows into South America
The best time to call will depend on your own location and the specific South American sub-region you are targeting. The guidelines below assume standard office hours (09:00–17:00 local time).
- From Europe: Late afternoon in central Europe (15:00–19:00 CET/CEST) overlaps with morning and early afternoon in most South American capitals, especially in UTC−3 and UTC−4.
- From North America: For US and Canadian East Coast teams, mid-morning to early afternoon is ideal for reaching the Andean region and Southern Cone, while West Coast teams may prefer earlier slots.
- Within Latin America: When running regional campaigns from Mexico or Central America, it is often possible to call most South American markets within a small time-offset window, simplifying shift planning.
- Guianas & Atlantic territories: These destinations typically align with UTC−3 or UTC−4. Take into account smaller local holidays and potential regional working patterns.
Dialing patterns & example calls into South America
South American countries each maintain their own numbering plans. A typical international call into the region follows the structure:
Generic dialing format
Example: calling a landline in Buenos Aires (Argentina) from Germany: 00 54 11 xxxx xxxx – where 00 is Germany’s exit code, 54 is Argentina’s country code and 11 is the area code for Buenos Aires.
Mobile vs landline numbers
Many South American markets use specific prefixes for mobile numbers (for example “9” in some Chilean mobiles or certain initial digits in Brazil). In some countries, historical rules required adding or omitting a “9” when dialing from abroad vs domestically; modern networks increasingly standardize these patterns, but you should always follow the current guidance from local carriers.
Spain → Brazil (mobile)
00 55 11 9xxxx xxxx
00 (Spain exit code) + 55 (Brazil) + 11 (São Paulo area) + 9 + 8-digit mobile number. Exact digits depend on local operator formats.
UK → Chile (landline)
00 56 2 xxxx xxxx
00 (UK exit code) + 56 (Chile) + 2 (Santiago area code) + local subscriber number. Some cities have different area codes.
United States → Colombia (mobile)
011 57 3xx xxx xxxx
011 (US exit code) + 57 (Colombia) + mobile prefix (3xx) + subscriber number. Most US and Canadian carriers use 011 as the standard exit code for international calls.
FAQ: Calling South American countries
Is there a single regional country code for South America? +
No. Each South American country has its own country code assigned by the ITU. For example, Brazil uses +55, Argentina uses +54 and Colombia uses +57. There is no shared regional code similar to the +1 system in North America.
Do South American mobile numbers look different from landlines? +
In many South American markets, mobile numbers have specific prefixes or digit patterns (for example, leading “9” in some Chilean mobiles, or particular blocks in Brazil and Argentina). However, both mobile and landline numbers are dialed with the same international structure: exit code + country code + area or mobile prefix + local number. Check each country’s detail page on CountryCode.online for exact formats.
Which languages are most common when calling South America? +
Spanish is the dominant language in most South American countries, while Portuguese is used in Brazil. English, French and Dutch are official or widely used in the Guianas and some business centers. For professional campaigns, it is best to localize scripts separately for Portuguese-speaking Brazil and Spanish-speaking South America.
How should I store South American numbers in my CRM? +
The safest approach is to save all numbers in full international format starting with “+” followed by the country code, area/mobile prefix and local number – for example +55 11 9xxxx xxxx (Brazil) or +51 1 xxxx xxxx (Lima, Peru). This ensures that calls and messages work correctly when your users roam or when you route via multiple carriers.
Where can I find more details like emergency numbers or short codes? +
Each South American country has a dedicated page on CountryCode.online with dialing examples, emergency numbers, trunk prefixes, mobile formats and time zone information. Use the Countries directory or search box on the homepage to jump directly to pages such as Brazil, Argentina or Chile.
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