South America is the fourth largest continent in area.
South America is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the northwest and north, the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, east, and southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. In the northwest it is joined to North America by the Isthmus of Panama, which forms a land bridge narrowing to about 50 miles (80 kilometres) at one point. Drake Passage, south of Cape Horn, separates South America from Antarctica. The continent is divided into 12 independent countries and 2 other political units.