Definition, composition, and surface area
One year after the official meeting of two worlds, as Germán Arciniegas defined the invasion, plundering, and colonization of America by some European countries (1) during the 15th to 19th centuries, we can see how now, as in some of those eras, political realism and pragmatism are in vogue among the powers that be—not only among leaders but also among many of their constituents (2).
It is also possible to see that, from the highest echelons of global power, action is being taken, as in some of those same times, without major moral, legal, or human restrictions, that authority is being exercised effectively with a high degree of contempt for others, the law, institutions, agreements, treaties, and commitments, and that the most advanced technology is being used in defense of particular interests.
Similarly, it can be observed that the immediate result of the use of such approaches is the extreme use of force and wealth, increasingly concentrated in certain population groups and located in certain countries, while subjugating others, regardless of whether new scenarios of war are generated, armed conflicts that were previously suspended or could have been resolved through peaceful means are increased, and are now addressed through threats, fear, and terror.
Furthermore, it is clear that regular, large-scale wars, or terrorism in all its forms, with or without high technology, are once again being used as the best tools for quickly obtaining personal gain.
So, when looking at this particular form of governance today, it is understood that systematic and organized violence can be used at any time and place, and that its purpose is to quickly and effectively obtain the resources that others possess, in order to increase one’s own wealth that can continue to accumulate, and in the process, physically or economically eliminate rivals, opponents, or enemies of those in power.
Now, a major problem arising from this is that, in line with this strategy, some national leaders are using the same arguments and methods and are therefore seeking to govern under schemes of unlimited power, outside the law, undemocratic, and populist. In addition, they are promoting forceful actions against their own constituents, which facilitates the direct intervention of the powers in their territories.
In short, in today’s world, as in certain periods of history, war or military force is being used for the purpose of rapidly gaining possession, domination, exploitation, and control of foreign physical spaces, although now, this action is being justified on the grounds of defense. And once again, we are reaching the extreme of considering that human life in these spaces can be eliminated without further legal or ethical considerations, as in the recent cases in the Caribbean Sea, Gaza, Ukraine, Colombia, and many peoples and tribes in Central Asia and Africa.
In this context, it is valid and pertinent to ask ourselves once again about the nature of a region called Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean and what its role might be in the face of this new reality.
This question is based on the fact that, historically, the size of the region has not been clear and that the role it has played has been inexorably linked to the vast natural resources it possesses and to the fact that, although it has not participated directly in the great world wars, it is also possible that the current strategy of the powers and their leaders will lead it into military confrontations with them, or between them, but on its own territory.
If we add to this the region’s own internal conflicts and international disputes between neighboring countries, as well as disputes over national borders and their natural spaces and resources, which remain unresolved in the region, then the possibility of new armed conflicts cannot be ruled out.
For these reasons, the presentation of this series of papers, which are based on a geoeconomic analysis methodology and, due to their own limitations and characteristics, only address general issues, is justified.
Consequently, this first paper will address the size of the surface area of Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean, that is, the spaces of the region (3) as well as the countries that comprise it, so that in the following articles we can look at the other variables related to these issues.
The surface area of Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean
The surface area and size of a region called Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean is difficult to pinpoint, although, in any case, it represents a significant part of an entire continent called America—a name that, popularly and in everyday language, many associate only with the United States of America, calling them America and only their fellow citizens, identifying them as Americans.
A continent that is geographically framed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the east and west; the Arctic Ocean to the north—along with the island of Greenland—and to the south with the Drake Passage and Antarctica. It also has an approximate area of 42.26 million km².
When compared to the surface area of other continents, it is the second largest continental area in the world, with Asia being the largest physical continental territory at 44.5 million km². Africa, with 30.4 million km², Antarctica with 13.7 million km², Europe with 10 million km², and Oceania with 8.8 million km², follow in terms of physical size.
On the other hand, if all the continents were combined into a single surface area, then there would be a total of approximately 149.66 million km² of continental land in the world, equivalent to 29.34% of the planet’s total surface area (510 million km²). In that case, the American continent would represent 28.24% of the continental territories and 8.28% of the planet.
Secondly, if the insular part of the Caribbean Sea, which is about 2.76 million km²—including the sea—were added to the continental extension of America, then the total area of the American continent and the Caribbean could be estimated at about 45.02 million km² (and this is without considering the territorial seas of the American countries on the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the sea near Antarctica).
In other words, using this same conceptual line and applying only a physical criterion, all of Latin America and the Caribbean would include thirty-three (33) countries (4) and regions located south of the United States and Canada, below the Rio Grande in Mexico and north of Cape Horn in Argentina, in addition to all the islands in the Caribbean Sea, which are located east of the continent. Thus, the surface area of Latin America and the Caribbean would be approximately 25.2 million km², excluding the combined surface area of the United States and Canada, which is approximately 19.8 million km².
On the other hand, from a more cultural and political perspective, we could refer to a much more precise, albeit smaller, region called Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean, which would include only twenty countries with both Latin and American cultures that have already achieved full political independence, i.e., they are not colonies, departments, or enclaves of countries outside the region. Here, the common factor would be the language and culture that emerged from the former Spanish, Portuguese, or French domination, in conjunction with the native cultures and Afro-descendant communities, which means excluding countries, continental areas, or island territories that have non-Latin origins, cultures, and languages, or that are territories still under European or North American rule.
So this region would be the result of assuming that, although there are twelve countries in South America, it is also true that these include Suriname (of Dutch origin) and Guyana (of British origin), as well as a region called French Guiana—which is not a country but a French overseas department—so these three territories would not be considered Latin American, but Caribbean. Consequently, there would only be ten Latin American countries in South America.
Something similar would happen with Central America, which has seven countries, but considering that it includes Belize, which is a territory with English culture, under the control of the British Crown, as it is included in the Commonwealth, it could not be understood as Latin American, but Caribbean. As things stand, there would only be six Latin American countries in Central America.
Then there is the territory of Mexico, which is part of both North America and Central America, and the special case of the Caribbean Sea, where some countries are Latin American, within a total of approximately 700 major and minor islands, islets, and cays that make up the insular region. These islands also have multiple origins, domains, and cultures, forming a vast, complex, and multilingual Caribbean zone that is not always Latin American.
Here it should be clarified that, geographically speaking, the Caribbean region could be divided into the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles, and that its structure would be drawn by an arc, stretching from the southeast of the Florida peninsula (United States) to the south of the Lucayan Archipelago – northeast of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) – and the eastern coast of Venezuela in South America. The total surface area of all the islands combined is approximately 299,000 km².
In this case, considering only the Greater Antilles, the Latin American countries of the Caribbean would be Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Puerto Rico (although this is an associated state of the United States), but not Jamaica. In this situation, the combined area of the Latin American countries would be approximately 207,411 km².
For their part, none of the Lesser Antilles could be considered part of the Latin American Caribbean countries, as English culture or political control is present in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Anguilla.
Other islands, such as Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, are associated with the Netherlands, while Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, and Nueva Esparta are considered divisions of other European countries or the United States.
Furthermore, it should be remembered that, in that particular area, the United States controls the Guantanamo region on the island of Cuba.
Thirdly, the Latin American and Caribbean region could be larger if we consider that many continental and Latin American countries have coastlines, ports, and, above all, territorial waters and island possessions on the Atlantic Ocean but not on the Caribbean Sea (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay), while others have their land area facing the Pacific Ocean, with their territorial waters and island possessions (Chile, Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador), or even others have coastlines on both oceans (Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala), so the size of the region would increase if these spaces in the maritime areas and island possessions in the two oceans were also taken into account.
Under these conditions, the size of the land area of Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean, if viewed as a whole, could be just over twenty-four million km² on the continent (excluding the countries and enclaves mentioned) and just under a quarter of a million km² in the Caribbean islands (only in the areas already described), in addition to other islands in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. And this is without adding the maritime areas in the two oceans.
So, in contrast to other regions of the world, the size of Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean would be half the size of Asia and slightly smaller than Africa, but it would be twice the size of Antarctica, Europe, and Oceania.
And if we were to compare it to the United States of America, which has a surface area of approximately nine million km²—excluding its maritime waters and colonies—then the region would have twice that physical space. Something similar would occur with China and Canada, while the region would be slightly larger than Russia.
On the other hand, compared to all the continents together, its surface area would represent 16.10% of the aggregate surface area, and compared to the total surface area of the planet, its surface area would be 4.70%.
Fourthly, the actual size of the region could increase if the United States were to lose the two million km² that were taken from Mexico in the 19th century, depriving it of nearly 35% of its land (5) (the current states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, and Utah, and part of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma).
It could also be understood as smaller if the US intention to take direct possession of Panama and its interoceanic canal, or the Amazon rainforest, were to become a reality. Or if the threats, some of which have already been carried out in the past, of direct military intervention in Central American, Caribbean, and now South American countries by the United States were to be fulfilled (6).
Fifthly, if the continental area of Brazil (8.5 million km², of Portuguese origin) were to be subtracted from that same area of Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean, the area of Latin America and the Caribbean associated with the culture born of the Spanish language, customs, and institutions would be 15.7 million km².
Sixth, looking at the same region by country, Brazil is the largest regional territory, with more than 8.5 million km² without its maritime areas, which means that it is one of the largest countries on earth, along with Russia, Canada, China, and the United States, while Argentina occupies a very important place, with its 2.8 million km² (7). Mexico, with almost two million km², and Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia, with areas exceeding one million km², are also significant.
Seventh, the area of each of the countries in the region could vary if the various attempts at integration or separation between countries or subregions were taken into account. This is because many of them, since their very inception, have sought to develop or promote various political and economic integration schemes, which have fallen short in terms of real achievements, as they have easily fallen apart, as in the case of Gran Colombia or Panama with Colombia, or Argentina and Uruguay, or Argentina and Paraguay, or all of Central America.
This is even more evident when looking at the latest and multiple experiences of integration with some commercial successes, such as the CAN, MERCOSUR, CARICOM, ALBA, CELAC, or the Central American Common Market (MCCA), but which enter into permanent crisis due to individual interests or the political positions of leaders. These processes have also been accompanied by parallel political issues, such as the OAS, the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, or the FTAA, which, being promoted or controlled by the two economic and military powers of the continent (the United States and Canada), respond more to those interests.
Finally, the region has many micro-regions of high global strategic value, such as territorial seas, which for some countries can represent up to twice their land area, or the Amazon rainforest, which is part of several Latin American countries in South America, such as Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela (as well as the Guianas), and covers between 6 and 8 million km². It also represents 40% of South American territory.
There is also the South American pampas, which is present in three countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay) and covers more than one million km², accounting for 6.1% of South American territory.
In addition, there are the Colombian-Venezuelan plains, covering just over 630,000 km², and the long and wide rivers of South and Central America. In this case, the Amazon River, with its 6,400 km length, which crosses Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, is the longest and most voluminous river in the world and carries about one-fifth of the planet’s liquid fresh water. The Orinoco River, which is 2,140 kilometers long, is one of the longest rivers in South America and the third most voluminous in the world. And then there is the Magdalena River, which is 1,500 kilometers long and crosses the entire length of Colombia.
There is also the San Francisco River, which stretches for more than 3,000 kilometers and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil, the La Plata River, and the Rio Grande, which forms the border between Mexico and the United States and is the fifth longest river in North America.
In addition, this region is home to the Andes mountain range, which stretches between 7,000 and 9,000 kilometers, with its enormous mountains, volcanoes, and glaciers, and which is home to hundreds of mines, rivers, and thousands of environmental resources.
For its part, Central America has the Cordillera Central mountain range and 124 natural parks. There is also Lake Cocibolca (Nicaragua), with an area of 8,264 km², and the lakes of Atitlán and Izabal in Guatemala, with an area of 590 km². Added to these are Lake Managua in Nicaragua, with an area of 1,042 km², Lake Yojoa in Honduras, and Lake Ilopango (El Salvador).
In addition, there are countless mineral, agricultural, environmental, water, and clean air resources in Brazil and Mexico. The latter country has, for example, important deserts such as Chihuahua (630,000 km²), Sonora (311,000 km²), Baja California (77,000 km²), and Tehuacán-Cuicatlán. It also has seven mountain ranges that occupy 23% of its territory, with large ravines, valleys, and plateaus. In addition, it has more than 16 million hectares of protected natural areas and national parks.
Finally, in the Caribbean, Cuba has the 250-kilometer Sierra Maestra mountain range and more than 65 million hectares of land suitable for growing sugar cane, while the Dominican Republic has four large valleys and three mountain ranges.
In conclusion, and as can be deduced from the above, the definition, composition, and surface area of the Latin American and Caribbean region, as well as issues associated with territory, space, and size, are of the utmost importance in defining the nature and role of Latin America and the Caribbean in today’s geo-economy, especially because their relations with European and North American powers, and now Asian and Oceanic powers, have been based, almost always and above all, on the possession and administration of its natural resources.
Natural resources that are found underground and have been exploited since the 15th century by the powers of each era, such as gold, silver, and precious stones. And products such as oil, coal, and others, such as tin, copper, and manganese, which since the 20th century have sustained the regional economy and supported global industry, while in recent times, minerals derived from so-called rare earths, uranium, and lithium have been added.
In addition, the region’s soil is rich in fresh water and plants that have long been used in North America, Europe, and now Asia and Oceania as raw materials for many global natural medicines and hundreds of processed goods for global industry.
Finally, it is clear that the role of Latin America and the Latin American Caribbean cannot be separated from the hundreds of agricultural and animal products that have been a significant part of the planet’s food base for centuries.
REFERENCES
1 – October 12: clash or meeting of two worlds? More than five centuries after Columbus’ arrival, conflicting views of the conquest remain. https://www.eltiempo.com/cultura/musica-y-libros/12-de-octubre-que-paso-en-esa-fecha-en-colombia-542508
2 – See previous articles by the same author
3 – Much of the data in this article was obtained using Google’s artificial intelligence. Searches conducted between October and December 2025.
4 – https://www.cepal.org/es/acerca/estados-miembros
5 – This is how Mexico lost more than half of its territory in a war against the US.
https://www.france24.com/es/20190613-mexico-pierde-territorio-estados-unidos
6 – https://history.defense.gov/Historical-Sources/National-Security-Strategy/
7 – Chrome extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.exteriores.gob.es/documents/fichaspais/argentina_ficha%20pais.pdf
Author: Mauricio Diagama Durán – Professor of geopolitics and Colombian foreign policy at the Escuela Superior de Guerra. Researcher and professor at several universities in Colombia and abroad. Public administrator, specialist in international business, and holder of a master’s degree in national security and defense.
(The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).