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Latinoamérica, Hispanoamérica, Sudamérica or other?

For someone living in Venezuela or Chile, for example, what term would I be most likely to hear to describe countries south of the US?

The terms have different meanings, but I often use them synonymously. Is there a term that people in the Spanish-speaking world tend to use more, or are they just more precise with the terms than I am?

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  • See this question: spanish.stackexchange.com/q/1324/45
    – dusan
    Jan 15, 2012 at 2:30
  • Dude this question is so broad you are likely to get a different a answer for every country south of the US border. And yet another for every subculture whiting those countries.
    – Fortunato
    Jan 15, 2012 at 8:37
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    South America has nothing to do with been "south" of US.
    – Ricardo
    Jan 15, 2012 at 14:17
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    There is no geographical name for "anything south of US". Not in English, not in Spanish, nor in any other language.
    – vartec
    Jan 16, 2012 at 10:15
  • The term "south of the border" is American slang for a region that could stretch from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego. But most people use if to refer to Mexico, particularly the territory close to the border with the US. Mar 10, 2013 at 2:37

4 Answers 4

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There are not synonymous, actually the diference is quite simple:

Sudamérica: Geographically, a subcontinent of "América", limited to the north by the Caribean sea. It does not include the Caribean, Central America ("Centroamérica") or North America ("Norteamérica"). Argentina, Brazil and Suriname are in "Sudamérica", but not Costa Rica, México or Cuba.

Latinoamérica: All american countries where a romance language (Spanish, Portuguese, French) is spoken as main language. Includes countries of South, North, Central America and the Caribean. Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, México and Cuba are in "Latinoamérica", but not Suriname. Particularly, Canada as country is not included despite French is spoken in some provinces.

Hispanoamérica: All american countries where Spanish is spoken as main language. Includes countries of South, North, Central America and the Caribean. Argentina, Costa Rica, México and Cuba are in "Hispanoamérica" but not Brazil or Suriname.

It's important to remark that there is no term to refer "all countries to the south of US", and the terms described before can't be used for that purpose.

"Latinoamérica", "Hispanoamérica" and "Iberoamérica" have cultural and linguistical implications, so are more complex to use. I would suggest to use "South America", "Central America" and "México" (only latin american country in North America) acording to the case, but I guess other people could think different.

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  • 4
    Good answer. I'd add some examples. Sudamérica includes Argentina, Brazil and Suriname, but not Mexico. Latinoamérica includes Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, but not Suriname. Hispanoamérica includes Mexico and Argentina but not Brazil or Suriname.
    – CesarGon
    Jan 15, 2012 at 14:54
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    I'd point out that Canada is not included in "Latinoamérica" even if there are French speaking areas in it because English is also spoken in that American country.
    – Javi
    Jan 15, 2012 at 15:43
  • Nice answer! I suggest putting the very pertinent example of CesarGon. :) Keep up the good work!
    – Jose Luis
    Jan 15, 2012 at 21:59
  • This answer is good, but I think it's a bit incomplete. The terms are not synonymous, but in many circumstances more than one will technically be correct -- for example, if someone has moved to Peru, then one might say, "Fue vivir en _____". The question is, which would be preferred? (For example, in English, "he moved to South America" is more common than "he moved to Latin America", though both are correct.)
    – ruakh
    Jan 16, 2012 at 1:00
  • South America is more precise, since is a geographical term. But you have to be sure what you mean with "South America". For myself, I said "I'm from South America" cause I't clear an correct, but a mexican or costarican can't said the same. When I meet people from United States and they said "I'm american" I respond "Me too". "Latinamérica", "Hispanoamérica" and "Iberoamérica" have cultural and linguistical implications, so are more complex to use. I would suggest to use "South America", "Central America" and "México" (only latin american country in North America), it's neutral.
    – Ricardo
    Jan 16, 2012 at 9:18
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According to the Cuban writer Guillermo CAbrera Infante, the way to call the countries in America that share the Spanish language should be Hispanoamerica or Iberoamerica if we want to include Brazil as culutrally is closed to Hispanoamerica. GCI always was pointing out that Latinamerica was a ridiculos name, promoted by France to justify the French intervention in Mexico, whith Maximilan.

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Sudamérica: Los países del sur de Panamá, no incluyendo México o los países de América Central.

Latinoamérica: Los países en los que se habla español o portugués.

Hispanoamérica: Los países de Latinoamérica menos Brasil.

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  • Del artículo Latinoamérica en la Wikipedia: Se debate la inclusión de Belice, la región francófona de Canadá, los estados y posesiones hispanohablantes de Estados Unidos en especial Puerto Rico e Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos, y las posesiones francesas en América (Guadalupe, Guayana Francesa, Martinica, San Bartolomé y San Martín).
    – fedorqui
    May 26, 2016 at 5:42
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I can't answer for Venezuela or Chile, but in Mexico the term most often used is

Latinoamérica

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