The Union of South American Nations (Dutch: Unie van Zuid-Amerikaanse Naties, Portuguese: União de Nações Sul-Americanas, Spanish: Unión de Naciones Suramericanas, and abbreviated as UNASUR and UNASUL) is a supranational and intergovernmental union that will unite two existing customs unions – Mercosur and the Andean Community – as part of a continuing process of South American integration. It is modelled on the European Union. Nickname: Location of Brasília Coordinates: , Country Region State Brazilian Federal District Founded 21 April 1960 Government  - Governor Jose Roberto Arruda Area  - Total 5,802 km² (2,240. ... For other uses, see Quito (disambiguation). ... The centre of Cochabamba Ayacucho Avenue Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article is about the city. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... This article is about the properties of language in general. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article or section should be merged with ethnic group Ethnicity is the cultural characteristics that connect a particular group or groups of people to each other. ... Caucasian is originally a geographical term, meaning relative or pertaining to the Caucasus region of eastern Europe. ... Mulatto (Spanish mulato, small mule, person of mixed race, mulatto, from mulo, mule, from Old Spanish, from Latin mÅ«lus. ... Mestizo is a Spanish term that was formerly used in the Spanish Empire to designate people of mixed European (Spaniard) and Amerindian ancestry living in the region of Latin America. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... This article is about the color black; for other uses, see Black (disambiguation). ... The terms multiracial, biracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestors are not of a single race. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ...  Full member states  Observer States Political centres Brasília[1] Quito Cochabamba Bogota , Largest city São Paulo Official languages 4 Dutch English Portuguese Spanish Ethnic groups (2007) 7 White (46%) Mulatto (21%) Mestizo (21%) Amerindian (6%) Black (4%) Mixed (<1%) Other (2%) Demonym South American Member states 12 Argentina...  Full member states  Observer States Political centres Brasília[1] Quito Cochabamba Bogota , Largest city São Paulo Official languages 4 Dutch English Portuguese Spanish Ethnic groups (2007) 7 White (46%) Mulatto (21%) Mestizo (21%) Amerindian (6%) Black (4%) Mixed (<1%) Other (2%) Demonym South American Member states 12 Argentina... Image File history File links Flag_of_Argentina. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bolivia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Brazil. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Chile. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Colombia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ecuador. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Guyana. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Paraguay. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Peru. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Suriname. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Uruguay. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Venezuela. ... A continental union, often abbreviated to CU, is an inter-governmental or supra-national political union of nations located in the same continent, or close to it. ... For other uses, see President (disambiguation). ... Pro tempore or pro tem is a latin phrase which best translates to for the time being in English. ... Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (born September 29, 1951) is a center-left politician and the current President of Chile—the first woman to hold this position in the countrys history. ... For other uses, see Secretary (disambiguation). ... Pro tempore or pro tem is a latin phrase which best translates to for the time being in English. ...  Full member states  Observer States Political centres Brasília[1] Quito Cochabamba Bogota , Largest city São Paulo Official languages 4 Dutch English Portuguese Spanish Ethnic groups (2007) 7 White (46%) Mulatto (21%) Mestizo (21%) Amerindian (6%) Black (4%) Mixed (<1%) Other (2%) Demonym South American Member states 12 Argentina... Categories: Stub ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... World map of GDP (Nominal and PPP). ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Map of countries by 2006 GDP (nominal) per capita (IMF, October 2007). ... For current exchange rates, see exchange links. ... The Argentine peso (originally established as the nuevo peso argentino or peso convertible) is the currency of Argentina. ... The boliviano (ISO 4217 code: BOB) is the currency of Bolivia. ... ISO 4217 Code BRL User(s) Brazil Inflation 3. ... Chilean notes currently in circulation: 1,000; 2,000; 5,000; 10,000; 20,000 pesos The peso is the currency of Chile. ... ISO 4217 Code COP User(s) Colombia Inflation 4. ... The dollar (currency code GYD) has been the currency of Guyana since 1966. ... The guaraní (plural: guaraníes; ISO 4217 code PYG) is the national currency unit of Paraguay. ... ISO 4217 Code PEN User(s) Peru Inflation 2. ... The dollar (currency code SRD) has been the currency of Suriname since 2004. ... USD redirects here. ... The peso uruguayo (ISO 4217 code: UYU) is the official currency of Uruguay. ... ISO 4217 Code VEB User(s) Venezuela Inflation 16% Source The World Factbook, 2005 est. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... UTC redirects here. ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .ar is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Argentina. ... (Redirected from bo) Abo redirects here. ... .br is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Brazil. ... .cl is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Chile. ... .co is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Colombia. ... .ec is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Ecuador. ... .gy is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Guyana. ... .py is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Paraguay. ... .pe is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Peru. ... . ... .uy is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Uruguay. ... .ve is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Venezuela. ... United States Adopted Names are unique nonproprietary names assigned to pharmaceuticals marketed in the United States. ... Supranationalism is a method of decision-making in international organizations, wherein power is held by independent appointed officials or by representatives elected by the legislatures or people of the member states. ... Intergovernmentalism is a theory of decision-making in international organizations, where power is possessed by the member-states and decisions are made by unanimity. ... A customs union is a free trade area with a Common External Tariff. ... Motto (Spanish) (Portuguese) (Guaraní) Our North is the South  â€¢  â€¢ Pro Tempore Secretariat Montevideo, Uruguay Largest city São Paulo, Brazil Official languages 3 Portuguese Spanish Guaraní Membership 5 Argentina Brazil Paraguay Uruguay Venezuela Leaders  -  Carlos Álvarez Establishment  -  Declaration of Foz do Iguaçu 30 December 1985   -  Treaty of Asunción... States of CAN The Andean Community of Nations (in Spanish: Comunidad Andina de Naciones, abbreviated CAN) is a trade bloc comprising the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty was signed on May 23, 2008, at the Third Summit of Heads of State, held in Brasília, Brazil. ^[2] According to the Constitutive Treaty, the Union's headquarters will be located in Quito, Ecuador. The South American Parliament will be located in Cochabamba, Bolivia, while its bank, the Bank of the South (Dutch: Bank van het Zuiden, Portuguese: Banco do Sul, Spanish: Banco del Sur), will be located in Bogota, Colombia.^[3] The Union's former designation, the South American Community of Nations (Dutch: Zuid-Amerikaanse Statengemeenschap, Portuguese: Comunidade Sul-Americana de Nações, and Spanish: Comunidad de Naciones Sudamericanas), abbreviated as CSN, was dropped at the First South American Energy Summit on April 16, 2007.^[4] The first two pages of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, in (left to right) German, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Ottoman Turkish and Russian A treaty is an agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely states and international organizations. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Brasília Coordinates: , Country Region State Brazilian Federal District Founded 21 April 1960 Government  - Governor Jose Roberto Arruda Area  - Total 5,802 km² (2,240. ... For other uses, see Quito (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The House of Representatives Chamber of the Parliament of Australia in Canberra. ... The centre of Cochabamba Ayacucho Avenue Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. ... The Bank of the South(Portuguese: Banco do Sul, Spanish: Banco del Sur) is a monetary fund and lending organization devised by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The South American Energy Summit is the name for one of a sequence of summits bringing together delegations from the countries of the Union of South American Nations to discuss energy related issues. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Overview

At the Third South American Summit, on 8 December 2004, presidents or representatives from twelve South American nations signed the Cuzco Declaration, a two-page statement of intent, announcing the foundation of the South American Community. Panama attended the signing ceremony as an observer. Official photograph The 2004 South American Summit – the third of its kind, after earlier events in Brasília (September 2000) and Guayaquil (July 2002) – was held in Cuzco and Ayacucho, Peru, on 7–9 December 2004. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Categories: Stub ...

The leaders announced their intention to model the new community after the European Union, including a common currency, parliament, and passport. According to Allan Wagner Tizón, former Secretary General of the Andean Community, a complete union like that of the EU should be possible by 2019. Allan Wagner Tizón (February 7, 1942 - ) is a Peruvian diplomat. ... 2019 (MMXIX) will be a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The mechanics of the new entity came out of the First South American Community of Nations Heads of State Summit, which was held in Brasília on 29 September–30 September 2005. An important operating condition of UNASUR is that no new institutions will be created in the first phase, so as not to increase bureaucracy, and the community will use the existing institutions belonging to the previous trade blocs. Nickname: Location of Brasília Coordinates: , Country Region State Brazilian Federal District Founded 21 April 1960 Government  - Governor Jose Roberto Arruda Area  - Total 5,802 km² (2,240. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the sociological concept. ...

Origins

Simón Bolívar, directly responsible for the independence of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and parts of Peru and Bolivia in the early years of the 19th century, and honored with statues in the capital cities of practically every Latin American country, had the goal of creating a federation of nations to ensure prosperity and security after independence. Bolívar never achieved this goal, and died an unpopular figure because of his heavy-handed attempts to establish strong central governments in the nations he led to independence. Throughout the years, many in South America have called for social, political, and economic union. UNASUR is intended to be a concrete step towards the achievement of such union. This article is about the South American independence leader. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... This article is about federal states. ...

Structure

Michelle Bachelet, President pro tempore.

At the moment, the provisional structure of the UNASUR is as follows: Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (born September 29, 1951) is a center-left politician and the current President of Chile—the first woman to hold this position in the countrys history. ... Pro tempore or pro tem is a latin phrase which best translates to for the time being in English. ...

• The presidents of each member nation will have an annual meeting, this will be the superior political mandate. The first meeting was in Brasília (Brazil) on September 29 and September 30, 2005. The second meeting was in Cochabamba (Bolivia) on December 8 and December 9, 2006. The third meeting was held in Brasília on May 23, 2008.
• The ministers of foreign affairs of each country will meet once every six months. They will formulate concrete proposals of action and of executive decision. The President of the Mercosur's permanent representatives committee and the director of the Mercosur's department, the Andean Community's general secretary, ALADI's general secretary and the permanent secretaries of any institution for regional cooperation and integration, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization among others, will also be present at these meetings.
• A Secretary General would be elected, to establish a permanent secretariat in Quito, Ecuador.
• Sectorial Ministers' meeting will be called upon by the presidents. The meetings will be developed according to Mercosur's and CAN's mechanisms.
• The temporary Presidency will be held for a year and will rotate among the member countries between each CSN meeting. According to Decisions Reached in the Political Dialogue^[5] (Dutch: Besluiten Bereikt in de Politieke Dialoog, Portuguese: Decisões Tomadas no Diálogo Político, Spanish: Decisiones Alcanzadas en el Diálogo Político), which was signed during the I South American Energy Summit, a general permanent office will be created and this will be hosted in Quito, Ecuador.
• On December 9, 2005 a special commission was established in charge of advancing the process of South American Integration (Dutch: Commissie Belast met Impulsing van het Proces van de Zuid-Amerikaanse Integratie, Portuguese: Comissão Estratégica de Reflexão sobre o Processo de Integração Sul-americana, Spanish: La Comisión Estratégica de Reflexión a cargo de formular propuestas con miras a impulsar el proceso de integración sudamericano en todos sus aspectos). It consists of 12 members, whose function is to elaborate proposals that will help the process of integration between the South American nations.
• Executive Commission, which was created by the II CSN meeting, was transformed in the Political Commission or Delegates Council, according to Decisions Reached in the Political Dialogue^[6] (Dutch: Besluiten Bereikt in de Politieke Dialoog, Portuguese: Decisões Tomadas no Diálogo Político, Spanish: Decisiones Alcanzadas en el Diálogo Político).

Nickname: Location of Brasília Coordinates: , Country Region State Brazilian Federal District Founded 21 April 1960 Government  - Governor Jose Roberto Arruda Area  - Total 5,802 km² (2,240. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The centre of Cochabamba Ayacucho Avenue Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Brasília Coordinates: , Country Region State Brazilian Federal District Founded 21 April 1960 Government  - Governor Jose Roberto Arruda Area  - Total 5,802 km² (2,240. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración (the Latin American Integration Association; known as ALADI or, occasionally, by the English acronym LAIA) is a Latin American trade integration association, based in Montevideo. ... The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) is an international organization aimed at the promotion of sustainable development of the Amazon Basin. ... For other uses, see Quito (disambiguation). ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up commission in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Proposed flag

At present, UNASUR has no official flag. However, a website established in 2002 (which became defunct in early 2008) called http://www.unionsudamericana.net advocating the formation of what is now called the Union of South American Nations displayed what is apparently a proposed flag for the organization which has a pale turquoise background with a circle of red stars surrounding a representation of the constellation of the Southern Cross rendered in white stars. Another flag was seen at the Brasília summit, which is assumed to be the official flag. Turquoise is a mid-value color blend of blue and green. ... For other uses, see Red (disambiguation). ... This article is about the star grouping. ... Southern Cross is the English name of Crux Australis, a constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere. ... This article is about the color. ...

Current work in progress

President of UNASUR member states during the initial of the treaty on May 23, 2008.

At the present time the union exists only on paper. The signing of the treaty was delayed from March until late May due to a Colombian raid on a FARC camp in Ecuador, and disputes regarding the conflict and broader trade issues continue to pose an obstacle. Michael Shifter of the Washington D.C. Inter-American Dialogue called UNASUR a "pipe dream", while saying that "economic conditions in the region have never been riper for this sort of integration".^[7] is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The FARC-EPs flag The Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército del Pueblo (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – Peoples Army, or FARC-EP) is a militant and revolutionary guerrilla group established in 1964-1966 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, and is Colombias... The Inter-American Dialogue (IAD, and also known as the Dialogue) is a non-profit organization located in Washington, DC. The IAD was begun over 10 years ago and its website bills the organization as the premier center for policy analysis, exchange, and communication on issues in Western Hemisphere affairs. ...

Single market

• One of the initiatives of UNASUR is the creation of a single market, beginning with the elimination of tariffs for non-sensitive products by 2014 and sensitive products by 2019.

2019 (MMXIX) will be a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Infrastructure cooperation

• There is an Initiative for Infrastructure Integration of South America (IIRSA) underway, which has received the support of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Andean Development Corporation.

• UNASUR started plans of integration through infrastructure cooperation with the construction of the Interoceanic Highway, a road that intends to more firmly link the Pacific Coast countries, especially Chile and Peru with Brazil and Argentina by extending highways through the continent, allowing better connections to ports to Bolivia and the inner parts of Argentina, Peru and Brazil. The first corridor, between Peru and Brazil, began construction in September 2005, financed 60% by Brazil and 40% by Peru, is expected to be ready by the end of 2009.

• The South American Energy Ring (Dutch: Zuid-Amerikaanse energie-Ring, Portuguese: Anel Energético Sul-Americano, Spanish: Anillo Energético Sudamericano) is intended to interconnect Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay with natural gas from several sources, such as the Camisea Gas Project in Peru and Tarija Gas Deposits in Bolivia. Though this proposal has been signed and ratified, economic and political difficulties in Argentina and Bolivia have delayed this initiative, and to date, this agreement remains more like a protocol than an actual project, since Chile and Brazil are already building LNG terminals to import gas from overseas suppliers.

The Inter-American Development Bank (preferred abbreviation: IDB; but frequently given as IADB), was established in 1959 to support Latin American and Caribbean economic/social development and regional integration by lending mainly to public institutions. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... The Camisea Gas Project is a controversial natural gas project originating near the Urubamba River in central Perú. The main pipeline begins at the Camisea Gas Field in formerly pristine Amazon Rainforest, traverses through steep Andes mountains, and terminates within the Paracas National Reserve near the port of Pisco. ...

Free movement of people

• Visits by South American citizens to any South American country (except French Guiana) of up to 90 days require only the presentation of an identity card issued by the respective authority of the travellers' country of origin. On 24 November 2006, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela waived visa requirements for tourism travel between nationals of said countries.^[8]

German identity document sample An identity document is a piece of documentation designed to prove the identity of the person carrying it. ... is the 328th day of the year (329th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Economic Development

Presidents of the 7 founding countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Venezuela and Uruguay) officially launched the South American Bank in Buenos Aires in December 2007. The heads of all the founding countries were at the ceremony, with the exception of President Tabaré Vazquez of Uruguay. The capital will be US$7b, with Venezuela responsible for US$3b and Brazil US$2b. The headquarters will be located in Caracas with offices in Buenos Aires and La Paz.

The Banco do Sul will finance economic development projects to improve local competitiveness and to promote the scientific and technological development of the member countries. Chile and Colombia participated on initial meeting, but they decided not to join the project.

The founding chart affirms that the Bank will promote projects in "stable and equal" manner and priorities will be to reinforce South America integration, to reduce asymmetries, and to promote egalitarian distribution of investments.

The Brazilian Minister Guido Mantega stated that the bank is not similar to the International Monetary Fund; it will be a credit institution similar to the World Bank or the BIRD.

Defense policy

Venezuela and Brazil have put forward a plan for a South American Defense Council which would draft defense policy and serve as a mechanism for regional security. The proposal is currently under discussion by the member states. Colombia has not entered the defense agreement due to the ongoing 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis with Ecuador and Venezuela, and their alleged support for terrorist group FARC. However it has accepted reviewing the proposal, and will make a decision in 90 days ^[9] The FARC-EPs flag The Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército del Pueblo (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – Peoples Army, or FARC-EP) is a militant and revolutionary guerrilla group established in 1964-1966 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party, and is Colombias...

Participating nations

Full members

• Members of the Andean Community (CAN)¹:
  •  Bolivia (started in 2006 the process of joining Mercosur)
  •  Colombia
  •  Ecuador
  •  Peru

• Members of Mercosur²:
  •  Argentina
  •  Brazil
  •  Paraguay
  •  Uruguay
  •  Venezuela

• Other countries:
  •  Guyana³
  •  Suriname³
  •  Chile¹ ²

¹ These countries are also considered to be associate members of Mercosur
² These countries are also considered to be associate members of the Andean Community.
³ Guyana and Suriname are currently members of CARICOM and entered its single market in 2006. It is unknown if simultaneous UNASUR and CARICOM membership would be possible to accomplish and most probably these states will remain UNASUR associate members only. Subject: South American Community of Nations member states. ... States of CAN The Andean Community of Nations (in Spanish: Comunidad Andina de Naciones, abbreviated CAN) is a trade bloc comprising the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bolivia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Colombia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ecuador. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Peru. ... Motto (Spanish) (Portuguese) (Guaraní) Our North is the South  â€¢  â€¢ Pro Tempore Secretariat Montevideo, Uruguay Largest city São Paulo, Brazil Official languages 3 Portuguese Spanish Guaraní Membership 5 Argentina Brazil Paraguay Uruguay Venezuela Leaders  -  Carlos Álvarez Establishment  -  Declaration of Foz do Iguaçu 30 December 1985   -  Treaty of Asunción... Image File history File links Flag_of_Argentina. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Brazil. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Paraguay. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Uruguay. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Venezuela. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Guyana. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Suriname. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Chile. ... The Caribbean Community and Common Market or CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas which came into effect on August 1, 1973. ... Flag of CARICOM and the CSME The CARICOM Single Market and Economy also known as the Caribbean Single Market and Economy or CSME is an integrated development strategy envisioned at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community which took place in July 1989...

Observer states

•  Panama
•  Mexico

Image File history File links Flag_of_Panama. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mexico. ...

Non-participating territories

The following parts of South America are dependent territories and therefore do not participate:

• French Guiana, which is an overseas department of France and is therefore part of the European Union
• The Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which are overseas territories of the United Kingdom^[10], subject to claims of sovereignty by Argentina. (see Sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.)

Motto Leo Terram Propriam Protegat(Latin) Let the Lion protect his own land or May the Lion protect his own land Anthem God Save the Queen Capital Grytviken (King Edward Point) Official languages English Government British overseas territory  -  Head of State Queen Elizabeth II  -  Commissioner Alan Huckle Area  -  Total 3... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (almost exclusively Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas in Spanish) [1] has been the subject of dispute between the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Argentina (all controlling the Falkland Islands at some point), lasting more than two centuries. ...

Facts and figures

• Has a GDP at current currency exchange rate of 2.65 trillion dollars as estimated by the IMF in 2006.^{[citation needed]} Due to robust currencies and economies, it is up from 1.51 trillion in 2005 (World Bank). See List of countries by GDP (nominal).
• It has a population of 361 million people.^{[citation needed]}
• Covers an area of over 17 million square kilometers,^{[citation needed]} larger than the largest country, Russia.
• The export earnings amount to 181,856,000 dollars.^{[citation needed]}
• Possesses 27% of the world's freshwater sources.^{[citation needed]}
• Has eight million square kilometers of forested land and is surrounded by two oceans.^{[citation needed]}
• Is the world's foremost food producer and exporter.^{[citation needed]}
• Some 95 percent of its inhabitants share a single religion, Roman Catholicism.^{[citation needed]}
• The great majority of its inhabitants speak one of two languages (Portuguese & Spanish).

GDP is an acronym which can stand for more than one thing: (in economics) an abbreviation for Gross Domestic Product. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... The World Bank logo The World Bank (the Bank) is a part of the World Bank Group (WBG), is a bank that makes loans to developing countries for development programs with the stated goal of reducing poverty. ... World map of GDP (Nominal and PPP). ... This article is about the type of currency, for the U.S. Dollar see United States dollar. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

Comparison with other regional blocs

Quotations

Dignitaries attend the signing of the Cuzco Declaration.

We are here to make Simón Bolívar's dream real. [...] Sooner, rather than later, we shall have a single currency, a single passport... Sooner, rather than later, we shall have a parliament with directly elected representatives for this new nation that we are creating today. Subject: Dignitaries attend the ceremony of the signing of the Cuzco Declaration Source: Perus Foreign Ministry http://www. ... Subject: Dignitaries attend the ceremony of the signing of the Cuzco Declaration Source: Perus Foreign Ministry http://www. ... This article is about the South American independence leader. ...

—Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, 8 December 2004.

Step by step CAN and Mercosur will converge becoming the South American Community, but gradually disappearing at the same time. But in spite of the haste there’s no rush, because we could end with an empty declaration. [...] My idea is that in a few months time CAN should be known as South American Community-CAN and Mercosur, South American Community MS, so we have time to get in touch with the new initials. Alejandro Toledo (Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique) (born 28 March 1946) is a Peruvian politician. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

—Former Argentine president Eduardo Duhalde, president of the Mercosur Representatives Committee.

Eduardo Alberto Duhalde Maldonado (born October 5, 1941) is a former president of Argentina. ...

Proposed name change

On 28 December 2005, Chilean former foreign minister Ignacio Walker proposed that the name of the community be changed to South American Union (Dutch: Zuid-Amerikaanse Unie, Portuguese: União Sul-Americana, Spanish: Unión Sudamericana); nevertheless, many members stated to him that that proposal had already been rejected to prevent confusion related to its acronym (U.S.A. in comparison to the United States of America). is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The name was finally changed on April 16, 2007 to "Union of South American Nations" (Dutch: Unie van Zuid-Amerikaanse Naties, Portuguese: União de Nações Sul-Americanas, Spanish: Unión de Naciones Suramericanas), abbreviated "UNASUR" in Spanish and "UNASUL" in Portuguese. The new name was jointly agreed by all member states during the first day of meeting at the South American Energy Summit held at Isla Margarita, Venezuela. is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Puerto Cruz beach. ...

See also

• Latin American Parliament
• Continental union
• Free Trade Area of the Americas
• List of Trade blocs
• Rio Group

The Latin American Parliament (Parlatino), is a regional, permanent and unicameral organism, integrated from the national Parliaments of Latin America, elected democratically by means of universal suffrage in countries that ratified the corresponding Treaty of Institutionalization signed on the 16 November 1987 in Lima, Peru, and those whose States adhered... A continental union, often abbreviated to CU, is an inter-governmental or supra-national political union of nations located in the same continent, or close to it. ... The FTAA logo. ... This is a list of trade-related international organisations only. ... The Rio Group is an international organization of Latin American states. ...

References

For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... La Tercera (formerly Las Tercera de la Hora) is a Chilean newspaper owned by Copesa. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Caracol or El Caracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya site located in the Cayo District of the nation of Belize. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Andean Community: South American Community of Nations
• Brazil Ministry of Foreign Relations: South American Community of Nations
• Tinku: UNASUR/Mercosur
• Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America
• Institute for the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Latin-American Integration Association
• Do the Mercosur Countries Form an Optimum Currency Area?
• Bank Information Center: Bank of the South
• Southern Affairs: Academic Research on South American Regional Integration

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Articles, Editorials, and Reports

• MercoPress (2004-11-10): S. American Community Comes to Light December 9
• Miami Herald (2004-11-25): South American Community May Not Be a Pipe Dream
• WikiNews (2004-12): South American Community of Nations announced at Third South American Summit
• Inter Press Service (2004-12-07): Chile Seeks Integration through Energy and Roads
• Inter Press Service (2004-12-07): One Giant Step - and 32 Small Ones
• BBC News (2004-12-09): A Dream With Many Hurdles
• International Herald Tribune (2004-12-27): U.S. Neighbor Relations: Latin America Is No Joke
• Guyana Journal (2005-10): South American Community of Nations To Map out Economic Strategies
• VenezuelAnalysis (2006-09-27): The Push for South American Integration
• BBC News (2006-11-25): S American 12 Cut Travel Red Tape
• Guyana Journal (2006-12): South American Summit in Bolivia Sets Integration Challenges
• Inter Press Service (2006-12-08): The Big Challenges of Regional Integration
• AP (2006-12-09): South American Leaders Dream of Integration, Continental Parliament
• BBC News (2006-12-09): S America Launches Trading Bloc
• BBC News (2006-12-10): Lat-Am Leaders End Second Summit
• Guyana Journal (2007-01): High-level Commission to Map Ideas for South American Union
• Inter Press Service (2007-01-03): South American Integration - or Disintegration?
• EUMA (2007-03): Origin and Evolution of the South American Community of Nations: From Trade to Security Concerns
• EUMA (2007-04): Governance in South American Integration: Insights and Encouragement from the European Union
• Granma International (2007-04-18): Union of South American Nations: Where Energy Resources Will Be the Basis of Development
• Guyana Journal (2007-05): South American Leaders put Energy Integration on Front Burner