For most channels that deal with history and geography, there comes a time when they realize
they haven’t said anything about Africa or South America.
I’ve definitely talked a good deal about Africa in the past, but I haven’t really
talked much about South America.
You know… my own neighbors.
Conveniently however, there is an interesting alliance happening down there, in the form
of Mercosur (or Mercosul, if you speak Portuguese).
However, judging from the polls I put out on Instagram and Twitter earlier last week,
it seems most of you don’t know about this organization, so what exactly is Mercosur,
and how does it work?
Mercosur, short for “Mercado Común del Sur” or the Southern Common Market in English,
is a trade bloc comprising much of South America.
Currently, its full members are Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, with Venezuela having
been suspended since the end of 2016, and Bolivia having been trying to join for a few
years now.
(Wow, already off to a great start).
Mercosur also has several associate countries, in the form of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador,
Colombia, Guyana and Suriname.
This whole bloc thus effectively comprises every single country in South America except
France.
Yep, French Guiana isn’t just French in name, they’re literally part of France.
A little known fact, unless you learned that from Geography Now, wait hang on how many
of you watch Geography Now?
… Yeah, that sounds about right.
Mercosur was established with the Treaty of Asunción in 1991, and furthermore with the
Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994.
Although they first assembled a parliament in 2004, the origins of the group date back
to 1988, when Brazil and Argentina signed a treaty pledging to work together economically.
They even toyed around with getting a common currency going between them, which they would
have called the “gaucho”, which I guess would be like if the US and Canada united
under a common currency called the “cowboy”, or something like that.
But yeah, anyway, it kind of just ended up being entirely shelved after neither country
really bothered to do much with the idea.
However nowadays, their headquarters are situated in Montevideo, Uruguay, and their three official
languages are Spanish, Portuguese, and Guarani, an indigenous language spoken throughout Paraguay
and Bolivia.
However, it should be noted that most information and meetings are, in practice, given in Spanish
and Portuguese.
Mercosur‘s exact reasons for existing have shifted quite a bit over the years, but it’s
generally best described as a kind of trading bloc.
It is currently defined as a customs union, which allows for free trade amongst its members.
To an extent, there is also freedom of movement for citizens of Mercosur countries.
For example, while a Brazilian going to work in Buenos Aires will still have to go through
immigration, they won’t need to get a work permit if they have been a citizen for longer
than five years, and after passing a background check (the requirements also say if you were
born a citizen, but really how many five-year olds are looking for jobs in another country?).
Additionally, they can also claim lawful permanent resident status at any time, and they don’t
even need a passport to enter, just their national ID card.
This is also true for members of associated states, aside from the permanent resident
stuff.
Combined, the core Mercosur countries have a population of around 290 million, most of
which is quite interestingly made up Brazil‘s massive population of over 200 million, although
Argentina is certainly nothing to sneeze at either, as is Venezuela (if you want to include
them at this time), and with Paraguay and Uruguay neatly filling out the charts.
Mercosur’s countries also boast some impressive cities, by the likes of Rio de Janeiro, Sāo
Paulo, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and many others.
Mercosur’s combined GDP is also an impressive $3.5 trillion, which would put it in 5th place,
just behind Germany.
Mercosur also of course has foreign relations.
For one, the “main four” countries are also associate states of the Andean Community,
with the groups having signed free trade agreements with each-other.
Mercosur has also signed free trade agreements with Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine,
and they are also finishing up a similar agreement with the EU.
Much like other organizations like ASEAN, Mercosur is currently set for an interesting
ride in the future, as the countries of South America navigate their way throughout the
modern world.
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