Map of South America is a plain black and white outline of the South American continent that Twitter users started dropping in as the punchline to setups where a normal reaction image would go1. The joke is that the map has nothing to do with anything, which is exactly why it works. Instead of a Surprised Pikachu or a shrug gif, you get a geography textbook illustration hanging at the bottom of the tweet2.

The format typically follows a setup and payoff structure, where the tweet describes a mildly relatable feeling or exchange and then closes with the map instead of a fitting image1. Editor Ben Williams at Daily Intelligencer described the appeal as the "first Dada meme" whose meaninglessness pokes at meme culture itself1. That non sequitur energy is the whole gag, and it opened the door for other users to remix the same map into their own setups2.

The format is simple. Write a short setup, usually a mildly relatable moment, an argument, a compliment, or an emotional beat, and then attach the blank map of South America where a reaction image would normally go. The comedy comes from the mismatch, so users typically avoid explaining the joke or editing the map. Common variations swap the map for a related non sequitur like a Miles Morales clip captioned "South America" or an image macro edit that keeps the map inside the frame.