Contents

Draft:Chile

Republic of Chile
Country



Native name
República de Chile




Capital
Santiago
Largest city
Santiago





Demonym
Chilean
Government
Unitary presidential republic



Legislature
National Congress of Chile




Population
18,480,432




Currency
Chilean peso (CLP)



Calling code
+56
Internet TLD
.cl





Website
Official website


Chile, officially the Republic of Chile (Spanish: República de Chile), is a country along the western edge of South America. It occupies a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast and Argentina to the east. Continental Chile extends for roughly 4,300 kilometres from north to south while averaging about 180 kilometres in width.[1] Chile also includes Pacific islands such as Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the Juan Fernández Islands and the Desventuradas Islands.[2]

The capital and largest urban centre is Santiago. Spanish is the official language and the Chilean peso is the national currency.[1] Chile had 18,480,432 people counted in the 2024 national census.[3] Its surface area is about 756,102 square kilometres.[4]

Chile is a democratic republic with a unitary state and a presidential system. Its legislature, the National Congress of Chile, consists of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.[5] As of 2026, the president is José Antonio Kast, whose constitutional term runs from 2026 to 2030.[6]

Chile's geography ranges from the extremely dry Atacama Desert in the north through the Mediterranean-climate Central Valley to forests, fjords, glaciers and islands in Patagonia. The country's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire also makes it highly exposed to earthquakes and volcanic activity. Chile has a resource-based but diversified economy in which mining, particularly copper, is central to exports, while agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, services, wine production and tourism are also important.[7]

Name

The name Chile was in use during the early Spanish colonial period, although its precise linguistic origin remains uncertain. It came to designate the territory administered by Spain as the Kingdom of Chile and later the independent republic.

The official state name is República de Chile, or Republic of Chile. People from the country are known as Chileans.

Geography

Chile lies along the Pacific coast of the southern part of South America. Its continental territory stretches from approximately 17° south latitude to more than 56° south, producing one of the world's most elongated national shapes.[2] The country has a land frontier with Peru in the north, Bolivia in the northeast and Argentina along most of its eastern boundary.

Three broad geographical components are commonly identified by the Chilean government: continental Chile, insular Chile and the territory claimed by Chile in Antarctica.[2] Chile's Antarctic claim is governed internationally within the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System.

The country's physical landscape is strongly influenced by two major mountain systems: the Andes in the east and the Chilean Coastal Range in the west. Between them are a number of valleys and basins, including the densely populated Central Valley. Chile's elevation rises from sea level to close to 7,000 metres in the highest Andean areas.[8]

Northern Chile

Northern Chile contains much of the Atacama Desert, one of the driest regions on Earth. The landscape includes salt flats, volcanic peaks, high-altitude plateaus and extremely arid valleys. Mining is particularly important in this part of the country, and the dry, high-altitude conditions have also made the area internationally important for astronomical observatories.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) operates on the Chajnantor plateau at around 5,000 metres above sea level. The observatory uses 66 high-precision antennas and was developed through an international partnership involving Europe, North America, East Asia and Chile.[9]

Central Chile

Central Chile contains Santiago and much of the country's population and agricultural production. The region has a broadly Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and wetter winters. Fertile valleys support fruit cultivation and viticulture, while the Andes provide water resources through winter snowfall and mountain drainage.

Southern Chile and Patagonia

Farther south, rainfall generally increases and the landscape becomes more heavily forested. Southern and far southern Chile include lakes, volcanic areas, archipelagos, channels, fjords, ice fields and glaciers. Torres del Paine National Park in the Magallanes Region is among the country's internationally known protected landscapes.

Chile's state-protected wild areas administered by the National Forestry Corporation have included dozens of national parks, national reserves and natural monuments covering millions of hectares.[10]

Climate

Chile has an unusually broad range of climates because of its great north-south extent, altitude differences and the influence of the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. The north is dominated by desert and high-altitude conditions, central Chile has a Mediterranean climate, the south has cooler and wetter temperate climates, and the far south has cold oceanic and subpolar conditions.[8]

Rainfall varies greatly. Some northern areas receive very little precipitation, while parts of southern Chile are among the wettest areas in the country. The Andes influence temperature and precipitation patterns and provide snowmelt to river systems that supply cities, agriculture and industry.

Geology and natural hazards

Chile lies along an active tectonic boundary where the Nazca Plate is subducted beneath the South American Plate. This geological setting produces frequent earthquakes and supports a long chain of volcanoes through the Andes.

Chile has experienced some of the strongest earthquakes recorded by modern instruments, including the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. Volcanic risk is monitored by the National Geology and Mining Service through the Southern Andes Volcano Observatory, which maintains continuous surveillance of active volcanic systems.[11]

Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, droughts, wildfires and landslides have all influenced settlement patterns, infrastructure standards and emergency planning in the country.

Environment and biodiversity

Chile's extreme range of latitude, altitude and climate supports desert ecosystems, Mediterranean shrublands, temperate rainforests, high Andean habitats, wetlands, oceanic islands and Patagonian environments. Its long Pacific coastline also supports important marine ecosystems.

The Chilean government has developed national biodiversity strategies and a network of protected areas to conserve ecosystems and species. A new National Biodiversity Strategy for 2025–2030 sets policy goals related to conservation and sustainable use.[12]

Protected landscapes include desert areas, Andean environments, forests, islands and Patagonian ecosystems. Chile also contains important habitat for species adapted to isolated environments, particularly on Pacific islands.

History

Indigenous societies and early settlement

Human communities lived in what is now Chile long before European colonisation. Different Indigenous societies developed across the country's varied environments, including Andean peoples in the north, the Mapuche in central and southern areas, and maritime and hunter-gatherer cultures in the far south. Rapa Nui culture developed independently on Easter Island in the Pacific.

The Chilean state currently recognises several Indigenous peoples, including Mapuche, Aymara, Rapa Nui, Lickanantay or Atacameño, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Chango, Kawésqar and Yagán.[13]

Before the Spanish conquest, the Inca Empire extended its influence into parts of northern and central Chile, but Mapuche societies farther south remained outside sustained Inca control.

Spanish conquest and colonial period

Spanish attempts to conquer the region intensified during the 16th century. Pedro de Valdivia led an expedition south from Peru and founded Santiago on 12 February 1541 in the Mapocho valley.[14]

Spanish settlement expanded, but conquest in the south met prolonged Mapuche resistance. Valdivia was defeated and killed in 1553 during the fighting around Tucapel.[15] Conflict between Spanish authorities and Mapuche communities continued in different forms for centuries.

During the colonial era, Chile formed part of the Spanish imperial system in South America. Santiago became the main administrative centre, while cities such as Valdivia and settlements on Chiloé served important military and maritime roles. Valdivia was heavily fortified because of its strategic position and the possibility of attacks by rival European powers.[16]

Independence

Political instability in Spain following the Napoleonic invasion helped stimulate self-government movements throughout Spanish America. Chile's First National Government Junta was established in Santiago on 18 September 1810.[17]

The ensuing Chilean War of Independence involved royalist and patriot forces and was connected to wider independence struggles in South America. Patriot forces gained decisive advantages after the crossing of the Andes and the battles of Chacabuco and Maipú. Bernardo O'Higgins formally proclaimed Chilean independence on 12 February 1818.[18]

Royalist resistance continued in parts of the south until 1826, when Chiloé was incorporated into the republic.[18]

Nineteenth century

The first decades of independence included political disputes over the structure of the new state. The Constitution of 1833 established a highly centralised political order and remained in force, with reforms, for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries.[19]

During the 19th century, the Chilean state expanded its administrative reach and encouraged immigration into parts of the south. Its relationship with Mapuche territory changed substantially as the state extended control southward.

Chile fought Peru and Bolivia in the War of the Pacific from 1879 into the 1880s. The conflict was closely connected to territorial disputes and the nitrate-rich areas of the Atacama region. Chilean forces occupied Lima in 1881, and treaties with Peru and Bolivia ended the main phases of the conflict.[20] Chile subsequently incorporated the nitrate-producing territories of Tarapacá and Antofagasta, which became economically important to the country.[21]

Twentieth century

The Constitution of 1925 replaced the earlier parliamentary-style political arrangement with a more clearly presidential system.[19] After periods of instability, representative democratic government became more firmly established from the 1930s.

Political participation broadened over the 20th century, including the expansion of suffrage. The country developed strong political parties and organised labour movements, while debates over land, inequality, public ownership and economic development became increasingly important.

Salvador Allende became president in 1970. His government pursued major economic and social reforms, including nationalisation and redistribution policies, amid severe political polarisation, economic disruption and institutional conflict. On 11 September 1973, the armed forces overthrew Allende's government in a military coup.[22]

A military government headed by Augusto Pinochet ruled Chile from 1973 until 1990. Political parties were restricted, opponents of the regime were persecuted, and serious human-rights violations occurred. During the same period, the government introduced major market-oriented economic reforms. A new constitution was approved in 1980 under military rule and entered into force in 1981.[19]

In a 1988 plebiscite, 54.7% of voters opposed extending Pinochet's presidency. Presidential and parliamentary elections were held the following year, the first democratic national elections in 16 years.[23] Patricio Aylwin took office in 1990, beginning the post-dictatorship democratic period.

Twenty-first century

Chile continued to operate under the extensively amended 1980 Constitution. Large demonstrations beginning in October 2019 led political parties to agree on a process for considering a new constitution.[24]

In an October 2020 plebiscite, 78.27% of voters supported beginning a process to draft a new constitution. A Constitutional Convention produced a proposal in 2022, but voters rejected it by 61.86% to 38.14% in the September 2022 referendum.[24]

A second constitutional proposal was presented in 2023. In the December 2023 referendum, approximately 55.76% voted against the proposal and 44.24% voted in favour.[25] As a result, the amended 1980 Constitution remained in force.

Government and politics

Chile is a democratic republic whose constitution defines the state as unitary. Executive authority is headed by the president of the republic. Legislative authority is exercised by the National Congress, which has two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.[5]

The president is elected nationally. As of September 2026, José Antonio Kast serves as president for the 2026–2030 constitutional period.[6]

Chile's judiciary is institutionally separate from the executive and legislature. The legal system includes ordinary courts as well as specialised tribunals.

The country's constitutional framework has been amended many times since the transition to democracy, particularly in areas involving the political system, institutions and civil-military relations.[26]

Administrative divisions

Chile is divided into 16 regions. These are subdivided into 56 provinces, while local administration is organised through 346 municipalities.[27]

Each region has an elected regional governor. At the municipal level, local government is headed by an elected mayor and municipal council.[27]

The 16 regions, from north to south, are:

Foreign relations

Chile is a member of the United Nations, which it joined on 24 October 1945.[4] It also participates in regional and international organisations including the Organization of American States, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Pacific Alliance.

Chile joined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2010, becoming the organisation's 31st member and its first South American member.[28]

The country has developed an extensive network of trade agreements and maintains strong commercial relations with economies in Asia, the Americas and Europe. In 2025, 96.5% of Chile's goods trade was conducted with economies covered by trade agreements, according to the Chilean government.[7]

Economy

Chile has a market-based economy in which services account for a large share of activity, while mining remains crucial to exports and government revenue. The World Bank reported a gross domestic product of about US$357.4 billion in 2025 and GDP per capita of about US$17,995.[29]

Mining

Mining is one of Chile's most internationally significant industries. Copper dominates mineral exports, and Chile has long been one of the world's leading copper-producing and exporting countries. Mining accounted for 60.5% of Chile's merchandise exports in 2025, while copper alone represented 53.1% of the total.[7]

Chile also produces lithium and other minerals. In 2025, the country was the world's leading exporter in a number of product categories, including copper-related and lithium-related products, according to Chile's trade authorities.[30]

Agriculture, food and wine

Chile's varied climates support fruit production, forestry, livestock farming and other agricultural activities. Export industries include cherries, grapes and other fruit, seafood, salmon and processed foods.

Chile also has a large wine industry, with vineyards concentrated particularly in central and south-central regions. In 2025, Chile exported approximately 692 million litres of wine valued at about US$1.52 billion.[31]

Trade

China is Chile's largest goods trading partner. In 2025 it accounted for about one-third of Chile's total goods trade and more than one-third of its exports. The United States was also among the country's major trading partners.[7]

Chile exports minerals, fruit, fish products, forestry goods, wine and industrial products, while importing machinery, vehicles, fuels, electronics and consumer goods.

Tourism

Chile's major tourist destinations include Santiago, Valparaíso, the Atacama Desert, the wine valleys, the Lake District, Rapa Nui and Patagonia.

The National Tourism Service recorded 6,004,567 international tourist arrivals in 2025, an increase of 14.6% from 2024 and the country's highest total since 2017.[32]

Population and society

Chile's 2024 census counted 18,480,432 residents in 7,642,716 dwellings and 6,596,527 households.[3] Population is unevenly distributed, with a large share concentrated in central Chile, especially the Santiago metropolitan area.

Chile has experienced significant internal migration and, particularly in the 21st century, increased international immigration. Census data are used to track demographic characteristics including migration, Indigenous identity, religion, education and disability.[33]

Languages

Spanish is the official and overwhelmingly dominant language.[1] Indigenous languages remain in use among some communities. Government cultural authorities identify Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui, Kawésqar, Yagán and Mapuzugun as Indigenous languages currently spoken in Chile, while Ckunsa is undergoing revitalisation.[34]

Indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples are an important part of Chilean history and contemporary society. The Mapuche form the largest Indigenous population, while Aymara, Rapa Nui, Lickanantay, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Chango, Kawésqar and Yagán communities also have recognised cultural and territorial traditions.[13]

Indigenous rights, land, cultural preservation, language revitalisation and consultation on public projects remain important public-policy issues.

Religion

Christianity has historically been the largest religious tradition in Chile, particularly Roman Catholicism, although the religious composition of the population has become more diverse and the share of people reporting no religious affiliation has grown. The 2024 census collected updated information on religion and creed.[33]

Education

Chile has public and private education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The country has a large university sector, including institutions such as the University of Chile, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and regional universities.

According to the OECD, 41% of Chileans aged 25–34 had completed tertiary education in the most recent data highlighted in its 2025 country note. The OECD also reported substantial labour-market earnings advantages for people with tertiary qualifications compared with those whose highest qualification was upper-secondary education.[35]

Chile participates in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment. In PISA 2025, Chilean 15-year-old students scored below the OECD average in mathematics, reading and science.[36]

Health

Chile has a mixed public and private healthcare system. Public health provision is complemented by private insurers and healthcare providers.

The World Bank reported life expectancy at birth of about 81 years in 2024.[29] Chile's ageing population, healthcare access, waiting times and financing are significant policy issues.

Culture

Chilean culture reflects Indigenous traditions, Spanish colonial influences, later immigration and the country's strong regional differences. Cultural expression varies considerably between the Andean north, central valleys, southern areas, Patagonia and Rapa Nui.

Literature

Chile has an internationally prominent literary tradition. Poet and educator Gabriela Mistral received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945, becoming the first Latin American writer to receive the award.[37]

Pablo Neruda, another Chilean poet, received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971.[38] Other Chilean authors have contributed to fiction, poetry, drama, history and political writing throughout Latin America and beyond.

Music and dance

Traditional Chilean music differs by region. The cueca is closely associated with national celebrations, while Andean musical traditions are important in the north and distinct Polynesian traditions are maintained on Rapa Nui.

The country's modern musical culture includes folk, rock, pop, classical, urban and experimental music.

Food

Chilean cuisine reflects the country's long coastline, agricultural valleys and regional traditions. Common ingredients include seafood, maize, potatoes, beans, meat and locally grown fruit and vegetables. Dishes vary from northern Andean food traditions to seafood-centred cooking in coastal and southern areas.

Wine is closely associated with central Chile's agricultural identity and is a major export industry.[31]

Science and astronomy

Northern Chile is one of the world's major centres for observational astronomy because of its high-altitude sites, arid climate, low atmospheric moisture and large number of clear nights.

International observatories operate major facilities in the Atacama region. ALMA, located on the Chajnantor plateau, studies millimetre and submillimetre radiation from cold regions of the universe and is among the world's most advanced ground-based astronomical facilities.[9]

Other major observatory complexes in northern Chile include facilities operated by the European Southern Observatory.

Sport

Association football is among the most widely followed sports in Chile. The men's national team has participated in multiple FIFA World Cups and won the Copa América in 2015 and the Copa América Centenario in 2016.

Tennis has also produced internationally successful Chilean players, while rodeo has a long domestic tradition. Skiing, mountaineering, surfing, cycling and outdoor sports are supported by the country's varied geography.

Chile has hosted major international sporting events, including the 1962 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 Pan American Games.

Heritage

Chile has seven properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They are Rapa Nui National Park, the Churches of Chiloé, the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso, the Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works, Sewell Mining Town, the Chilean components of the Qhapaq Ñan Andean road system, and the settlement and artificial mummification sites of the Chinchorro culture in the Arica and Parinacota Region.[39]

Rapa Nui is particularly known for its monumental stone moai statues and ceremonial architecture. UNESCO describes the island as an exceptional cultural landscape created by a Polynesian society that developed in relative isolation.[40]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Our Country. Government of Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Nuestro País. Government of Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Censo 2024. Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chile. United Nations Data. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Constitución Política de la República de Chile. Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 José Antonio Kast Rist. Government of Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Perspectivas del comercio exterior de Chile y sus principales socios comerciales, año 2025. Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Caracterización del sector de los recursos hídricos. Ministerio de Obras Públicas de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 ALMA. European Southern Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  10. ↑ Nuestros Parques. Corporación Nacional Forestal. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  11. ↑ Alertas volcánicas. Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  12. ↑ Biodiversidad. Ministerio del Medio Ambiente de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Tukulpaniein: Memorias de los pueblos indígenas. Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  14. ↑ Fundación de Santiago. Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  15. ↑ Pedro de Valdivia (ca. 1500–1553). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  16. ↑ Valdivia colonial (1552–1820). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  17. ↑ Documentos clave de la Independencia de Chile. Archivo Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Revolución y Guerra de Independencia en Chile (1808–1826). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Constituciones políticas y Actas constitucionales. Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  20. ↑ Las operaciones militares de la Guerra del Pacífico (1879–1884). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  21. ↑ La industria del salitre en Chile (1880–1930). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  22. ↑ Presidentes de Chile (1810–2010). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  23. ↑ Elecciones, sufragio y democracia en Chile (1810–2012). Memoria Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Período 1990–2022. Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  25. ↑ Boletín final sobre resultados preliminares del Plebiscito Constitucional 2023. Servicio Electoral de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  26. ↑ Evolución Constitucional. Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Organización territorial. Chile en el Exterior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  28. ↑ Chile. OECD. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Chile. World Bank. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  30. ↑ Chile fue el mayor exportador de 25 productos en 2025. Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Boletín del vino, pisco y mosto, enero 2026. Oficina de Estudios y Políticas Agrarias. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  32. ↑ Chile supera los 6 millones de turistas extranjeros en 2025. Servicio Nacional de Turismo. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Estadísticas – Censo 2024. Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas de Chile. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  34. ↑ Lenguas indígenas en Chile. Subdirección Nacional de Pueblos Originarios y Tribal Afrodescendiente chileno. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  35. ↑ Education at a Glance 2025: Chile. OECD. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  36. ↑ PISA 2025 Results: Chile. OECD. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  37. ↑ The Nobel Prize in Literature 1945. NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  38. ↑ Pablo Neruda – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  39. ↑ Chile. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  40. ↑ Rapa Nui National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
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