Chile

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Indigenous groups inhabited central and southern Chile for several thousand years, living in mixed pastoralist and settled communities. The Inca then ruled the north of the country for nearly a century prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. In 1541, the Spanish established the Captaincy General of Chile, which lasted until Chile declared its independence in 1810. The subsequent struggle with the Spanish became tied to other South American independence conflicts, with a decisive victory not being achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its current northernmost regions. By the 1880s, the Chilean central government cemented its control over the central and southern regions inhabited by Mapuche Indigenous peoples. Between 1891 and 1973, a series of elected governments succeeded each other until the Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 in a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Economic reforms that were maintained consistently since the 1980s contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

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Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

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30 00 S, 71 00 W

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South America

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<strong>note:</strong> includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

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slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

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6,435 km

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temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

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low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east

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copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

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9,094 sq km (2022)

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90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

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severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

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<strong>note 1:</strong> Chile is the longest country north-to-south in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes<br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is the driest desert in the world; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second-highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere; the volcano's small crater lake is the world's highest lake at 6,390 m

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White and non-Indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other Indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

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Catholic 57%, none 25.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.2%, other Christians and traditions related to Christ 1.3%; less than 1%: Buddhist, Catholic Orthodox, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Islam, Judaism, other religions, no religion (2024)

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0.46% (2025 est.)

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8.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

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6.903 million SANTIAGO (capital), 1.009 million Valparaiso, 912,000 Concepcion (2023)

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10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.61 (2025 est.)

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3.33 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

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2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

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28% (2016)

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48.5% (2022 est.)

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air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; noise pollution; improper garbage disposal; soil degradation; widespread deforestation; pollution and ecosystem degradation from mining; wildlife conservation

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temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

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18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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923.06 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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presidential republic

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16 regions (<em>regiones</em>, singular - <em>region</em>); Antofagasta, Araucanía, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Aysén, Biobío, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica), Maule, Ñuble, Región Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapacá, Valparaíso

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<strong>note:</strong> the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

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civil law system influenced by several Western European civil legal systems; Constitutional Tribunal reviews legislative acts

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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<strong>note:</strong> the president is both chief of state and head of government

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Approve Dignity (Apruebo Dignidad) coalition or AD (included PC, FA, and FREVS); note - dissolved 2023<br>Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, CS, and Comunes)<br>Chile We Can Do More (Chile Podemos Más) or ChP+ (coalition includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI)<br>Christian Democratic Party or PDC<br>Common Sense Party or SC<br>Commons (Comunes)<br>Communist Party of Chile or PCCh<br>Democratic Revolution or RD<br>Democrats or PD<br>Equality Party or PI<br>Green Ecological Party or PEV (dissolved 7 February 2022)<br>Green Popular Alliance or AVP<br>Humanist Action Party or PAH<br>Humanist Party or PH<br>Independent Democratic Union or UDI<br>Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL<br>National Libertarian Party or PNL<br>National Renewal or RN<br>New Social Pact or NPS (includes PDC, PL, PPD, PRSD, PS)<br>Party for Democracy or PPD<br>Party of the People or PDG<br>Political Evolution or EVOPOLI<br>Popular Party or PP<br>Progressive Homeland Party or PRO<br>Radical Party or PR<br>Republican Party or PLR<br>Social Christian Party or PSC<br>Social Convergence or CS<br>Social Green Regionalist Federation or FREVS<br>Socialist Party or PS<br>Yellow Movement for Chile or AMAR

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APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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18 September 1810 (from Spain)

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Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

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<strong>description:</strong> two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square sits in the top left corner of the flag, the same height as the white band; the square has a five-pointed white star in the center<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the star represents a guide to progress and honor; blue stands for the sky, white for the Andes Mountains, and red for the blood spilled to achieve independence

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<strong>note:</strong> design influenced by the US flag

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huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor

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red, white, blue

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export-driven economy; leading copper producer; though hit by COVID-19, fairly quick rebound from increased liquidity and rapid vaccine rollouts; decreasing poverty but still lingering inequality; public debt rising but still manageable; recent political violence has had negative economic consequences

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$330.267 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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grapes, milk, apples, wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken, maize, sugar beets, pork (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

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3.5% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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10.088 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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6.5% (2022 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 39%, USA 16%, Japan 7%, S. Korea 6%, Brazil 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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copper ore, refined copper, fish, carbonates, pitted fruits (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 23%, USA 20%, Brazil 10%, Argentina 7%, Germany 5% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, garments, trucks (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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national and local terrestrial TV channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising and is not under direct government control; large number of privately owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations

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.cl

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CC

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379 (2025)

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115 (2025)

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Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes Marine Corps and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate or Directemar), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh) (2025)

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<strong>note 1: </strong>the Directemar is the country's coast guard<br> <br><strong>note 2:</strong> the National Police Force (Carabineros de Chile) is responsible to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security

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approximately 70,000 active Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2025)

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the Chilean military's inventory is comprised of a mix of mostly older foreign supplied armaments and some domestically produced weapons systems; significant foreign suppliers have included Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US; Chile's defense industry is active in the production of military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2025)

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18-24 for voluntary military service for men and women (17 for men with parental permission); selective compulsory service for men 18-24 (there are usually enough volunteers to make compulsory service unnecessary); service obligation is a maximum of 24 months  (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> as of 2024, women comprised approximately 21% of the armed forces

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the Chilean military's responsibilities are territorial defense, ensuring the country’s sovereignty, assisting with disaster and humanitarian relief, and providing some internal security duties such as border security or maintaining public order if required; a key focus in recent years has been assisting with securing the border area with Bolivia and Peru; it trains regularly and participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, as well as international peacekeeping operations <br><br>Chile and Argentina have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of air, ground, and naval components, as well as a combined logistics support unit<br><br>the Chilean Army was founded in 1810, but traces its origins back to the Army of the Kingdom of Chile, which was established by the Spanish Crown in the early 1600s; Chile's military aviation was inaugurated in 1913 with the creation of a military aviation school; the Navy traces its origins to 1817; it was first led by a British officer and the first ships were largely crewed by American, British, and Irish sailors; by the 1880s, the Chilean Navy was one of the most powerful in the Americas, and included the world’s first protected cruiser (a ship with an armored deck to protect vital machine spaces) (2025)

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Tren de Aragua (TdA)

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<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide