chile

Chile is a country in western South America, extending about 4,300 km north to south and averaging 180 km in width. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, and Argentina to the east, with the Pacific Ocean to the west. The terrain ranges from the Atacama Desert in the north, through fertile central valleys and the Andes, to the lakes and fjords of the south, including Patagonia. Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands form part of Chile. The capital and largest city is Santiago. Chile is divided into 16 regions.

Indigenous peoples, notably the Mapuche, inhabited the territory before Spanish colonization began in the 16th century. Chile won independence from Spain in 1818. In the late 20th century it transitioned from a military dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) to a stable democracy. In 2022 a referendum on a proposed new constitution rejected the draft, leading to ongoing discussions about constitutional reform.

Chile has a high-income, market-oriented economy. Copper is the leading export, but the country also ships fruit, wine, seafood, and forestry products. The population is highly urbanized, concentrated in the central region around Santiago. Spanish is the dominant language, with recognition of indigenous languages in various contexts. Chile has a rich literary and cultural heritage, including Nobel laureates and UNESCO sites.

Chile is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity as part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The government is a democratic unitary republic with a president as head of state and government and a multi-party legislature. It participates in regional and international organizations such as the United Nations and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.