Chile — The Country of the Week

Quick Facts

Capital: Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature
Population: 19,091,343 (2025 est.)
Area: 756,102 sq km
Government: presidential republic
Religions: 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)
Ethnic Groups: 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.)
Currency: Chilean pesos (CLP)
Life Expectancy: 80.3 years (2024 est.)
Internet Domain: .cl
Climate: temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Terrain: low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east
Natural Resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Major Exports: copper ore, refined copper, fish, carbonates, pitted fruits (2023)

Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)

Overview

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.