Chile WATCH 41

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.

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

total : 756,102 sq km land: 743,812 sq km water: 12,290 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

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

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis volcanism: 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"

total: 19,091,343 (2025 est.) male: 9,379,883 female: 9,711,460

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.)

Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, Indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

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)

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

presidential republic

name: Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in August; ends second Sunday in May; note - Punta Arenas observes DST throughout the year time zone note: Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Ays n and Magallanes regions, which do not use daylight savings time and remain at UTC-3 year-round; and Easter Island at UTC-5 etymology: Santiago is named after Saint James, the patron saint of Spain (Santo Iago in Spanish); Valparaiso derives from the Spanish words valle (valley) and para so (paradise)

chief of state: President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022) head of government: President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term most recent election date: 16 November 2025, with a runoff held on 14 December 2025 election results: 2025: Jos Antonio KAST elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jeannette Alejandra JARA Rom n (PCCh) 26.8%, Jos Antonio KAST (PLR) 23.9%, Franco Aldo PARISI Fern ndez (PDG) 19.7%, Johannes KAISER (PNL) 13.9%, Evelyn Rose MATTHEI Fornet (PL) 12.5%; other 3.2%; percent of vote in second round - Jos Antonio KAST 58.2%, Jeannette Alejandra JARA Rom n 41.8%; note - KAST will take office 11 March 2026 2021: Gabriel BORIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jos Antonio KAST (FSC) 27.9%; Gabriel BORIC (AD) 25.8%; Franco PARISI (PDG) 12.8%; Sebastian SICHEL (ChP+) 12.8%; Yasna PROVOSTE (New Social Pact) 11.6%; other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Gabriel BORIC 55.9%; Jose Antonio KAST 44.1% 2017: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique (independent) 36.6%; Alejandro GUILLIER (independent) 22.7%; Beatriz SANCHEZ (independent) 20.3%; Jose Antonio KAST (independent) 7.9%; Carolina GOIC (PDC) 5.9%; Marco ENRIQUEZ-OMINAMI (PRO) 5.7%; other 0.9%; percent of vote in second round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 54.6%, Alejandro GUILLIER 45.4% expected date of next election: 18 November 2029 (a runoff, if needed, will take place in December 2029) note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: National Congress (Congreso Nacional) legislative structure: bicameral

$596.556 billion (2024 est.) $581.187 billion (2023 est.) $578.173 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$30,200 (2024 est.) $29,600 (2023 est.) $29,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.3% (2024 est.) 7.6% (2023 est.) 11.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

China 39%, USA 16%, Japan 7%, S. Korea 6%, Brazil 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

China 23%, USA 20%, Brazil 10%, Argentina 7%, Germany 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Armed Forces of Chile ( Fuerzas Armadas de Chile ): Chilean Army (Ej rcito 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) note 1: the Directemar is the country's coast guard note 2: the National Police Force (Carabineros de Chile) is responsible to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) 2% of GDP (2020 est.)