About Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile (Spanish: República de Chile is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometers (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.
Chile is a country of startling contrasts and extreme beauty, with attractions ranging from the towering volcanic peaks of the Andes to the ancient forests of the Lake District. There are a multitude of very good parks here, and plenty of opportunities for fine adventure travel. Chile is justly famous as the location of Torres del Paine, considered by many to be the finest nature travel destinations in all of South America.
Capital and largest city |
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Official languages |
Spanish |
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Legislature |
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Independence from Spain |
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18 September 1810 |
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Declared |
12 February 1818 |
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Recognized |
25 April 1844 |
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11 September 1980 |
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Total |
756,096.3 km2 (38th) 291,930.4 sq mi |
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Water (%) |
1.07b |
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2014 estimate |
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2012 census |
16,341,929[3] |
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Density |
24/km2 (194th) 61/sq mi |
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2014 estimate |
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Total |
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Per capita |
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GDP (nominal) |
2014 estimate |
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Total |
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Per capita |
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Gini (2011) |
50.3[5] high |
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HDI (2013) |
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Currency |
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Time zone |
CLT and EASTc(UTC−4 and −6) |
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Summer (DST) |
CLST and EASST (UTC−3 and −5) |
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Drives on the |
right |
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Where is Chile located?
A coastal country located in the southwest region of South America, Chile has an area of 756,950 square kilometers (292,258 square miles) and a total coastline of 6,435 kilometers (3,998 miles). Chile shares its northern border with Peru and its eastern border with Bolivia and Argentina. Comparatively, the area occupied by Chile is nearly twice the size of California. Chile's capital city, Santiago, is located at the country's latitudinal mid-point. By bus, Santiago is approximately 1.5 hours inland from the Pacific Ocean and 1.5 hours west of the Andes Mountains foothills. From its northern border to its southernmost tip, Chile covers a diverse geographic array. In the north is the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth, while the southern tip points towards the polar ice of Antarctica.