World Countries: Chile

Location

A long and narrow country located on the west coast of the South American continent, Chile borders Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, and is home to more than 2,800 miles (4,600 km) of coastline on the Pacific Ocean.

Geographic Features

The high Andes run the country's border with Bolivia and Argentina. The Atacama Desert is in the north and deep sea channels and lakes are located in the south.

Climate

Chile's climate in arid in the north, mild in the central regions of the country, and cold, wet and stormy in the south.

Official Name

Republic of Chile

Capital

Santiago

Official Language

Spanish

Population

July 2011 Estimate: 16,888,760

The Chilean flag, pictured at left, features the colors red, white and blue. Red represents the blood shed in the fight for independence. White represents the snow-capped Andes and blue represents the sky.

Formation

Chile had been colonized by the Spanish from 1541. In 1818, the country gained full independence and marks this as the official formation date of the nation.

Fun Fact

Two Nobel Prize winning poets hail from Chile, Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda.

Continental Neighbors

See geographic basics on more South American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Source: 1. CIA World Factbook

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