Chile
Country in South America From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chile,[lower-alpha 1] officially the Republic of Chile,[lower-alpha 2] is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Chile had a population of 17.5 million as of the latest census in 2017 and has a territorial area of 756,102 square kilometers (291,933 sq mi),[10][3] sharing borders with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south. The country also controls several Pacific islands, including Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island, and claims about 1,250,000 square kilometers (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica as the Chilean Antarctic Territory.[nb 2] The capital and largest city of Chile is Santiago, and the national language is Spanish.
Republic of Chile | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Por la razón o la fuerza ("By reason or by force") | |
| Anthem: Himno Nacional de Chile ("National Anthem of Chile") | |
.svg) Chilean territory in dark green; claimed but uncontrolled territory in light green | |
| Capital and largest city | Santiagoa 33°26′S 70°40′W |
| National language | Spanish |
| Religion (2021)[1] |
|
| Demonym(s) | |
| Government | Unitary presidential republic |
| Gabriel Boric | |
| José García Ruminot | |
| Karol Cariola | |
| Juan Fuentes Belmar | |
| Legislature | National Congress |
| Senate | |
| Chamber of Deputies | |
| Independence from Spain | |
| 18 September 1810 | |
• Declared | 12 February 1818 |
• Recognized | 25 April 1844 |
| 11 March 1981 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 756,101.96[2][3] km2 (291,932.60 sq mi)b (37th) |
• Water (%) | 2.1 (as of 2015)[4] |
| Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 19,629,588[5] (63rd) |
• Density | 24/km2 (62.2/sq mi) (198th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total |  $597.520 billion[6] (45th) |
• Per capita | $29,934[6] (64th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $344.400 billion[6] (45th) |
• Per capita | $17,253[6] (62nd) |
| Gini (2021) |  46[7]high inequality |
| HDI (2022) | 0.860[8] very high (44th) |
| Currency | Chilean peso (CLP) |
| Time zone | UTC−4 and −6 (CLT and EAST) |
| UTC-3 and −5 | |
| April to September | |
| Calling code | +56 |
| ISO 3166 code | CL |
| Internet TLD | .cl |
| |
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Spain conquered and colonized the region in the mid-16th century, replacing Inca rule, but failed to conquer the independent Mapuche people who inhabited what is now south-central Chile. Chile emerged as a relatively stable authoritarian republic in the 1830s after their 1818 declaration of independence from Spain. During the 19th century, Chile experienced significant economic and territorial growth, putting an end to Mapuche resistance in the 1880s and gaining its current northern territory in the War of the Pacific (1879–83) by defeating Peru and Bolivia. In the 20th century, up until the 1970s, Chile underwent a process of democratization[11][12] and experienced rapid population growth and urbanization,[13] while relying increasingly on exports from copper mining to support its economy.[14][15] During the 1960s and 1970s, the country was marked by severe left-right political polarization and turmoil, which culminated in the 1973 Chilean coup d'état that overthrew Salvador Allende's democratically elected left-wing government. This was followed by a 16-year right-wing military dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet, which resulted in more than 3,000 deaths or disappearances.[16] The regime ended in 1990, following a referendum in 1988, and was succeeded by a center-left coalition, which ruled until 2010.
Chile is a developing country with a high-income economy and is one of the most economically and socially stable nations in South America.[17] Chile also performs well in the region in terms of sustainability of the state and democratic development,[18] and boasts the second lowest homicide rate in the Americas, following only Canada. Chile is a founding member of the United Nations, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Pacific Alliance, and joined the OECD in 2010.
There are various theories about the origin of the word Chile. According to 17th-century Spanish chronicler Diego de Rosales,[19] the Incas called the valley of the Aconcagua Chili by corruption of the name of a Picunche tribal chief (cacique) called Tili, who ruled the area at the time of the Incan conquest in the 15th century.[20][21] Another theory points to the similarity of the valley of the Aconcagua with that of the Casma Valley in Peru, where there was a town and valley named Chili.[21]
Other theories say Chile may derive its name from a Native American word meaning either 'ends of the earth' or 'sea gulls';[22] from the Mapuche word chilli, which may mean 'where the land ends'"[23] or from the Quechua chiri,[24] 'cold',[25] or tchili, meaning either 'snow'[25][26] or "the deepest point of the Earth".[27] Another origin attributed to chilli is the onomatopoeic cheele-cheele—the Mapuche imitation of the warble of a bird locally known as trile.[23][28]
The Spanish conquistadors heard about this name from the Incas, and the few survivors of Diego de Almagro's first Spanish expedition south from Peru in 1535–36 called themselves the "men of Chilli".[23] Ultimately, Almagro is credited with the universalization of the name Chile, after naming the Mapocho valley as such.[21] The older spelling "Chili" was in use in English until the early 20th century before switching to "Chile".[29]
Early history
Stone tool evidence indicates humans sporadically frequented the Monte Verde valley area as long as 18,500 years ago. About 10,000 years ago, migrating Indigenous peoples settled in fertile valleys and coastal areas of what is present-day Chile. Settlement sites from very early human habitation include Monte Verde, Cueva del Milodón and the Pali-Aike Crater's lava tube.[30]
The Incas briefly extended their empire into what is now northern Chile, but the Mapuche (or Araucanians as they were known by the Spaniards) successfully resisted many attempts by the Inca Empire to subjugate them, despite their lack of state organization.