Chile
Chile⌘K
Overview
- Background
- 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.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 743,812 sq km
- Note
- note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
- Water
- 12,290 sq km
- Total
- 756,102 sq km
- 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
Land Use
- Other
- 61.1% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 24.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 14.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
- Coastline
- 6,435 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,893 m (highest volcano in the world)
- Mean elevation
- 1,871 m
- Irrigated land
- 9,094 sq km (2022)
- Map references
- South America
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 7,801 km
- Border countries
- Argentina 6,691 km; Bolivia 942 km; Peru 168 km
Maritime Claims
- Contiguous zone
- 24 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- 200/350 nm
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- 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" - Geography note
- note 1: Chile is the longest country north-to-south in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude
note 2: Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes
note 3: the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is the driest desert in the world; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second-highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere; the volcano's small crater lake is the world's highest lake at 6,390 m - Natural resources
- copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
- Area comparative
- slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
- Geographic coordinates
- 30 00 S, 71 00 W
- Population distribution
- 90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Fresh water lake(s)
- Lago General Carrera (shared with Argentina) - 2,240 sq km; Lago O'Higgins (shared with Argentina) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Llanquihue - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Argentina) - 590 sq km
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 96.5% (2017 est.)
- Female
- 96.3% (2017 est.)
- Total population
- 96.4% (2017 est.)
Languages
- Note
- note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census
- Languages
- 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 información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- 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)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 1 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.73 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 8.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 35.8 years
- Total
- 38.9 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 38.2 years
Population
- Male
- 9,379,883
- Total
- 19,091,343 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 9,711,460
Nationality
- Noun
- Chilean(s)
- Adjective
- Chilean
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 28.4% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 26.2% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 24.1% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 88% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 19.2% (male 1,822,908/female 1,751,528)
- 15 64 years
- 67.3% (male 6,274,620/female 6,278,467)
- 65 years and over
- 13.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,072,208/female 1,464,921)
- 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.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 45 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 24.1 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 4.8 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 20.9 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 3.33 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 9% of GDP (2022)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 19% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 18.4% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 0.46% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.61 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- 90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 77.3 years
- Female
- 83.3 years
- Total population
- 80.3 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 2.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 2.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 7.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 2.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 6.903 million SANTIAGO (capital), 1.009 million Valparaiso, 912,000 Concepcion (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 28% (2016)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 48.5% (2022 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 17 years (2023 est.)
- Total
- 17 years (2023 est.)
- Female
- 17 years (2023 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square sits in the top left corner of the flag, the same height as the white band; the square has a five-pointed white star in the center
meaning: the star represents a guide to progress and honor; blue stands for the sky, white for the Andes Mountains, and red for the blood spilled to achieve independence
Capital
- Name
- Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature
- 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 paraíso (paradise)
- Time zone note
- Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Aysén and Magallanes regions, which do not use daylight savings time and remain at UTC-3 year-round; and Easter Island at UTC-5
- 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
- Geographic coordinates
- 33 27 S, 70 40 W
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- yes
- Citizenship BY descent only
- yes
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- History
- many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; in September 2022 and again in December 2023, referendums presented for a new constitution were both defeated, and the September 1980 constitution remains in force
- Amendment process
- proposed by members of either house of the National Congress or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least four-sevenths majority vote of the membership in both houses and approval by the president; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, the Constitutional Tribunal, electoral justice, the Council of National Security, or the constitutional amendment process, requires at least four-sevenths majority vote by both houses of Congress and approval by the president; the president can opt to hold a referendum when Congress and the president disagree on an amendment
Country Name
- Etymology
- derivation of the name is unclear; it may come from a local word meaning either "land's end" or "cold," or a local word that was confused with the Mexican Spanish word chili, meaning a chili pepper, in reference to the area's shape
- Local long form
- República de Chile
- Local short form
- Chile
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Chile
- Conventional short form
- Chile
- Independence
- 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
- Legal system
- civil law system influenced by several Western European civil legal systems; Constitutional Tribunal reviews legislative acts
- Government type
- presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of a court president and 20 members); Constitutional Court (consists of 10 members and is independent of the rest of the judiciary); Elections Qualifying Court (consists of 5 members)
- Subordinate courts
- Courts of Appeal; oral criminal tribunals; military tribunals; local police courts; specialized tribunals and courts in matters such as family, labor, customs, taxes, and electoral affairs
- Judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court president and judges (ministers) appointed by the president of the republic and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 by the Supreme Court, 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the Chamber of Deputies, and 2 by the Senate; members serve 9-year terms with partial membership replacement every 3 years (the court reviews constitutionality of legislation); Elections Qualifying Court members appointed by lottery - 1 by the former president or vice president of the Senate and 1 by the former president or vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Appellate Court of Valparaiso; members appointed for 4-year terms
Executive Branch
- Note
- note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
- Cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the president
- Chief of state
- President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022)
- Election results
- 2025: José Antonio KAST elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jeannette Alejandra JARA Román (PCCh) 26.8%, José Antonio KAST (PLR) 23.9%, Franco Aldo PARISI Fernández (PDG) 19.7%, Johannes KAISER (PNL) 13.9%, Evelyn Rose MATTHEI Fornet (PL) 12.5%; other 3.2%; percent of vote in second round - José Antonio KAST 58.2%, Jeannette Alejandra JARA Román 41.8%; note - KAST will take office 11 March 2026
2021: Gabriel BORIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - José 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% - Head of government
- President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022)
- Most recent election date
- 16 November 2025, with a runoff held on 14 December 2025
- Election/appointment process
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term
- Expected date of next election
- 18 November 2029 (a runoff, if needed, will take place in December 2029)
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
- National color(s)
- red, white, blue
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 7 (all cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Rapa Nui National Park; Churches of Chiloe; Historic Valparaiso; Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works; Sewell Mining Town; Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System; Chinchorro archeological sites
- Political parties
- Approve Dignity (Apruebo Dignidad) coalition or AD (included PC, FA, and FREVS); note - dissolved 2023
Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, CS, and Comunes)
Chile We Can Do More (Chile Podemos Más) or ChP+ (coalition includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI)
Christian Democratic Party or PDC
Common Sense Party or SC
Commons (Comunes)
Communist Party of Chile or PCCh
Democratic Revolution or RD
Democrats or PD
Equality Party or PI
Green Ecological Party or PEV (dissolved 7 February 2022)
Green Popular Alliance or AVP
Humanist Action Party or PAH
Humanist Party or PH
Independent Democratic Union or UDI
Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL
National Libertarian Party or PNL
National Renewal or RN
New Social Pact or NPS (includes PDC, PL, PPD, PRSD, PS)
Party for Democracy or PPD
Party of the People or PDG
Political Evolution or EVOPOLI
Popular Party or PP
Progressive Homeland Party or PRO
Radical Party or PR
Republican Party or PLR
Social Christian Party or PSC
Social Convergence or CS
Social Green Regionalist Federation or FREVS
Socialist Party or PS
Yellow Movement for Chile or AMAR
Legislative Branch
- Legislature name
- National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile)
- History
- music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET's military rule, a verse glorifying the army was added; some citizens refused to sing this verse as a protest, and it was removed when democracy was restored in 1990
- Lyrics/music
- Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle
- National symbol(s)
- huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor
- Administrative divisions
- 16 regions (regiones, singular - region); Antofagasta, Araucanía, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Aysén, Biobío, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica), Maule, Ñuble, Región Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapacá, Valparaíso
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 155 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 11/21/2021
- Expected date of next election
- November 2025
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 33.5%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Chile Podemos (Empowering Chile", CP +) (53); New Social Pact (NPS) (37); Approving Dignity (AD) (37); Christian Social Front (FSC) (15); Other (13)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Senate (Senado)
- Term in office
- 8 years
- Number of seats
- 50 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Scope of elections
- partial renewal
- Most recent election date
- 11/21/2021
- Expected date of next election
- November 2025
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 32%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Chile Podemos (Empowering Chile", CP +) (12); New Social Pact (NPS) (8); Approving Dignity (AD) (4); Independents (2); Other (1)
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 887-5579
- Chancery
- 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 785-1746
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Juan Gabriel VALDES Soublette (since 7 June 2022)
- Consulate(s) general
- Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
- Email address and website
echile.eeuu@minrel.gob.cl
https://chile.gob.cl/estados-unidos/en/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [56] (2) 2330-3710
- Embassy
- Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
- Telephone
- [56] (2) 2330-3000
- Mailing address
- 3460 Santiago Place, Washington DC 20521-3460
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador-designate Brandon JUDD (since November 2025)
- Email address and website
SantiagoUSA@state.gov
https://cl.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
CHILE · LOWER HOUSE
Chamber of Deputies
155 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
155
Majority line
79
Largest party
Unity for Chile
Parties
6
All political parties
Upper house
CHILE · UPPER HOUSE
Senate
50 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
50
Majority line
26
Largest party
Unity for Chile
Parties
4
All political parties
Leaders
Current
José Antonio Kast
- Head of State
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $77.003 billion (2023 est.)
- Expenditures
- $85.024 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $111.4B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $107.039 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $103.256 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $111.123 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $99.5B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $118.928 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $100.082 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $99.239 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
- Labor force
- 10.088 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 41.3%
- Public debt 2016
- 21% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 0% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 792.727 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 758.955 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 873.314 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 840.067 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 943.572 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- export-driven economy; leading copper producer; though hit by COVID-19, fairly quick rebound from increased liquidity and rapid vaccine rollouts; decreasing poverty but still lingering inequality; public debt rising but still manageable; recent political violence has had negative economic consequences
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 9.0%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 8.3% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 9.1% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 9.1% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- China 39%, USA 16%, Japan 7%, S. Korea 6%, Brazil 4% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 23%, USA 20%, Brazil 10%, Argentina 7%, Germany 5% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $36,181
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $29,600 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $29,600 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $30,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.6%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 2.2% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 2.6% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- grapes, milk, apples, wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken, maize, sugar beets, pork (2023)
- Exports commodities
- copper ore, refined copper, fish, carbonates, pitted fruits (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, garments, trucks (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$4.9B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- -$26.656 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$10.497 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$4.853 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $330.267 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 58.1% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 15.1% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- -0.3% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 23.5% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 33.7% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -30.1% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 6.5% (2022 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.3%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 11.6% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 7.6% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 4.3% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 3.5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $596.556 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $578.173 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $581.187 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $596.556 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 20.3% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 22.3% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 24.9% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $39.102 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $46.377 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $44.403 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 30.1% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 56.1% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 3.9% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.3% (2022 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 34.5% (2022 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2022
- 43 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 63,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 7.589 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 474,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 8.087 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 1.181 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 150 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 404,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 83.295 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 39.238 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 4.384 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 39.009 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 5.196 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 1.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 6.5 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 97.976 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 71.42 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 10.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 20.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Geothermal
- 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 35.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 26.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 95% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- national and local terrestrial TV channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising and is not under direct government control; large number of privately owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations
- Internet country code
- .cl
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 1.74 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 8 (2024 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 26.2 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 133 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 4.52 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 23 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 10
- Medium
- 2
- Key ports
- Antofagasta, Bahia de Valdivia, Bahia de Valparaiso, Coronel, Iquique, Mejillones, Puerto Montt, Puerto San Antonio, Rada de Arica, Rada Punta Arenas, Talcahuano, Tocopilla
- Very small
- 27
- Total ports
- 39 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 25
- Airports
- 379 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 7,281.5 km (2014)
- Broad gauge
- 3,428 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge (1,691 km electrified)
- Narrow gauge
- 3,853.5 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
- Heliports
- 115 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 249 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 3, container ship 5, general cargo 66, oil tanker 14, other 161
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- CC
Environment
- Climate
- temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Geoparks
- Global geoparks and regional networks
- Kutralkura (2023)
- Total global geoparks and regional networks
- 1
Land Use
- Other
- 61.1% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 24.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 14.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 88% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 6.517 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 1% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- 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
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 1.29 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 1.66 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 29.42 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 83.058 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 12.781 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 14.773 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 55.504 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 923.06 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the Chilean military's responsibilities are territorial defense, ensuring the country’s sovereignty, assisting with disaster and humanitarian relief, and providing some internal security duties such as border security or maintaining public order if required; a key focus in recent years has been assisting with securing the border area with Bolivia and Peru; it trains regularly and participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, as well as international peacekeeping operations
Chile and Argentina have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of air, ground, and naval components, as well as a combined logistics support unit
the Chilean Army was founded in 1810, but traces its origins back to the Army of the Kingdom of Chile, which was established by the Spanish Crown in the early 1600s; Chile's military aviation was inaugurated in 1913 with the creation of a military aviation school; the Navy traces its origins to 1817; it was first led by a British officer and the first ships were largely crewed by American, British, and Irish sailors; by the 1880s, the Chilean Navy was one of the most powerful in the Americas, and included the world’s first protected cruiser (a ship with an armored deck to protect vital machine spaces) (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 1.6%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 2% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército 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)
- Military service age and obligation
- 18-24 for voluntary military service for men and women (17 for men with parental permission); selective compulsory service for men 18-24 (there are usually enough volunteers to make compulsory service unnecessary); service obligation is a maximum of 24 months (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the Chilean military's inventory is comprised of a mix of mostly older foreign supplied armaments and some domestically produced weapons systems; significant foreign suppliers have included Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US; Chile's defense industry is active in the production of military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 70,000 active Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2025)
Terrorism
- Terrorist group(s)
- Tren de Aragua (TdA)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 8,323 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 15,788 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 1,688 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index76.0 / 100as of 2024-Q430 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.79as of 2024-Q415 / 170+0.092024-Q4
Freedom House StatusFree (100/100)as of 2024-Q4—0.02024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Free press (73/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.860as of 2022—2022
Corruption Perceptions Index66 / 100as of 202329 / 1802023
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Chile — vintage 2026-Q1: Chile factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/chile
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), OECD.Stat, UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata