Chile

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
  - The Chilean Andes
  - The intermediate depression
  - The coastal cordilleras
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
  - The northern desert
  - Mediterranean central Chile
  - Southern Chile
- Plant and animal life
- Settlement patterns
People
Economy
- Resources
  - Mineral resources, noncarboniferous
  - Energy resources
  - Forestry resources
  - Fishing resources
- Agriculture
- Industry
- Trade and finance
- Transportation
Administration and social conditions
- Government
- Education
- Health and welfare
Cultural life
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Recreation
- Press and broadcasting
History
- Precolonial period
- Colonial period
- Struggle for independence
- Chile from 1818 to 1920
  - The conservative hegemony, 1830–61
    - Economic prosperity
    - Political diversification
  - The widening of liberal influence, 1861–91
    - Political factions
    - European influences
    - The War of the Pacific (1879–83)
  - Political development, 1891–1920
    - Growth of the middle and lower classes
    - Formation of new political parties
    - Decline of the ruling class
- Chile after 1920
  - Political uncertainty, 1920–38
    - Effects of the world depression
    - Return to constitutional normality
  - The Radical presidencies, 1938–52
    - The presidencies of Aguirre Cerda and Ríos
    - The presidency of Gabriel González Videla
  - Political stagnation, 1952–64
    - The presidency of Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez
    - New political groupings
  - A period of change, 1964–73
    - The presidency of Frei Montalva
    - The socialist experiment
  - The military dictatorship, from 1973
- Chile in the 21st century
  - The return of socialist rule: the presidencies of Ricardo Lagos (2000–06) and Michelle Bachelet (2006–10)
  - The first presidency of Sebastián Piñera (2010–14)
  - The second presidency of Michelle Bachelet (2014–18)
  - The second presidency of Sebastián Piñera (2018–22)
  - The presidency of Gabriel Boric (2022– )

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Chile: Lake Villarrica

Santiago, Chile

Physical features of Chile

Predicting an eruption of Llaima volcano in Chile

Chile: Lake Nordenskjöld

Chile: glacial lake

For Students

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The San Pedro de Atacama Church in San Pedro near the Atacama Desert in northern Chile in South America.

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When the “Hannibal of the Andes” Liberated Chile

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Chile: Media

Videos

Predicting an eruption of Llaima volcano in Chile

Predicting an eruption of Llaima volcano in Chile

Researchers monitoring the Llaima volcano in Chile.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Discover Chile's rich copper reserves under the Atacama Desert sands and how they are mined

Discover Chile's rich copper reserves under the Atacama Desert sands and how they are mined

Chile's Atacama Desert, part of the Andes, is rich in copper.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The dangerous journey around Cape Horn

The dangerous journey around Cape Horn

Overview of Cape Horn, including a discussion of the dangers it holds for passing...

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

A day in the life of a penguin researcher

A day in the life of a penguin researcher

Overview of the sanctuary for Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus)...

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Unearth copper reserves under Chile's Atacama Desert and learn how copper is processed and traded

Unearth copper reserves under Chile's Atacama Desert and learn how copper is processed and traded

Copper mining in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The tradition of wine production in Chile

The tradition of wine production in Chile

Overview of Chilean wine.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Traditional wheat threshing in Chile's Olmué valley

Traditional wheat threshing in Chile's Olmué valley

Learn about threshing-day traditions in a Chilean village.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Explore the traditional life of Mapuche people in Chile

Explore the traditional life of Mapuche people in Chile

Learn about the traditional life of Mapuche (Araucanian) people in Chile.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

See scientists monitoring geysers in the United States and Chile, also building working models of it in the laboratory

See scientists monitoring geysers in the United States and Chile, also building working models of it in the laboratory

Scientists monitoring geysers in the United States and Chile and building working...

Video: Displayed by permission of The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Travel to Santiago, Chile, to explore its spectacular vistas and parks in the a modern environment

Travel to Santiago, Chile, to explore its spectacular vistas and parks in the a modern environment

Explore Santiago, Chile, a thriving modern city.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

Chile

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile

Chile

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile: Lake Villarrica

Chile: Lake Villarrica

Lake Villarrica with the Villarrica Volcano in the background, Araucanía region,...

Fenno Jacobs/Photo Researchers

Santiago, Chile

Santiago, Chile

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Physical features of Chile

Physical features of Chile

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Licancábur

Licancábur

Licancábur volcano, in the area of San Pedro de Atacama, Atacama Desert region, Chile.

ESO/NAOJ/NRAO

Chile: Lake Nordenskjöld

Chile: Lake Nordenskjöld

Rugged granite cliffs border Lake Nordenskjöld in Torres del Paine National Park...

© agustavop/iStock.com

Chile: glacial lake

Chile: glacial lake

Lago de Grey, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

© Lisa Lubin - www.llworldtour.com (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Chile

Chile

Laguna Miscanti and the Atacama Desert lie in the northern part of Chile.

Jeremy Woodhouse—Digital Vision/Getty Images

Santiago: University of Chile

Santiago: University of Chile

University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.

GameOfLight (CC-BY-3.0) (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Chile

Chile

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile earthquake of 2010

Chile earthquake of 2010

Map depicting the intensity of shaking experienced during the Chile earthquake, February...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski

Leftist governments in Latin America.

Leftist governments in Latin America.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Southern and Central Andes and Patagonia

Southern and Central Andes and Patagonia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of Chile

The instrumental version of the national anthem of Chile.

Interactives

Chile: Ethnic composition

Chile: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile: Religious affiliation

Chile: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile: Age breakdown

Chile: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile: Urban-rural

Chile: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile: Major export destinations

Chile: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Chile: Major import sources

Chile: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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