Formation
Feb 12, 1818
Feb 12, 1818
Santiago
19.49 million (2021)
The southernmost country in the world and closest to Antarctica. It shares borders with Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and the Drake Passage. A 16-year right-wing military dictatorship ended in 1990.
At 7,500 feet, Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth. The country is famous for its Moai statues, monolithic figures on Easter Island. One of Chile's national dishes is curanto, a stew made of seafood, pork, chicken, mussels and vegetables. The country hosted the men's FIFA World Cup in 1962.