Chile — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Chile: capital Santiago, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Chile is in South America. Its capital is Santiago.

Climate

Varies from arid desert in the north (Atacama) to Mediterranean in the center to oceanic and subpolar in the south

Low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes on the eastern border; extreme desert in the north and glacial regions in the south

Chile is the longest country in the world, stretching over 4,300 km north to south.

Chile's Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on Earth, used by NASA to test Mars rovers.

Chile produces nearly a third of the world's copper supply.

1541: Santiago founded by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia

1810: Chile begins its war of independence from Spain

1879: War of the Pacific against Bolivia and Peru

1973: Military coup led by Augusto Pinochet overthrows Allende

1990: Return to democracy after Pinochet era

2010: Rescue of 33 trapped miners captivates the world