Chile
Americas Β· Capital: Santiago
How it is run: Chile is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Chile is home to 19.9 million people in South America, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
19.9 million people
That is 0.2% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
756,102 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 26 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
9th most people in Americas
11th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Spanish
π° Money
Chilean peso ($)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
81.4 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$17,995
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
89.2% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
16.5% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+56
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.cl
π§ People here are called
Chilean
π·οΈ Name at home
Chile
Also written: Republic of Chile, RepΓΊblica de Chile.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Chile touches 3 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Chile
French
Chili
Arabic
ΨͺΨ΄ΩΩΩ
Chinese
ζΊε©
Japanese
γγͺ
Russian
Π§ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ
Portuguese
Chile
German
Chile
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 17.2Γ as many people as Chile.
- Chile covers roughly 7,201 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Chile lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 9,930 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Chile change.
La Estrella Solitaria
The single star was a guide to progress and honour.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Chile is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Chile
ποΈ Capital
Santiago
π Region
Americas Β· South America
π€ Country code
CL
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Chile π
Torres del Paine
Granite towers rise over turquoise lakes in Patagonia, where the wind can knock a hiker sideways.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
30.0Β° S, 71.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-5 β when it is noon in London it is about 07:00 in Santiago.
- The capital of Chile is Santiago β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Chile sits in South America, in the southern and western half of the globe.
- Chile is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Chile is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Chile sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Chile has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Chile can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Chile spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Chile?
Santiago
Which money do people spend in Chile?
Chilean peso ($)
How many countries share a land border with Chile?
3 β Argentina, Bolivia, Peru.
Roughly how many people live in Chile?
19.9 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.