Chile Fact Sheet

 
 
 
  • Capital:  Santiago (founded in 1542)
  • Population: 16.5 million (2007 estimate)
  • Official Language: Spanish
  • Currency: Chilean peso
  • Government: Stable presidential democracy
  • Current President: Sebastián Piñera, who assumed office in March 2010
  • Administrative divisions: 15 regions, 50 provinces, and 341 municipal governments
  • Religion: 80% Catholic
  • Literacy: 96%
  • Life expectancy: 78 yrs
  • Principal exports: copper, fish, fruit, wine, pulp & paper
  • Bordering nations: Peru, Bolivia, Argentina
  • Father of the nation: Bernardo O’Higgins, son of an Irish immigrant who led an army to claim a Republic for Chile from the Spanish in 1810.
  • Chilean flag:
    chilean-flag