2020 Edition

Background

Indigenous groups inhabited central and southern Chile for several thousand years, living in mixed pastoralist and settled communities. The Inca then ruled the north of the country for nearly a century prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. In 1541, the Spanish established the Captaincy General of Chile, which lasted until Chile declared its independence in 1810. The subsequent struggle with the Spanish became tied to other South American independence conflicts, with a decisive victory not being achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its current northernmost regions. By the 1880s, the Chilean central government cemented its control over the central and southern regions inhabited by Mapuche Indigenous peoples. Between 1891 and 1973, a series of elected governments succeeded each other until the Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 in a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Economic reforms that were maintained consistently since the 1980s contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

Area

land

743,812 sq km

total

756,102 sq km

water

12,290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Climate

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

Coastline

6,435 km

Elevation

highest point

Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,893 m (highest volcano in the world)

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

1,871 m

Geographic coordinates

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: Chile is the longest country north-to-south in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude note 2: Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is the driest desert in the world; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second-highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere; the volcano's small crater lake is the world's highest lake at 6,390 m

Irrigated land

9,094 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Argentina 6,691 km; Bolivia 942 km; Peru 168 km

total

7,801 km

Land use

agricultural land

14.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 11.8% (2023 est.)

forest

24.5% (2023 est.)

other

61.1% (2023 est.)

Location

Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago General Carrera (shared with Argentina) - 2,240 sq km; Lago O'Higgins (shared with Argentina) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Llanquihue - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Argentina) - 590 sq km

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200/350 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural resources

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

Population distribution

90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north, including the Atacama Desert, and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

Terrain

low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east

Age structure

0-14 years

19.2% (male 1,822,908/female 1,751,528)

15-64 years

67.3% (male 6,274,620/female 6,278,467)

65 years and over

13.6% (2024 est.) (male 1,072,208/female 1,464,921)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

8.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.5% (2022 est.)

Death rate

6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

20.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

4.8 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

45 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

24.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

18.4% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

White and non-Indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other Indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.61 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

19% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, Indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.3 years

male

77.3 years

total population

80.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

96.3% (2017 est.)

male

96.5% (2017 est.)

total population

96.4% (2017 est.)

Major urban areas - population

6.903 million SANTIAGO (capital), 1.009 million Valparaiso, 912,000 Concepcion (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

10 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

38.2 years

male

35.8 years

total

38.9 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Chilean

noun

Chilean(s)

Net migration rate

2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28% (2016)

Physician density

3.33 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

9,711,460

male

9,379,883

total

19,091,343 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.46% (2025 est.)

Religions

Catholic 57%, none 25.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.2%, other Christians and traditions related to Christ 1.3%; less than 1%: Buddhist, Catholic Orthodox, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Islam, Judaism, other religions, no religion (2024)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2023 est.)

male

17 years (2023 est.)

total

17 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

24.1% (2025 est.)

male

28.4% (2025 est.)

total

26.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

88% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

16 regions (regiones, singular - region); Antofagasta, Araucanía, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Aysén, Biobío, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica), Maule, Ñuble, Región Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapacá, Valparaíso

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in August; ends second Sunday in May; note - Punta Arenas observes DST throughout the year

etymology

Santiago is named after Saint James, the patron saint of Spain (Santo Iago in Spanish); Valparaiso derives from the Spanish words valle (valley) and paraíso (paradise)

geographic coordinates

33 27 S, 70 40 W

name

Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature

time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Aysén and Magallanes regions, which do not use daylight savings time and remain at UTC-3 year-round; and Easter Island at UTC-5

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by members of either house of the National Congress or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least four-sevenths majority vote of the membership in both houses and approval by the president; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, the Constitutional Tribunal, electoral justice, the Council of National Security, or the constitutional amendment process, requires at least four-sevenths majority vote by both houses of Congress and approval by the president; the president can opt to hold a referendum when Congress and the president disagree on an amendment

history

many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; in September 2022 and again in December 2023, referendums presented for a new constitution were both defeated, and the September 1980 constitution remains in force

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Chile

conventional short form

Chile

etymology

derivation of the name is unclear; it may come from a local word meaning either "land's end" or "cold," or a local word that was confused with the Mexican Spanish word chili, meaning a chili pepper, in reference to the area's shape

local long form

República de Chile

local short form

Chile

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador-designate Brandon JUDD (since November 2025)

email address and website

SantiagoUSA@state.gov https://cl.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago

FAX

[56] (2) 2330-3710

mailing address

3460 Santiago Place, Washington DC 20521-3460

telephone

[56] (2) 2330-3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Juan Gabriel VALDES Soublette (since 7 June 2022)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

echile.eeuu@minrel.gob.cl https://chile.gob.cl/estados-unidos/en/

FAX

[1] (202) 887-5579

telephone

[1] (202) 785-1746

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022)

election results

2025: José Antonio KAST elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jeannette Alejandra JARA Román (PCCh) 26.8%, José Antonio KAST (PLR) 23.9%, Franco Aldo PARISI Fernández (PDG) 19.7%, Johannes KAISER (PNL) 13.9%, Evelyn Rose MATTHEI Fornet (PL) 12.5%; other 3.2%; percent of vote in second round - José Antonio KAST 58.2%, Jeannette Alejandra JARA Román 41.8%; note - KAST will take office 11 March 2026  2021: Gabriel BORIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - José Antonio KAST (FSC) 27.9%; Gabriel BORIC (AD) 25.8%; Franco PARISI (PDG) 12.8%; Sebastian SICHEL (ChP+) 12.8%; Yasna PROVOSTE (New Social Pact) 11.6%; other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Gabriel BORIC 55.9%; Jose Antonio KAST 44.1% 2017: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique (independent) 36.6%; Alejandro GUILLIER (independent) 22.7%; Beatriz SANCHEZ (independent) 20.3%; Jose Antonio KAST (independent) 7.9%; Carolina GOIC (PDC) 5.9%; Marco ENRIQUEZ-OMINAMI (PRO) 5.7%; other 0.9%; percent of vote in second round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 54.6%, Alejandro GUILLIER 45.4%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term

expected date of next election

18 November 2029 (a runoff, if needed, will take place in December 2029)

head of government

President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022)

most recent election date

16 November 2025, with a runoff held on 14 December 2025

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square sits in the top left corner of the flag, the same height as the white band; the square has a five-pointed white star in the center meaning: the star represents a guide to progress and honor; blue stands for the sky, white for the Andes Mountains, and red for the blood spilled to achieve independence

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of a court president and 20 members); Constitutional Court (consists of 10 members and is independent of the rest of the judiciary); Elections Qualifying Court (consists of 5 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president and judges (ministers) appointed by the president of the republic and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 by the Supreme Court, 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the Chamber of Deputies, and 2 by the Senate; members serve 9-year terms with partial membership replacement every 3 years (the court reviews constitutionality of legislation); Elections Qualifying Court members appointed by lottery - 1 by the former president or vice president of the Senate and 1 by the former president or vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Appellate Court of Valparaiso; members appointed for 4-year terms

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; oral criminal tribunals; military tribunals; local police courts; specialized tribunals and courts in matters such as family, labor, customs, taxes, and electoral affairs

Legal system

civil law system influenced by several Western European civil legal systems; Constitutional Tribunal reviews legislative acts

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

November 2025

most recent election date

11/21/2021

number of seats

155 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Chile Podemos (Empowering Chile", CP +) (53); New Social Pact (NPS) (37); Approving Dignity (AD) (37); Christian Social Front (FSC) (15); Other (13)

percentage of women in chamber

33.5%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Senado)

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

November 2025

most recent election date

11/21/2021

number of seats

50 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Chile Podemos (Empowering Chile", CP +) (12); New Social Pact (NPS) (8); Approving Dignity (AD) (4); Independents (2); Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber

32%

scope of elections

partial renewal

term in office

8 years

National anthem(s)

history

music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET's military rule, a verse glorifying the army was added; some citizens refused to sing this verse as a protest, and it was removed when democracy was restored in 1990

lyrics/music

Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle

title

"Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile)

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Rapa Nui National Park; Churches of Chiloe; Historic Valparaiso; Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works; Sewell Mining Town; Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System; Chinchorro archeological sites

total World Heritage Sites

7 (all cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

National symbol(s)

huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor

Political parties

Approve Dignity (Apruebo Dignidad) coalition or AD (included PC, FA, and FREVS); note - dissolved 2023 Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, CS, and Comunes) Chile We Can Do More (Chile Podemos Más) or ChP+ (coalition includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI) Christian Democratic Party or PDC Common Sense Party or SC Commons (Comunes) Communist Party of Chile or PCCh Democratic Revolution or RD Democrats or PD Equality Party or PI Green Ecological Party or PEV (dissolved 7 February 2022) Green Popular Alliance or AVP Humanist Action Party or PAH Humanist Party or PH Independent Democratic Union or UDI Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL National Libertarian Party or PNL National Renewal or RN New Social Pact or NPS (includes PDC, PL, PPD, PRSD, PS) Party for Democracy or PPD Party of the People or PDG Political Evolution or EVOPOLI Popular Party or PP Progressive Homeland Party or PRO Radical Party or PR Republican Party or PLR Social Christian Party or PSC Social Convergence or CS Social Green Regionalist Federation or FREVS Socialist Party or PS Yellow Movement for Chile or AMAR

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

grapes, milk, apples, wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken, maize, sugar beets, pork (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$85.024 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$77.003 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$26.656 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$10.497 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$4.853 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

export-driven economy; leading copper producer; though hit by COVID-19, fairly quick rebound from increased liquidity and rapid vaccine rollouts; decreasing poverty but still lingering inequality; public debt rising but still manageable; recent political violence has had negative economic consequences

Exchange rates

Currency

Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

792.727 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

758.955 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

873.314 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

840.067 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

943.572 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$107.039 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$103.256 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$111.123 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper ore, refined copper, fish, carbonates, pitted fruits (2023)

Exports - partners

China 39%, USA 16%, Japan 7%, S. Korea 6%, Brazil 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

33.7% (2024 est.)

government consumption

15.1% (2024 est.)

household consumption

58.1% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-30.1% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.5% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.9% (2024 est.)

industry

30.1% (2024 est.)

services

56.1% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$330.267 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

43 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.5% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.3% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$118.928 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$100.082 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$99.239 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, garments, trucks (2023)

Imports - partners

China 23%, USA 20%, Brazil 10%, Argentina 7%, Germany 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2024 est.)

Industries

copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.6% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

7.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

4.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

10.088 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

6.5% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

21% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$578.173 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$581.187 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$596.556 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.2% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$29,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$29,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$30,200 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$39.102 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$46.377 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$44.403 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

8.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

9.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

9.1% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

24.9% (2024 est.)

male

20.3% (2024 est.)

total

22.3% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

8.087 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

63,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

7.589 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

474,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1.181 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

83.295 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

39.238 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.384 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

35.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal

0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

26.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

20.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

10.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

71.42 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

6.5 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

39.009 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

5.196 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

1.362 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

97.976 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

150 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

404,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23 (2023 est.)

total

4.52 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

national and local terrestrial TV channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising and is not under direct government control; large number of privately owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations

Internet country code

.cl

Internet users

percent of population

95% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

1.74 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

26.2 million (2024 est.)

Airports

379 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CC

Heliports

115 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 3, container ship 5, general cargo 66, oil tanker 14, other 161

total

249 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Antofagasta, Bahia de Valdivia, Bahia de Valparaiso, Coronel, Iquique, Mejillones, Puerto Montt, Puerto San Antonio, Rada de Arica, Rada Punta Arenas, Talcahuano, Tocopilla

large

0

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

25

small

10

total ports

39 (2024)

very small

27

Railways

broad gauge

3,428 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge (1,691 km electrified)

narrow gauge

3,853.5 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

7,281.5 km (2014)

Military - note

the Chilean military's responsibilities are territorial defense, ensuring the country’s sovereignty, assisting with disaster and humanitarian relief, and providing some internal security duties such as border security or maintaining public order if required; a key focus in recent years has been assisting with securing the border area with Bolivia and Peru; it trains regularly and participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, as well as international peacekeeping operations  Chile and Argentina have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of air, ground, and naval components, as well as a combined logistics support unit the Chilean Army was founded in 1810, but traces its origins back to the Army of the Kingdom of Chile, which was established by the Spanish Crown in the early 1600s; Chile's military aviation was inaugurated in 1913 with the creation of a military aviation school; the Navy traces its origins to 1817; it was first led by a British officer and the first ships were largely crewed by American, British, and Irish sailors; by the 1880s, the Chilean Navy was one of the most powerful in the Americas, and included the world’s first protected cruiser (a ship with an armored deck to protect vital machine spaces) (2025)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes Marine Corps and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate or Directemar), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 70,000 active Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Chilean military's inventory is comprised of a mix of mostly older foreign supplied armaments and some domestically produced weapons systems; significant foreign suppliers have included Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US; Chile's defense industry is active in the production of military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 for voluntary military service for men and women (17 for men with parental permission); selective compulsory service for men 18-24 (there are usually enough volunteers to make compulsory service unnecessary); service obligation is a maximum of 24 months  (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

8,323 (2024 est.)

refugees

15,788 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

1,688 (2024 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

14.773 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

12.781 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

55.504 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

83.058 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; noise pollution; improper garbage disposal; soil degradation; widespread deforestation; pollution and ecosystem degradation from mining; wildlife conservation

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Kutralkura (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

1

International environmental agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

18.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

923.06 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

29.42 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.66 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

1.29 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

6.517 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

1% (2022 est.)