Chile Facts & Information

Location	Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Climate	Temperate, desert in north, Mediterranean in central region, cool and damp in south
Terrain	Low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east
Population	15,980,912
Nationality	Chilean
Ethnic groups	White 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Religions	Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%
Languages	Spanish
Government Type	Republic
Capital	Santiago
Currency	Chilean peso (CLP)
Description of Flag	Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the US flag
Chile Flag

More Information
 www.cia.gov