Flag Description

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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 represents the blood spilled to achieve independence

Background:Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the Inca ruled northern Chile while the Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche were brought under central government control. After a series of elected governments, the three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Sound economic policies, 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. In January 2014, Chile assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2014-15 term.

Total Area: 756,102 sq km

Land Area:743,812 sq km

Water Area:12,290 sq km

Land Boundries Total:7,801 km

Border Countries:Argentina 6,691 km, Bolivia 942 km, Peru 168 km

Coastline:6,435 km

Lowest Point:Pacific Ocean 0 m

Highest Point:Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Population:17,363,894 (July 2014 est.)

Population Growth Rate:0.84% (2014 est.)

Religion:Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%, unspecified 1.1% (2012 est.)

Literacy(%):0.986

Literacy(%) Male:0.986

Literacy(%) Female:98.5% (2009 est.)

Independence Day:18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National Holiday:Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

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