Chile: 10 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know

Chile is bordered by Argentina to the East, Bolivia to the North East and Peru to the North. It’s only one 2 countries on the South American continent that are not bordered by Brazil. They played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and were knocked out of the tournament. There’s much more to Chile than just football though.

Here are 10 Interesting facts about Chile you might not have known

1. Chile declared independence from Spain in 1818 but was only recognized as a country in 1844.

2. Spanish is the only Chilean official language.

3. An estimated 17 million people live in the country (according the 2017 Sensus).

4. Although Ferdinand Magellan passed the region in 1520 the conquest of the region only started in 1540 by the Spanish.

5. Gabriel Boric is the current president of the country. He has been in office since March 2022.

6. The country’s coastline stretches 2,700 miles long, running from the Atacama (the world’s most arid desert) in the North, through forests, valleys, mountains, lakes, glacier fields, the Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic Circle in the South. The country is never more than 110 miles wide East to West.

7. There are more than 2,000 volcanoes in the country, of which 50 are actually active.

8. David Selkirk, immortalized as Robinson Crusoe, survived a shipwreck and lived for several years on a desert island off the coast of the country, no doubt thriving on the nutritional benefits of fresh fruit.

9. Santiago is the country’s capital and also the largest city in the country with an estimated population of 6.2 million people. Santiago was founded in 1541 by the Spanish.

10. The highest point in the country is Ojos del Salado in the Atacama Region, 6,893 meters (22,614 feet).

Well, there you have it, 10 facts you might not have known about Chile. If I left out something important, feel free to comment below.

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