Chile

Chile is a very long and thin country on the western coast of South America. It stretches over 2,600 miles from north to south. Chile has deserts, mountains, forests, and glaciers. It is one of the most interesting shaped countries in the world.

Land and People

About 19 million people live in Chile. The capital is Santiago. The Atacama Desert in the north is the driest place on Earth. The Andes Mountains run along Chile's eastern border. In the south there are fjords and ice fields.

Head of a very old mummy from northern Chile.
Head of a very old mummy from northern Chile. (Pablo Trincado / Wikimedia Commons)

Culture and Fun Facts

Chileans enjoy seafood, empanadas, and a grape drink called chicha. Soccer is the most popular sport. Chile also owns Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, where giant stone heads called moai stand guard.

Fun Facts

  • Chile is so long that if you tipped it on its side, it would stretch across the United States.
  • The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest place on Earth.
  • Chile owns Easter Island, home to nearly 900 giant stone statues.

Did You Know?

Some parts of Chile's Atacama Desert have not had rain in hundreds of years. Scientists use it to test equipment for Mars missions because the land looks so much like the surface of Mars.