Chile

Chile occupies a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The northern desert contains great mineral wealth, principally copper. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes.

It is one of South America's most stable and prosperous nations. It leads Latin American nations in human development, competitiveness, income per capita, globalization, economic freedom, and low perception of corruption. It also ranks high regionally in freedom of the press and democratic development. However, it has a high economic inequality.

Prior to arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while the indigenous Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. Chile declared its independence from Spain on February 12, 1818. In the War of the Pacific, Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its current northern territory. It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche were completely subjugated. Although relatively free of the coups and arbitrary governments that blighted South America, Chile endured the 17-year long military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet that left more than 3,000 people dead or missing.