Chilean Antarctic Territory
The Chilean Antarctic Territory, or Chilean Antarctica, is a part of West Antarctica and nearby islands claimed by Chile. It comprises the region south of 60°S latitude and between longitudes 53°W and 90°W, partially overlapping the Antarctic claims of Argentina and of the United Kingdom. It constitutes the Antártica commune of Chile.
Commemorative stamp of the Chilean Antarctic declaration of 1940
Gabriel González Videla inaugurating the Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme in Antarctica in 1948
Night view of Villa Las Estrellas, the only civil settlement
Penguins near President Gabriel González Videla Base (1957)
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. With an area of 756,102 square kilometers (291,933 sq mi) and a population of 17.5 million as of 2017, Chile shares borders with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south. The country also controls several Pacific islands, including Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island, and claims about 1,250,000 square kilometers (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica as the Chilean Antarctic Territory. The capital and largest city of Chile is Santiago, and the national language is Spanish.
The Chinchorro mummies, the oldest of which are from around 5050 BCE.
Pedro Lira's 1888 painting of the founding of Santiago by Pedro de Valdivia at Huelén Hill.
Generals José de San Martín (left) and Bernardo O'Higgins (right) during the crossing of the Andes.
Painting of Diego Portales. The Constitution of 1833 has been seen as the embodiement of the "Portalian thought".