Chile Population

After 17 years of dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet, democracy was reintroduced in Chile in 1990. Ever since the colonial era, copper exports have played a key role in the country’s economy, which is among the most stable and competitive in Latin America.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Santiago
• Ethnic groups: European and European-Native American origin (mestis) 88.9%, mapucher 9.1%, aymara 0.7 other indigenous people 1%, other 0.3% (2012)
• Language: Spanish (official) 99.5%, English 10.2%, different languages ​​among national minorities 1%, other 2.5% (2012) Together make up more than 100% as several of the citizens speak more than one language
• Religion: Catholics 66.7%, evangelical Christians or Protestants 16.4%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1% others 3.4%, non-religious 11.5%, unspecified 1.1 (2012)
• Population: 18 197 209 (2017)
• Control Form: Republic
• Area: 756 096 Km2
• Currency: Chilean peso
• GNP per capita: 23 194 PPP $
• National Day: September 18th

Chile’s Population

Chile has 17 373 831 residents, according to the preliminary figures from the census in 2017. The country had an annual population growth of 0.8 percent in 2016, down from 1.2 percent in 2000. Life expectancy is 81.5 years for women and 75.5 years for men, which is one of South America’s highest. On average, Chilean women give birth to 2 children (2005), which is a fall from the 1950s, when the average was 5 children. The infant mortality rate is 7.9 per 1000 children born (2005). The age group between 15 and 19 years constitutes the largest part; 1 473 222 residents. The age group from 65 years onwards constitutes 1,390,812 of the residents.

The population density in the country is 22.3 residents per square kilometer (2009). After the debt crisis in 1982, economic development has been strong, especially in the export industries such as the copper, agriculture and fisheries sectors. This development has brought more people to cities.

More than 90 percent of the country’s population lives between Copiapó in the north and Concepción in the south. The northern and southern regions are very sparsely populated. In the capital Santiago, 40 percent of the population lives (5,012,973 residents) and the city has the highest population density; 443.5 residents per square kilometer.

Only 13 percent live in rural areas, that is 2,176,688 residents. The regions with the highest population in the countryside are Maule (33%) and Araucanía (32%), both south of Santiago. Especially since the 1960s there has been a significant move in to the cities, and 87 percent live in cities and towns. Other major cities are (2009): Concepción (1 004 648 residents), Valparaíso (969 846 residents), Antofagasta (360 743 residents), Viña del Mar (291 760 residents) and Temuco (298 575 residents).

The country’s original population was indigenous people. In the south lived firefighters, in the middle parts of Araucans and in the north members of various Aymara people. In the 16th century, the Spaniards came; after 1846 there has been a significant immigration of Germans (especially in the south), British and Italians and others, but not as much as in Argentina and Brazil, for example. In the years 1880-1900 many came from the Balkans, especially Serbs and Croats, to try themselves as gold diggers.

The majority of the population today are miseries (blend of whites and indigenous people). In the lower strata of the population, the proportion of indigenous people dominates, while the population among the upper class is predominantly white. 4.6 percent of the population claim to belong to one of the indigenous groups. The Mapu people are the largest and make up 87.3 percent. Other indigenous groups include alcalufe (0.4%), atacameño (3%), aymara (7%), colla (0.5%), quechua (0.9%), rapa nui(0.7%), yamana (0.2%). The majority of the indigenous people live in the IX region, followed by the capital, X, VIII and I region. Indigenous people living in the countryside make up a larger percentage than the rest of the population (35.2% in total) and indigenous women have on average 1 child more than the rest of the population. The indigenous population is on average younger than the rest of the population and the largest part is between 10 and 40 years.

Population of Chile by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	19,116,090	0.870%	25.7100	63
2019	18,951,927	1.190%	25.4892	62
2018	18,729,049	1.400%	25.1895	62
2017	18,470,328	1.430%	24.8415	62
2016	18,208,957	1.330%	24.4900	61
2015	17,969,242	1.040%	24.1676	62
2010	17,062,425	1.060%	22.9479	60
2005	16,182,610	1.070%	21.7647	61
2000	15,342,242	1.300%	20.6344	61
1995	14,380,755	1.610%	19.3413	57
1990	13,274,512	1.610%	17.8535	54
1985	12,257,125	1.430%	16.4852	55
1980	11,419,237	1.520%	15.3582	54
1975	10,592,196	1.600%	14.2459	53
1970	9,783,023	1.710%	13.1577	54
1965	8,989,510	2.020%	12.0904	53
1960	8,132,879	2.120%	10.9383	54
1955	7,322,541	2.100%	9.8485	53
1950	6,598,413	0.000%	8.8746	56

Major Cities in Chile by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Santiago	4,837,184
2	Puente Alto	510,306
3	Antofagasta	309,721
4	Vina del Mar	294,440
5	Valparaiso	282,337
6	Talcahuano	252,857
7	San Bernardo	249,747
8	Temuco	238,018
9	Iquique	227,388
10	Concepcion	215,302
11	Rancagua	212,584
12	La Pintana	201,067
13	Talca	197,368
14	Arica	185,888
15	Coquimbo	161,206
16	Puerto Montt	159,943
17	La Serena	154,410
18	Chillan	150,285
19	Calama	142,973
20	Osorno	135,662
21	Valdivia	133,308
22	Quilpue	130,152
23	Copiapo	129,169
24	Los Angeles	125,319
25	Punta Arenas	117,319
26	Lo Prado	104,205
27	Curico	102,327
28	Villa Alemana	97,209
29	Coronel	92,829
30	San Antonio	85,540
31	Chiguayante	82,434
32	Ovalle	77,027
33	Linares	69,424
34	Quillota	67,668
35	Penaflor	65,384
36	Melipilla	62,989
37	San Felipe	59,183
38	Los Andes	56,748
39	Buin	55,330
40	Talagante	51,653
41	Lota	49,652
42	Hacienda La Calera	48,995
43	Tome	46,587
44	Penco	45,980
45	Coyhaique	45,676
46	Vallenar	44,784
47	Angol	44,745
48	Rengo	37,989
49	Constitucion	37,806
50	Limache	35,765
51	Santa Cruz	33,172
52	Paine	32,655
53	Villarrica	31,491
54	San Carlos	31,406
55	Cauquenes	31,251
56	Curanilahue	30,500
57	Las Animas	29,889
58	Castro	29,815
59	San Vicente de Tagua Tagua	29,449
60	Lampa	29,139
61	Molina	28,664
62	Ancud	27,909
63	Machali	27,484
64	Pucon	26,842
65	Parral	26,793
66	La Union	26,187
67	Puerto Varas	24,847
68	La Ligua	24,746
69	Arauco	24,548
70	Victoria	24,444
71	Tocopilla	24,349
72	Graneros	23,190
73	El Monte	22,979
74	Illapel	22,705
75	San Vicente	22,461
76	San Javier	22,316
77	Lebu	22,234
78	Mulchen	22,059
79	Quellon	21,712
80	Lautaro	21,468
81	Nacimiento	21,109
82	Canete	20,047
83	Puerto Natales	19,889
84	Nueva Imperial	18,666
85	Cabrero	18,216
86	Diego de Almagro	18,026
87	Chicureo Abajo	17,889
88	Chimbarongo	17,245
89	Puerto Aysen	16,825
90	Cartagena	16,764
91	Llaillay	16,535
92	Laja	16,439
93	Collipulli	16,281
94	Panguipulli	16,201
95	Loncoche	15,479
96	Rio Bueno	15,345
97	Villa Presidente Frei, Nunoa, Santiago, Chile	14,889
98	Traiguen	14,370
99	Monte Patria	13,834
100	Pitrufquen	13,632
101	San Clemente	13,545
102	Purranque	13,508
103	Vicuna	13,385
104	Salamanca	13,154
105	Bulnes	12,604
106	Chonchi	12,461
107	Calbuco	12,379
108	Carahue	11,764
109	Yumbel	11,000
110	Taltal	9,907
111	Vilcun	9,130
112	Rauco	8,455
113	Quirihue	7,889
114	Freire	7,702
115	Coihueco	7,235
116	Teno	6,747
117	Longavi	6,214

Population at work

In 2005, 56.9 percent of the entire population was employed, 73.8 percent of the male population and 40.6 percent of the female population. The unemployment rate for the same year was 9.2 percent, an increase from 7.4 percent in 1995. The female share of the labor force increased by 10.7 percent between 1990 and 2005, while the male part of the population declined by 1, 6 percent. Of the economic sectors, the tertiary industry in relation to workers grew by 43.1 percent between 1992 and 2002, while the primary industry declined by 20.5 percent and the secondary industry by 1.1 percent.

Religion

About 76.8 percent of the population are Catholics. The Protestants make up approximately 13 percent (especially Pentecostal and Lutheran). About 6 percent consider themselves non-religious or atheist. 64.8 percent of indigenous groups consider themselves Catholics. There are also approximately 100,000 Mormons, 15,000 Jews and a few thousand Muslims and Orthodox. About 500,000 confirm having another religion. In Chile, state and church are divided. In the Chilean constitution, freedom of religion is established.

Language

The country’s official language is Spanish. Spanish language in Chile differs from European Spanish in pronunciation, inter alia in that the play sound [þ] is pronounced [s], in the syntax and in the vocabulary. The Chilean dialect is relatively different from neighboring countries because the last syllable and s are often cut. In addition, the Chilean dialect has a number of distinctive words and expressions. There is little difference between the dialects within the country, but there is clear inequality between sociologists from different social strata.

Of the indigenous languages spoken including Mapudungun, Quechua, Aymara and Rapa Nui. After the Spanish conquest of the country, Spanish took over as the official language and the indigenous languages ​​have become minority languages. In southern Chile, German and Croatian are also spoken.