Chile: Introduction

Chile is a country in South America that borders the South Pacific Sea. Neighboring countries include Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Chile has a strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans including the Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, and Drake Passage. Chile occupies a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and thus the geography is varied. The government system is a republic. The chief of state and head of government is the President. Chile has a market-oriented economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. Chile is a member of Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Latin American Integration Association (LAIA).