Located in western South America lies the nation of Chile. Stretching along a small strip of territory between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it is the world’s southernmost country and the closest to Antarctica. According to the most recent census, Chile has 17.5 million people living there. Its total area is 756,102 square kilometers, or 291,933 square miles. Chile shares borders with Argentina to the east, Bolivia to the northeast, Peru to the north, and the Drake Passage to the south. Along with controlling a number of Pacific islands like Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island, the nation also claims the Chilean Antarctic Territory, which encompasses over 1,250,000 square kilometers (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica. Chile’s largest city and capital is Santiago, and the national language is Spanish.