Independence Day in Chile

September 18 is Independence Day in the Republic of Chile, the day that commemorates that country’s independence from Spain in 1810. Chile is a long, sliver of a country, bounded by the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It has more than 1000 miles of coastline, but a total area less than the size of Montana.

Chile is home to more than 16 million residents, over half of which live in the capital, Santiago (pictured above).

^{(photo © Victor San Martin/cc license)}