La Estrella Solitaria or The Lone Star is the proud symbol on the Chilean flag. Approximately 18 million people live in the República de Chile which stretches about 4,000 miles along the Pacific Ocean. After being ruled by Spain from 1540 until its independence in 1818, the country experienced some challenging governments until their transition to democracy in 1990. Today it enjoys one of the best economies and living standards in Latin America.
