Which oceans does the Chilean coastline open onto?
Chile's coastline opens only onto the Pacific Ocean. This maritime front of over 4,300 kilometers gives Chile ownership of numerous South Pacific archipelagos.
An exclusively Pacific-facing coastline
Chile has a coastline that is entirely oriented towards the Pacific Ocean. This exceptional shoreline extends over 4,300 kilometers from north to south, making the country one of the nations with the greatest coast-to-area ratio in the world.
Chilean archipelagos of the Pacific
This geographical position grants Chile sovereignty over several strategic archipelagos:
- The Juan Fernández Archipelago: located 670 km from the continental coasts
- Easter Island (Rapa Nui): 3,700 km out in the Pacific
- The Diego Ramírez Islands: the most southerly of Chilean territory
- The Chonos Archipelago and the Guaitecas Islands in Patagonia
Key points
Unlike other South American countries such as Argentina or Brazil, Chile has no access to the Atlantic Ocean, its geography being entirely oriented towards the west and the Pacific.