Chile Economy 2026: GDP, Growth Rate & World Ranking

Chile has the 44th-largest nominal GDP of the 189 economies SOTW covers for 2026: $402.24 billion (IMF projection). It sits just behind Czechia ($427.95 billion) and ahead of Peru ($399.59 billion). The IMF projects real GDP growth of 0.6% and inflation of 3.7% for 2026. Chile's population was 19.9 million in 2025.

Nominal GDP: $402.24B; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); current US dollars; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
402243000000 current US dollars
Real GDP growth: 0.6%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); annual percent change in real GDP; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
0.6 annual percent change in real GDP
Inflation (annual-average CPI): 3.7%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); annual percent change in average consumer prices; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
3.7 annual percent change in average consumer prices
Unemployment: 9.5%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); percent of labor force; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
9.5 percent of labor force
GDP per person: $19,961; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); current US dollars per person; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
19961.495 current US dollars per person
Population: 19.9M; Reference year 2025; people; World Bank (World Development Indicators); Series and history →; Unrounded value
19859921 people
General government gross debt: 42.8%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); percent of GDP; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
42.8 percent of GDP
Life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years; Reference year 2024; years; World Bank (World Development Indicators); Series and history →; Unrounded value
81.359 years

IMF projection: a forecast from the IMF World Economic Outlook, revised at each release, not a measured value.

About these figures

Each figure keeps its own year, unit and source, shown on its card. Missing values are not zero: a card that says Not reported has no figure for this economy.

IMF figures for the current year and later are projections from the World Economic Outlook and change with each edition. Earlier IMF years can still be estimates. Some economies report on a fiscal year rather than a calendar year, and the source data do not record each country-specific fiscal-year mapping, so the same year label may not cover the same twelve months everywhere.

The GDP rank compares economies with a positive IMF figure for the same year; older figures and regional aggregates are not ranked. Nominal GDP is in US dollars at market exchange rates. GDP per person is output per person, not a typical income. General government gross debt covers every level of government, so it is broader than central-government debt.

Population follows the World Bank's midyear-estimate definition. Open a card's Unrounded value for the full figure, or its series link for the history.

Chile Economic Overview

Chile has been Latin America's economic success story: the region's highest GDP per capita at $19,961 in 2026 (IMF projection), the strongest institutional framework, and the only South American member of the OECD. The economy is built on copper — Chile produces roughly 25% of the world's copper, and the state mining company Codelco is the largest copper producer on Earth. The Atacama Desert also holds the world's largest lithium reserves, positioning Chile at the center of the battery and EV revolution.

Chile's open-market model — the "Chicago Boys" reforms of the 1970s-80s, later refined with social protections — delivered decades of steady growth and poverty reduction. The country has free trade agreements with over 65 nations, the most extensive FTA network of any country. Its pension system (AFP) was a pioneering private system that has since faced criticism for low payouts, prompting reform debates. Chile's fiscal rule — saving copper windfalls in a sovereign wealth fund — has provided stability through commodity cycles.

Challenges include high inequality (which sparked massive protests in 2019), copper dependence, water scarcity in mining regions, and the need to diversify into higher-value industries. Life expectancy at 81.4 years in 2024 is the highest in Latin America. Chile's wine, salmon, and fruit exports have diversified the economy beyond mining, and Santiago is emerging as a regional tech hub.

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Questions about Chile's figures

What is Chile's nominal GDP for 2026?

Chile's nominal GDP is $402.24B (current US dollars; reference year 2026, an IMF projection). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook). Rank 44 among 189 covered IMF economies for reference year 2026.

What is Chile's real GDP growth for 2026?

Chile's real GDP growth is 0.6% (annual percent change in real GDP; reference year 2026, an IMF projection). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook).

What is Chile's population for 2025?

Chile's population is 19.9M (people; reference year 2025). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators). The World Bank definition describes midyear population estimates.

What is Chile's life expectancy at birth for 2024?

Chile's life expectancy at birth is 81.4 years (years; reference year 2024). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators).