Indigenous peoples in Chile

Indigenous peoples in Chile (Spanish: Chilenos indígenas) or Native Chileans (Spanish: Chilenos nativos), are Chileans who have predominant or total Amerindian or Rapa Nui ancestry. According to the 2024 census, 2,105,863 people declare having Indigenous origins, representing 11.5% of the total population. Most Chileans are of partially Indigenous descent; however, Indigenous identification and its legal ramifications are typically reserved to those who self-identify with and are accepted within one or more Indigenous groups.

Human presence in Chilean territory can be documented from at least 14,500 BCE, based on archaeological remains found at Monte Verde in the southern part of the country. From that time onward, diverse societies inhabited the territory during the pre-Columbian period, and it is estimated that more than one million people lived in the area prior to the Spanish conquest of Chile.

European colonization had a devastating impact on the Indigenous population, which experienced a drastic decline due to introduced diseases, wars, forced labor, and harsh living conditions. In addition, many survivors were compelled to abandon their cultures and assimilate into the dominant society. Some peoples disappeared entirely.

From the 19th century onward, the Chilean state implemented policies that deepened Indigenous dispossession, such as the Occupation of Araucanía and the creation of Indigenous reservations (reducciones), which severely restricted access to ancestral lands. The Informe de Verdad Histórica y Nuevo Trato (2003) acknowledged this historical debt and recommended reparative measures, including the recognition of collective rights over land and natural resources, as well as Indigenous political participation.

Despite this historical background, Indigenous peoples maintain a significant presence in Chile. Since 1993, the state has officially recognized 11 Indigenous peoples. The Mapuche, with their traditional lands in south-central Chile, account for approximately 80% of the total Indigenous population. There are also small populations of Aymara, Quechua, Atacameño, Qulla (Kolla), Diaguita, Yahgan (Yámana), Rapa Nui and Kawésqar (Alacalufe) people in other parts of the country, as well as many other groups such as Caucahue, Chango, Picunche, Chono, Tehuelche, Cunco and Selkʼnam.

Indigenous peoples in Chile face various forms of racial and social discrimination, as well as higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy compared with the rest of the population. Their demands include constitutional recognition, respect for territorial rights, and progress toward forms of autonomy and self-determination.