Chile is a South American country located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It has a long Pacific coastline and over 1,500 active volcanoes. Spanish is the primary language and Catholicism is the dominant religion. Most Chileans live in the capital city of Santiago, and Chile has one of the largest deserts in the world, the Atacama Desert. Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago in 1541 and is considered Chile's first national hero.