Chile is located on the western edge of South America between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It has a population of around 17 million people who are predominantly Roman Catholic. Chile gained independence from Spain in the 19th century through a civil war and later expanded its territory through wars with Peru and Bolivia. The country experienced periods of political instability and a military dictatorship in the 1970s before transitioning to a democratic government in the 1990s.