Economists/ Entrepreneurs

• Eduardo Aninat - finance minister during Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle presidential period. Former Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (1999-2003)
• Hernán Büchi - Columbia University trained economist. Minister of Economy during Pinochet government. The father of the country's economic miracle
• Ricardo Caballero - MIT professor, Department of Economics
• Sebastián Edwards - UCLA professor, former World Bank officer (1993-1996), prolific author and media personality
• Alejandro Foxley - Chile's first Finance Minister after the return of democracy in 1990 and an engineer of the country's economic miracle during democracy; current Foreign Affairs minister
• Óscar Landerretche - University of Oxford D. Phil (PhD), former CEO of the Chilean Development Agency, CORFO, and former Minister of Energy during Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle presidential period
• Manfred Max Neef - Alternative Nobel Prize winner, presidential candidate, member of the Club of Rome, former president of the Universidad Austral
• José Piñera - implemented the privatization of the Chilean pension system under Pinochet
• Andrés Velasco - Sumitomo Professor of International Finance and Development in the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; current Finance Minister
• Nicolás Eyzaguirre - former Finance Minister
• Waleska Daroch - University of Santo Tomas Direct Equity Mortgage, USA. Founder of the Colo-Colo Basketball, Chile, along with the first Colo-Colo Chilean Soccer Academy for Children.
• Felix Senerman

Filmmakers

• Alejandro Amenábar - Chilean/Spanish director (Tesis (or Snuff), Abre los ojos, The Others, Mar Adentro)
• Silvio Caiozzi - (Julio Begins in July, The Moon in the Mirror, Coronation)
• Alberto Fuguet - Chilean/American director
• Patricio Guzmán - documentarian (The Battle of Chile)
• Ricardo Larraín - (The Frontier, Enthusiasm)
• Miguel Littin - (Jackal of Nahueltoro, Sandino, Tierra del Fuego)
• Alejandro Jodorowsky - Director (The Holy Mountain, El Topo, Santa Sangre), actor, and writer
• Raúl (Raoul) Ruiz - (Palomita Blanca, Genealogies of a Crime, Time Regained) resides in France
• Alexander Witt - director (Resident Evil: Apocalypse)
• Andrés Wood - (Machuca)
• Jorge López Sotomayor - (El Último Grumete de la Baquedano, XS, la peor talla)
• Germán A. Cornejo - Public television mogul.
• Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez - Iraqi/Chilean film director (The Path (El Camino))

Heads of State

(See President of Chile.)

Military

• José Miguel Carrera - Independentist leader of the Patria Vieja.
• Caupolicán - leader of the Mapuche who fiercely resisted the Spanish conquest of Chile
• Manuel Contreras - head of Augusto Pinochet's National Intelligence Directorate (DINA)
• Manuel Rodríguez - Independentist leader and guerrilla leader during the Reconquista.
• Lautaro - Mapuche indigenous military leader during the Spanish conquest of Chile.
• Bernardo O'Higgins - founder of modern Chile, Fatherland's Father and Liberator
• Augusto Pinochet - military ruler from 1973 to 1990
• Carlos Condell - captain of the Covadonga ship at the Iquique Naval Combat.
• Ignacio Carrera Pinto - Captain in charge of the Chilean patrol who died in Battle of La Concepción.
• Arturo Prat - captain of the Esmeralda ship at the Iquique Naval Combat; regarded as national hero.
• Juan MacKenna - Irish born organizer of O'Higgins's Army.
• Patricio Lynch - Governor of Lima during the Chilean occupation of Lima, Perú, during the War of the Pacific.
• Manuel Baquedano - General of the Chilean Forces during the War of the Pacific.
• Eleuterio Ramírez - officer, hero of the War of the Pacific.
• José Ignacio Zenteno - Lieutenant Colonel of the Army of the Andes, Minister of War and Marine in the O'Higgins government
• Rafael Sotomayor - War minister during most of the War of the Pacific. Although a civilian, designed the Chilean strategy for most of the war.

Musicians

• Inti Illimani - Pioneers of the nueva canción chilena movement and pro-democracy activists in exile during Pinochet dictatorship.
• Claudia Acuña - Latin jazz singer.
• Tom Araya - singer/bassist for thrash metal band Slayer.
• Claudio Arrau - classical piano player.
• Roberto Bravo (pianist) - classical piano player.
• Germán Casas - 1960s singer.
• Beto Cuevas - lead singer from rock group La Ley
• Tito Fernández - folklorist; known as El Temucano.
• Luis 'Lucho' Gatica - bolero singer.
• Eduardo Gatti - one of the leading composers of modern Chilean music.
• Jorge González - lead singer and song writer of historic Chilean rock band Los Prisioneros
• Alberto Guerrero - Chilean–Canadian composer, pianist, and teacher
• Rodrigo González - Bassist and Singer of the German band die Ärzte.
• Alejandro Guarello - music composer, born in 1951.
• Myriam Hernández - popular music singer.
• DJ Méndez - Rap singer (resides in Sweden).
• Peter Mociulski - rock and roll music singer better known as Peter Rock
• Ángel Parra - folk musician (Nueva Canción); son of Violeta Parra.
• Isabel Parra - folk musician; daughter of Violeta Parra.
• Javiera Parra - lead singer from group Javiera y los Imposibles.
• Violeta Parra - internationally known Chilean folk singer.
• Quilapayún - nueva canción ensemble, supporters of Popular Unity (UP) coalition during presidency of Salvador Allende.
• Víctor Jara - internationally known Chilean folk singer and theatrical director, murdered by Pinochet dictatorship.
• Palmenia Pizarro - bolero singer (resides in Mexico).
• Alberto Plaza - romantic ballad singer-songwriter.
• Alejandro Silva - heavy metal guitar player.
• Verónica Villarroel - soprano.
• Ramón Vinay - tenor.
• Gianina Ramos - soprano.
• Ricardo Villalobos - minimal techno artist
• claude roubillie - Instrumental electronica artist
• Dj raff - Rafael Pérez - Hip hop artist, Rapper,Turntablelist, Producer,and a Song Writer

Performers

• Felipe Blits - actor and singer
• Tamara Acosta - actress
• Patricio Contreras - actor
• Daniel Emilfork - actor
• Cristián de la Fuente - actor, model
• Jorge Garcia - actor, comedian(Lost)
• Malú Gatica - actress and singer
• Gloria Münchmeyer - actress (The Moon in the Mirror)
• Horatio Sanz - comedian, actor, (SNL)
• Leonor Varela - actress (Blade II, The Man in the Iron Mask, Cleopatra)
• Cote de Pablo - actress (NCIS)
• Santiago Cabrera - actor (Heroes)
• -actor ("{{Acorralada(TV series)","")

Artists

• Jaime Bendersky - magic-realism painter and architect (1922-1997)
• Claudio Bravo - hyper-realism painter (1936- ?)
• Miguel Venegas - painter. Called "El Maestro" (the Master)
• José Balmes - painter (1927- ?)
• Benito Rojo - painter
• Cristián Abelli - Chilean painter
• Mario Carreño - Cuban born Chilean painter
• Carlos Catasse - painter
• Marta Colvin - sculptor
• Ana Cortes - painter
• Augusto Eguiluz - painter
• Gregorio de la Fuente - painter (1875-1964)
• Roberto Humeras - painter
• Fernando Ibarra - painter
• Pedro Lobos - painter
• Enrique Lopez - painter
• Roberto Matta - painter, sculptor
• Camilo Mori - painter
• Enriqueta Petit - painter
• Carlos Sotomayor - Cubist painter
• Pablo Vidor - painter
• Pedro Lira - painter (1845-1912)
• Nemésio Antúnez - painter (1918-1993)
• Samy Benmayor - painter
• Hector Caceras - painter
• Pablo Burchard - German born Chilean painter (1875-1964)
• Juan Egenau - sculptor (1927-1987)
• Thomas Sommerscales - English born Chilean painter (1842-1927)

Poets

• Vicente Huidobro - father of the "Creationism" movement in Paris
• Enrique Lihn-
• Gabriela Mistral - winner of the Nobel prize for literature
• Pablo Neruda - winner of the Nobel prize for literature
• Nicanor Parra - self-proclaimed anti-poet
• Gonzalo Rojas - 2004 Cervantes Prize winner
• Pablo de Rokha-
• Jorge Teillier-

Politicians

• Salvador Allende Gossens - Socialist and marxist president, senator, and doctor who died during the military coup of September 11, 1973
• Clodomiro Almeyda - socialist politician
• Soledad Alvear - former Justice minister and Foreign minister; current PDC senator
• Carlos Dávila - former Secretary General of the Organization of American States
• Florencio Durán - former president of the senate
• Fernando Flores - Former socialist politician; current Independent senator
• Sergio Fernández - right wing politician during the Pinochet regime.
• Jaime Guzmán - right wing politician during the Pinochet regime, murdered by Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front on April 1, 1991.
• Tomás Hirsch - former president of the Humanist Party of Chile and 2005 candidate for president
• Carlos Keller- Former Leader of the National Socialist Movement of Chile, responsible for the organization of the Seguro Obrero Massacre.
• José Miguel Insulza - former Interior minister; current Secretary General of the Organization of American States
• Joaquín Lavín - Independent Democratic Union candidate for presidency in 2005 election
• Orlando Letelier - Foreign Minister during Salvador Allende's government murdered during the Pinochet regime in Washington D.C.
• Gladys Marín - communist leader, feminist activistm, victim of repression during Pinochet dictatorship.
• Diego Portales - Minister, major designer of the Chilean State during the first half of 19th century
• Sebastián Piñera - businessman and politician; National Renewal candidate for presidency in 2005
• Laura Rodríguez - first Humanist Party deputy in the world
• Adolfo Zaldívar - Independent senator, former leader of the PDC.
• Andrés Zaldívar - ex PDC senator, brother to Adolfo

Religious figures

• Monseñor Enrique Alvear Urrutia (1916 - 1982). Serve of God. Called "The bishop of the poor people".
• Rev. Juan B. Canut de Bon - Methodist Missionary.
• Saint Teresa de los Andes - first Chilean saint
• Saint Alberto Hurtado - second Chilean saint (1901 - 1952)
• Blessed Laura Vicuña
• Fray Camilo Henríquez - founder of the first newspaper in Chile.
• Mario Hiriart - (1931 - 1964). Serve of God. Engineering Professor at Pontifice Catholic University of Chile.
• Monseñor José Ignacio Cienfuegos - Catholic Bishop from Talca who led the Chilean independence movement in 1810.
• José María Caro - first Chilean cardinal
• Raúl Silva Henríquez - second Chilean cardinal born in Talca; a human rights advocate.
• Juan Francisco Fresno - third Chilean cardinal
• Francisco Javier Errázuriz - fourth Chilean cardinal
• Jorge Medina Estévez - fifth Chilean cardinal; a conservative figure.
• Rev. Neftali Aravena Bravo - First Protestant Chaplain appointed to La Moneda (The State House), Methodist.

Sports

• Marlene Ahrens - athlete; Olympic silver medalist
• Luis Ayala - tennis player; twice French Open finalist
• Carlos Caszely - football player.
• Patricio Cornejo - tennis player, 1976 Davis Cup Finalist
• Carlo de Gavardo - KTM rally motorcyclist.
• Elías Figueroa - football player; three times elected as Best Football Player of America
• Jaime Fillol - tennis player, 1976 Davis Cup finalist
• Arturo Godoy - boxer, fought Joe Louis twice for the World Heavyweight title
• Fernando González - tennis player; only Chilean to win Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the Summer Olympics.
• Alberto Larraguibel - horserider, record for Puissance (high-jump) on Horseback.
• Sergio Sapo Livingstone - Chilean football goalkeeper
• Ana Lizana - tennis player; 1937 US Open champion
• Nicolás Massú - tennis player; two-time Olympic gold medalist.
• Iván Morovic - chess International Grandmaster
• Érika Olivera - athlete; gold medal winner in women's marathon at the 1999 Pan American Games
• Marcelo Ríos - first Latin American man to become world number-one tennis player.
• Marcelo Salas - football player. Holds the record for most goals playing for the national team. Won titles with every team where he played.
• Eliseo Salazar - race car driver. Competed in Formula 1 intermittently from 1980-1982, moved to Champ Car and the Indy Racing League
• Leonel Sánchez - football player, 1962 World Cup top scorer.
• José Santos - jockey, winner of US Triple Crown
• Martín Vargas - Boxer, arguably the most famous boxer in Chile's history
• Iván Zamorano - football player.
• Cristian Bustos - triathlete; He achieved the second place on 1992 Hawaii Ironman World Championship.

Scientists

• Ricardo Baeza-Yates - computer scientist
• Claudio Bunster - Physicist
• Erik Bongcam-Rudloff - bioinformatician
• Eric Goles - mathematician
• Humberto Maturana - biologist, co-author of the theory of Autopoiesis
• Francisco Varela - biologist, co-author of the theory of Autopoiesis.

Television personalities

• Cecilia Bolocco - Former Miss Universe, TV host
• Gonzálo Cáceres - anchor man for Spanish Language News Deutsche Welle
• Mario Kreutzberger (Don Francisco) - Host of television show Sábado Gigante
• Lucia Newman - former CNN senior correspondent; Al-Jazeera reporter
• Antonio Vodanovic - former Viña del Mar International Song Festival host

Writers

• Isabel Allende - novelist (The House of Spirits)
• Roberto Ampuero - novelist (Cayetano Brulé series)
• Roberto Bolaño - novelist (The Savage Detectives)
• Francisco Coloane - (Tierra del fuego)
• José Donoso - (Coronation)
• Ariel Dorfman - novelist, playwright (Death and the Maiden), academic, essayist, journalist and human rights activist
• Jorge Edwards - 1999 Cervantes Prize winner
• Alberto Fuguet - novelist, short story writer Mala Onda, Las películas de mi vida, and filmmaker Se Arrienda
• Alberto Blest Gana - novelist
• Vicente Huidobro - poet
• Cristián Huneeus - writer
• Enrique Lafourcade - novelist
• Hernán Rivera Letelier - novelist (Santa María de las Flores Negras, La Reina Isabel Cantaba Rancheras), poet and writer of short stories.
• Gabriela Mistral - poetry, first Latin American Nobel Prize winner in literature.
• Pablo Neruda - poet, Nobel Prize winner in literature, often considered the greatest of all Spanish-language poets.
• Antonio Skármeta - author of Ardiente Paciencia ("Burning Patience") which inspired the movie Il Postino (The Postman) about poet Pablo Neruda.
• Luis Sepúlveda - novelist
• Sergio Vodanović - playwright

Architects

• Alejandro Aravena
• Borja Huidobro
• Fernando Castillo Velasco
• Alberto Cruz Covarrubias - founder of the avant garde "Amereida" movement and of the School of Architecture of the Catholic University of Valparaíso
• Emilio Duhart - designer of the United Nations' ECLAC building, in Vitacura, a masterpiece of modern architecture
• Guillermo Jullian de la Fuente
• Susana A. Herrera Quezada‎
• Joaquín Toesca - designer of the presidential house "La Moneda", in Santiago

Others

• Agustin Huneeus - respected vintner that was a pioneer in Chile and was awarded the Wine Spectator's Service Award, their highest honor.
• Carlos Kaiser - former National Director of de National Found of Disabilities
• Claudio Grossman - chairman of the Human Rights Interamerican Court
• Themo Lobos - comic artist
• Rene Ríos Boettiger (Pepo) - comic artist (Condorito)
• Juan Somavia - Director-General of the International Labour Organization
• Arturo Valenzuela - former White House adviser to President Clinton
• José Miguel Vivanco - executive director, Human Rights Watch Americas Division (Latin America and the Caribbean)
• Andrónico Luksic - chairman of Quiñenco Holdings, which owns Banco de Chile, Antofagasta Minerals, one of the largest Chilean financial groups.
• Ricardo Claro - lawyer and businessman, link to Megavisión, a TV station, Claro & Cia, law firm, and Compañía Sudamericana de Vapores, a shipping line.
• Catalina de los Rios y Lisperguer, La Quintrala, aristocratic and sadistic landowner and witch during the Colonial Period.

See also

• List of people by nationality