Easter Island is not an independent country; it is a territory of Chile, located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean within Polynesia.

What country is Easter Island in?

  • Easter Island (Rapa Nui / Isla de Pascua) is a Chilean island, annexed by Chile in 1888.
  • Politically, it is a Chilean dependency and administratively part of Chileā€™s ValparaĆ­so Region as a single commune (Isla de Pascua).

Where is Easter Island located?

  • Easter Island sits in the South Pacific Ocean, at the eastern edge of Polynesia, making it one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world.
  • It lies roughly 3,500ā€“3,800 km west of mainland Chile, which is why it is often described as ā€œin the middle of nowhere.ā€

Political vs geographic identity

  • Geographically, Easter Island belongs to Oceania/Polynesia, but politically it is considered part of South America because it is governed by Chile.
  • Chile is sometimes described as a tricontinental state because of its territories in South America, Antarctica, and Oceania, with Easter Island as its westernmost territory.

Quick facts about Easter Island

  • Local/indigenous name: Rapa Nui; Spanish name: Isla de Pascua.
  • Population is around 7,700 people, most living in the main town Hanga Roa on the western coast.
  • The island is worldā€‘famous for its moai, the large stone statues carved by the Rapa Nui people.

Simple answer

  • If a form asks ā€œEaster Island country?ā€, the correct answer to fill in is Chile.