Which country controls Easter Island?

Chile controls Easter Island, also called Rapa Nui or Isla de Pascua. The remote Polynesian island is administered as part of Chile’s Valparaíso Region in the southeastern Pacific Ocean.

Chile annexed Easter Island in 1888 after negotiations involving Chilean naval officer Policarpo Toro and local authorities. The island had previously been governed by its own Polynesian chiefly system and is often described as the Kingdom of Rapa Nui in historical accounts. Its famous moai statues were created by the Rapa Nui people centuries before Chilean control.

The island’s political relationship with Chile has a complicated history. Rapa Nui residents received Chilean citizenship in 1966, after decades during which much of the island was operated as a sheep ranch and residents faced severe restrictions on movement. In 2007, Chile granted Easter Island constitutional status as a special territory.

The island is still Chilean territory, but Rapa Nui cultural identity, land rights, heritage protection, and self-government remain important local issues.