South American republic; capital Santiago (5)

I believe the answer is:

chile

(Other definitions for chile that I've seen before include "Long narrow country" , "South American country" , "Long, thin country" , "Country of S. America" , "Most southerly American country" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.