William Henry Koebel (1872–1923) was an English author and businessman. He is best remembered today for his books on trade and travel within Portugal^[1] (and Madeira),^[2] the Caribbean, Central America and South America.^[3] His books continue to be studied today by academics.^[4]

Koebel was born in Forest Hill, London, England. Having focused on Portugal in his earlier years as a writer, painting a detailed and colourful portrait of the country in its final months under a monarchy, he travelled the Caribbean, Central and South America. He worked to expand British trade in the regions, most successfully in Chile and especially the port of Valparaiso which was a major British trading port before the construction of the Panama Canal.^[5] His most successful and influential book is the South American Handbook, which was first published in 1921 and continues to be edited and reprinted as recently as 2014.^{[5][needs update?]}

• Portugal, Its Land and People (1909)^[1]
• Madeira: old and new (1909)^[6]
• In the Maoriland bush [1911]
• South American Handbook (1921) ISBN 9781907263774
• British Exploits in South America: A History of British Activities in Exploration, Military Adventure, Diplomacy, Science, and Trade, in Latin America (1917)
• Paraguay (1917)
• Argentina, Past & Present (1922)
• Uruguay... (1923)
• South America (1923)
• Modern Argentina, the El Dorado of To-Day, with Notes on Uruguay and Chile (1923)
• South America: An Industrial and Commercial Field (1923)
• In Jesuit Land, the Jesuit Missions of Paraguay (1923)
• Modern Chile; With Illustrations and Map (1923)
• The Great South Land; the River Plate and Southern Brazil of To-day (1923)^[7]