Chile

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Chile's Information


Capital	Santiago
Languages	Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2%
Ethnic Groups	White and non-indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%, unspecified 1.1% (2012 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Area	756,102.00 km²
Water Area	12,290.00 km²
Land Area	743,812.00 km²
Population	17,650,114.00 90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated
Location	Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
No. Bordering Countries	3
Bordering Countries	Argentina 6,691 km, Bolivia 942 km, Peru 168 km
GDP(PPP)	$436,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$24,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are China, the United States, and Japan.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are copper, fruit, fish products, paper, and pulp.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, Brazil, and Argentina.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, and chemicals.
Climate	Temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Terrain	Low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east

Where is Chile?

Located in Southern South America, Chile has a 7,801.00 km border with Argentina (6,691 km), Bolivia (942 km) and Peru (168 km). It has a 6,435.00 km coastline. Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim tor estore the Atacama corridor.

The capital city of Chile is Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile. This city is located at 1,706 feet above sea level between the Chilean Coastal and the Andes mountains in the Chilean Central Valley. The population of the city proper is over 200,000, while the entire metropolitan area has a population size of more than 7.3 million individuals. This makes Santiago the most populated city in the country and, in fact, more than one-third of the country lives in here. This city was founded in February of 1541 and has been the capital of Chile since prior to its independence. It is a popular destination with tourists and offers entertainment, culture, and day trips to the mountains or to the coast.

Geography

Chile has a mean elevation of 1,871 m above sea level.

It has a temperate climate that ranges from arid in the north, Mediterranean in the central region and cool and moist in the south. Its terrain consits of low coastal mountains, a fertile central valley, and rugged Andes in the east.

Population

Chile has a population of 17,650,114 making it the 63rd largest in the world. The majority of the country lives in and around the capital of Santiago.

Spanish is the official language and the most widely spoken. The major ethnic groups reported include white and non-indigenous, Mapuche, and Aymara. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic, with large Evangelical and Protestant minorities.

The official language of Chile is Spanish, which is spoken as a native language by the vast majority of the population. A number of other indigenous and immigrant languages are also spoken in this country, although they do not hold official status. The most widely spoken indigenous language in Chile is Mapudungun, which is used by around 114,000 individuals. Several of the indigenous languages, however, are in danger of extinction. One example of this is Yámana, which has only one speaker left living. Of the immigrant languages spoken here, German is the most widely used with around 20,000 speakers. Additionally, Chileans use some very unique phrases like “tiene malas pulgas” (you have bad fleas), which can be taken to mean “you’re in a bad mood.”

Government

Chile is an independent country. It gained independence from Spain in 1810. Its constitution was last ratified in 1989.

The government of Chile is a representative democracy in which the President serves as both the Head of State and the Head of Government. Presidents are prevented from serving consecutive terms. The legislative branch of government is carried out by the National Congress, which is a bicameral body made up of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Legislation is carried out in the new Chile Congress building, located in the port city of Valparaiso. Voting in Chile has been voluntary since 2009 and is open to all citizens over the age of 18 and with a valid national identification card or passport.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Chile's GDP is $436,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $24,000.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 44th largest economy and its citizens the 75th richest in the world. The currency of Chile is the Peso (CLP).

Its major export partners are China, the United States, and Japan. Its main exports are copper, fruit, fish products, paper, and pulp. Its major import partners are China, Brazil, and Argentina. Its major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, and chemicals.

Flag

The current flag of Chile was officially adopted on October 18, 1817. Its background is made up of 2 horizontal stripes of equal width. The top stripe is white in color, while the bottom stripe is red. In the top left corner of the flag, partially covering the white band, is a dark blue square. A white, 5-pointed star sits directly in the center of the blue square. The official length by width proportion of the flag of Chile is 3 to 2. Additionally, the white stripe must be twice as wide as the blue square.