O Chileis a country located in South America, and its capital is the municipality of Santiago. It has an extensive coastline bathed by the Pacific Ocean, to the west, and has the presence of the Andes, to the east, which gives it a mountainous relief.
It has very diverse climates ranging from dry, in the north, to humid, in the south of the country, providing a very heterogeneous landscape. Large copper exporter, Chile is currently consolidating itself as one of the largest Latin American economies.
Read too: What are the countries of America?
Chile general data
Official name: Republic of Chile
Gentile: Chilean
Territorial extension: 756,102 km²
Location: South America
Capital: Santiago
Climate: Desert and Temperate
Government: presidential republic
Administrative division: regions, provinces and communes
Language: Spanish
-
Religions:
Catholics: 66.7%
Evangelicals or Protestants: 16.4%
Jehovah's Witnesses: 1%
Others: 3.4%
No religion: 11.5%
Not specified: 1.1%
Population: 19,116,000 inhabitants (UN, 2020)
Demographic density: 25.7 inhab./km² (UN, 2020)
Human Development Index (HDI): 0,851
Coin: Chilean Peso
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): US$272.46 billion (IMF, 2020)
GDP per capita: $5170
Gini: 0.444 (World Bank, 2017)
Timezone: GMT -4 hours.
-
External relations:
Mercosur
world Bank
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (THEpec)
OAS
UN
IMF
Latin Union
Pacific Alliance
Chile History
The area that corresponds to current Chile was inhabited by approximately 500 thousand people, belonging to diverse indigenous populations, long before the arrival of European settlers. The peoples who lived in that region were also called pre-Columbians, among which were the Mapuche, Atacameños, Aymaras and others. Mapuche today make up the largest portion of Chile's native population, around 9% of the general population.
In the 15th century, the expansion of Iempire Inca has arrived Thethe Chilean territory and it extended to the center-south of the country, at the height of the Maule River, which marked the beginning of the Mapuche domain. The arrival of the first Spaniards happened in the 16th century, and the colonization process began in the year 1540. The Europeans settled in the northern region of Chile and founded, a year later, on February 12, 1541, the city of Santiago.
Advances towards the south started a few years later. There was many disputes with indigenous populations, who resisted foreign rule and attempts at enslavement. During the colonial period, the economy developed in Chilean territory was essentially agricultural, with little or no influence from mineral exploration.
the achievement of Chile's independence took place in the 19th century, more precisely in 1818. Its internal political structure was defined in the first decades after its independence under many controversies and disputes. An event that marked the country's history during this period was the Pacific War (1879-1883), which culminated in the Chilean victory over Bolivia and Peru.
The 20th century was characterized by the country's rapid economic development, interrupted briefly by the economic crisis that struck in the 1920s and 1930s. The 1970s in Chile were marked by the removal of President-elect Salvador Allende in 1973, and implantation of a military dictatorship, which he had under his command Augusto Pinochet, a process similar to that which occurred in other South American nations.
This was a period of intense repression and violence in the country's history, and lasted until the year 1990, when a new president was elected. Chile is today a democratic republic and one of the largest economies in Latin America.
Read too: Conquest of the Inca Empire – result of Francisco Pizarro's expedition
Chile map
Chile geography
Chile is a Latin American country located in South America. It has an extensive coastline of more than 6400 km, with exit to the Opacific ocean, located to the west. With regard to land borders, the largest of them is established with the Argentina, which extends for 6691 km, along the entire eastern and southeastern strip. To the northeast, Chilean territory borders the Bolivia, and, to the north, with the Peru.
The territory is also composed by the Easter Island, located in Polynesia, a region of Oceania, for the Sala y Goméz island, in the region of Valparaíso, and other island areas southwest of their mainland. A portion of Patagonia is also part of Chile.
Chile climate
Chile has, in all its extension, very diverse climates influenced by maritime and maritime currents, such as çcurrent from Humboldt, due to the relief and the prevailing wind circulation pattern in the region, with emphasis on the South Pacific anticyclone.
To the north, the desert climate prevails, with high temperatures, high daily thermal amplitude and very low precipitation. The Atacama Desert is located in this region. Chile's central and southern lands are characterized by Mediterranean and Temperate climates., respectively.
Average temperatures are milder as you walk towards the south, ranging from 6 ºC to 18 ºC, the same happens with rainfall. In southern cities, the average annual rainfall exceeds 1800 mm, reaching 4000 mm in extreme points.
Chile relief
The Chilean relief is composed predominantly by mountains, which extend from north to south through the Andes mountain range, forming its entire eastern landscape. This formation separates from the flat land coastal by a narrow region composed of valleys that run along the central strip of the country.
The average altitude of the land is 1871 meters, while the highest point in the country is situated at 6893 meters above sea level. It is the Nevado Ojos del Salado volcano, located in the Andes and considered the highest volcano in the world. Others volcanoes assets can be found in the country, focusing on the Andes.
It is important to note that Chile is located in the Pacific Fire Circle, the region of greatest tectonic instability on Earth and where the largest number of volcanic activities, tsunamis and earthquakes. The country has already registered numerous high intensity tremors on the Richter scale, such as the 2010 earthquake, which reached 8.8 degrees, the second most intense in Chilean history.
Vegetation of Chile
The vegetation in Chile ranges from very thin and small in northern lands, to dense and larger in southern areas,being influenced by types soil and moisture distribution pattern.
Chile hydrography
most of the rivers that drain Chilean territory originates in the Andes, running east-west towards the Pacific. The longest of them is the river Lao, with 440 km. Next are the Bío-Bío, Maipo, Maule and Baker rivers. The landscape in the south of the country is made up of islands and lakes, such as the tourist region of the Andean lakes in Patagonia.
See too: Platinum Basin – important hydrographic basin in South America
Chile Demographics
Chile currently has a population of 19,116,000 inhabitants, according to United Nations data for 2020. Most of these people are concentrated in the central areas of the country, on the outskirts of its capital, Santiago.
With a wide territorial extension, the population distribution is considerably low, at 25.7 inhab./km². It is a urbanized nation, with 87.8% of the inhabitants living in cities, Santiago being the most populous, with almost five million inhabitants. Other highlights include Puente Alto, Antofagasta, Vina del Mar and Valparaíso.
Recent population growth is 1.2% per year, and this rate is mainly due to the immigration, which has nearly tripled in the last decade. Internally, the Chilean population has gone through a process of aging, with an increase in the number of elderly people, a reduction in birth and fertility rates, and an increase in life expectancy, which currently stands at 79.57 years.
The Chilean population is formed mostly by whites and non-indigenous groups that total 89%. Indigenous populations make up the other 11%, especially the Mapuche. In addition, peoples such as the Aymara, Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua and others are part of Chile's population composition.
Chile's economy
Chile representsone of the main savings from the south american subcontinent, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$ 272.46 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Foreign investments that gained greater importance in the second half of the 20th century now play an important role in The country's economic situation, just as exports, especially copper, now account for a good part of GDP Chilean.
You main countries of destination of goods Chileans are:
China
U.S
Japan
South Korea
Chile's export basket contains, in addition to copper, fruit, wine, cellulose and fish. Imports made by the country come, in addition to the first two countries mentioned above, from the Brazil, Germany and Argentina.
rich in natural resources, mining is the main economic activity developed in the country, in addition to leading Chilean international trade by sending metallic minerals abroad. Among the main products are copper, iron, molybdenum, sulfur, limestone and lithium. The industry is also made up of the food, fish processing, lumber, textile, and transport equipment sectors.
The departing areas from the center towards the south of Chile are more prone to agriculture, an activity that produces foodstuffs such as grapes, tomatoes, apples, sugar beet, wheat and corn. At the tertiary sector, tourism and activities linked to the financial sector, concentrated in Santiago, stand out.
Read too: Agribusiness - sector that mixes agricultural activities with industry
Chile culture
Chile has a very rich cultural framework that is unique among the different American cultures. Although there are several indigenous and European (Spanish) peoples, whose traditions and customs contributed directly to their formation, it can be said that there are great homogeneity in Chilean culture, thus conferring a cultural identity to that country.
Chilean traditions include characteristic festivals that express many colors, dances, Andean music, typical costumes and folklore elements, such as the Festas Patrias, the Festa de la Tirana, the Andean Carnival, and the Festival Tapati, which takes place on Easter Island.
Others celebrations have a religious nature, such as the Cuasimodo Festival and the Feast of the Virgin of Andacollo. The handicrafts express much of the identity of the different indigenous peoples of the country, such as embroidery and handicrafts. THE culture Chilean he also stands out in literature, with great names, such as the poet Pablo Neruda.
The country is known for the quality of its wines, and this drink is quite common as an accompaniment to some of its typical dishes, such as empanadas, pastel de choclo, ceviche and a range of other fish and fruit preparations from the sea.
Chile Infrastructure
Chile is an essentially urban country, whose annual urbanization rate is almost 0.8%. Given this scenario, the population now has a extensive infrastructure network that serves a considerable portion of homes.
Data from the United Nations show that 98.7% of Chileans have access to safe water supply networks, while sanitation services cover 81.4%. The energy supply extends to almost all homes, and the country's energy matrix is made up of hydroelectric plants and fossil fuels.
In the national transport sector, highways are the main modal, with more than 77 thousand km of roads across the country. The main one is the Pan-American Highway, which crosses several countries across the American continent, including the Northern Hemisphere, and reaches southern Chile. Cargo transportation is mainly done by railroads, and a short stretch promotes the transport of passengers. The country ranks 14th in the world in number of airports, in addition to having important marine ports, such as Valparaíso and San Antonio.
Chilean government
Chile is ademocracy representative. This means that the Chilean population elects its representatives in periodic elections, with terms that last for four years. The head of the national executive branch is the president. The Chilean Legislative is bicameral, composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The first has a total of 155 members, while the second has 50 members. The seat of the government of Chile is in Santiago.
Curiosities about Chile
Chile is the second longest country in the world, with a north-south extension of approximately 4300 km and covering 39º of latitude.
The Chuquicamata mine is located in the northeast region of Chile and is considered one of the largest open pit mines in the world, focusing on the extraction of copper.
The country name is derived from mapudungun, in the Mapuche language, which means “land boundary” or “place where the land ends”. In the Quechua language, chiri, a word from which Chile can also be derived, means “cold”.
Image credits
[1] sergejf / commons
[2] Mauricio Quevedo / Shutterstock
By Paloma Guitarrara
Geography teacher
