About Chile

Republic of Chile – a country in South America, its territory is spread coastwise the Pacific Ocean. Chile neighbors with Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and on the south, Drake Passage separates the country from Antarctica.

Chile is composed of such islands as Easter Island, Sala y Gómez Island and a lot of others. Chile total area - 756 950 sq. km.

The capital of Chile – Santiago

18th of September - Independence Day

Population

About 18 million people live in Chile, mainly they are Chilean.

National language – Spanish

About 80% of Chilean citizens is Catholic.

President of Chile - Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria, who belongs to the Chilean socialist party. She is the first woman elected as a president in the national history.

Chile is administratively separated onto 15 regions, which in their turn are subdivided onto 53 provinces.

Currency in Chile - Chilean peso (1 US dollar roughly equals 709 Chilean peso).

Chile today is an economically fast developing country on the South American continent, it is a major export merchant of copper and world-famous wine producer.

The culture of Chile is represented by a synergism of Spanish, native and European cultures.

Chileans are truly proud of Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, the Nobel laureates. Pablo Neruda was awarded as a winner “for a poetry that with the action of an elemental force brings alive a continent's destiny and dreams” and Gabriela Mistral was awarded as a winner “for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world”.

National sport of Chile – Chilean rodeo, this type of sport is most popular after football. The goal of the contest: two riders not having any tools must stop a young bull pressing it by the body of the horse. Chile has an international reputation in tennis, polo, gymnastics and other types of sports.

Chile is the country that surprises by the variety of touristic options:

Mountain climbing, astronomical tourism, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and natural monuments. Among most popular places - Easter Island, Atacama Desert and Cerro Paranal observatory, Moon valley, Pan de Azucar national park.