Chile

1. Chile Capital – Santiago

2. Facts About Chile • Population:  17,269,525 • Total Area: 292,259  sq. miles   • Currency:   Chilean Peso

3. Language in Chile • Official language is Spanish. • Chilean Spanish has its own distinct pronunciation, grammar, and slang. It is, in many ways, a language of its own. • Chile is predominantly Spanish-speaking. Nearly everyone in Chile can speak and understand Spanish. • Quite a few indigenous languages: • Mapudungun (spoken between the Itata and Tolten rivers) • Aymara (spoken in the mountains of the north). 

4. Religion in Chile • 70% Roman Catholic • Protestants and Evangelicals make up 15.1% • 1% Jehovah’s Witnesses • 0.9% Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) • 0.1% Jewish • In recent years there has been a growing trend of atheism and agnosticism in Chile. • The latest statistics show that about 9% of the Chilean population declares themselves to be either atheist or agnostic.  • Because of the importance and influence of religion, abortion is illegal. • Instruction in public schools is almost always Catholic based.

5. Government in Chile • Democratic Republic • President elected to four year terms • President may not be elected to consecutive terms • Executive: • President and Vice-president – 4 year term • Legislative: Bicameral • National Congress • Chamber of Deputies – 4 years terms – 38 seats • Federal Senate -8 year terms – 120 seats • Supreme Court or Corte Suprema • judges are appointed by the president • ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself • the president of the Supreme Court is elected every two years by the 21-member court

6. Families in Chile • Family is very important. • Families spend a lot of time with extended families so cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. generally know each other well. • In recent decades, it has become more acceptable for women to work outside the home. • Family and business are intertwined and many small businesses will be solely family owned. • Divorce was illegal until 2004.

7. Food and Meals In Chile • Vast range of food and drink due to length of country. • Diversity and popularity of seafood due to its 2,647 miles of coastline • Typically eat four meals a day: light breakfast, heavier lunch, lighter evening meal, and heavy snack (usually a sandwich or empanada) • Wine is staple at meals.

8. Fun Facts About Chile • Over 1/3 of the world's copper production is produced in Chile • Chile has one of the world’s largest and most deserted deserts known as “Atacama.” • Chile has one of the longest recorded dry spells in the Atacama Desert; it did not rain for 40 years.   • The number one world exporter for Salmon is Chile. • The meaning of the word Chile in native tongue means “Where the land Ends” • Chile has roughly 620 volcanoes, most of which are considered to be active. • The oldest mummies in the world, the Chinchorro mummies, are located in Chile. • The national sport of Chile is Chilean rodeo.

9. Easter Island lies off the western coast of Chile. Many visitors travel to Easter Island each year. It is known for its famous statues called moai. These are human-like statues that are carved into volcanic stone.