South America: Plan your Journey

Chile

The Republic of Chile (Spanish: Republica de Chile is a country in South America occupying a long coastal strip between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It shares borders with Argentina to the east, Bolivia to the northeast and Peru to the north Chile is situated in South America, bounded by Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, the Antarctic and the Pacific Ocean. more...

Official Name: Republic of Chile
National name: Republica de Chile
Full country name: Chile
Area: 756,096 sq km (291,930 sq miles)
Population: 15,589,147 (2002 official estimate)
Capital City: Santiago
Language: Spanish
Government: Republic
President: Ricardo Lagos (2000)
Ethnicity/race: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Largest Cities: Santiago, Concepcion, Vina del Mar, Valparaiso, Puente Alto, Talcahuano, Antofagasta, Temuco
Religion: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, small Jewish and Muslim populations

History of Chile

About 10,000 years ago, migrating Native Americans settled in fertile valleys and along the coast of what is now Chile. The Incas briefly extended their empire into what is now northern Chile, but the area's remoteness and the fierce opposition of the native population prevented extensive settlement. In 1520, while attempting to circumnavigate the earth, the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan, discovered the southern passage now named after him, the Straits of Magellan. The next Europeans to reach Chile were Diego de Almagro and his band of Spanish conquistadors, who came from Peru in 1535 seeking gold but were turned back by the local population. more...

Overview of Chile's Economy

Literacy rate: 96% (2003 est.)
GDP/PPP (2004 est.): $169.1 billion
Per capita: $10,700
Real growth rate: 5.8%
Inflation:2.4% br> Unemployment:8.5%
Arable land: 3%
Agriculture: grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Labor force: 6.2 million; agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003)
Industries:copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Exports: $29.2 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Imports: $22.53 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
Major trading partners: U.S., Japan, China, South Korea, Mexico, Italy, Argentina, Brazil (2003)

Also Read: A Brief insight in The Economy of Chile | Demographics of Chile | Origin of the name | Foreign Trade and Finace of Chile

Political System of Chile

- Politics in Chile

Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

- Climate: Ranges from hot and arid in the north to very cold in the far south. more...
- Food and Drink
: Santiago has many international restaurants; waiter service is usual. more...
- Culture: Northern Chile was an important center of culture in the medieval and early modern Inca empire. more...
- Nightlife: While many restaurants and hotels offer entertainment, there are also a number of independent discos and nightclubs. more...

Facts for Travellers

Visa:United States entry requirements are the same in all states, with most foreign travelers requiring a visa. The US State Department issues all US visas. more...
Time Zone: Mainland and Juan Fernandez Islands:
GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from second Sunday in October to second Saturday in March)., Easter Island: GMT - 7 (GMT - 6 from second Sunday in October to second Saturday in March).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs and screw-type bulbs are used.
Location: West coast of South America.
Country dialing code: 56.
Highest Point: Nevado Ojos del Salado (6,879 meters) (22,595 ft)
Latitude/Longitude: 30º S, 71º W
Official Currency: Chilean Peso

Geography of Chile

A long and narrow coastal region on the west side of the Andes Mountains, Chile stretches over 4,630 km (2,880 miles) north to south, but only 430 km (265 mi) at its widest point east to west. The northern Atacama desert contains great mineral wealth, primarily copper and nitrates. The relatively small Central Valley, which includes Santiago, dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural resources. This area also is the historical center from which Chile expanded in the late 19th century, when it integrated the northern and southern regions. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas, and islands. The Andes Mountains are located on the eastern border. more...

Shopping in Chile

Special purchases include textiles such as colorful handwoven ponchos, vicuna rugs and copper work. Chilean stones such as lapis lazuli, jade, amethyst, agate and onyx are all good buys. Foreign exchange transactions can be conducted through commercial banks, casas de cambio, or authorized shops, restaurants, hotels and clubs. Visitors should not be tempted by the premiums of 10 to 15 per cent over the official rate offered by black marketeers. Casas de cambio are open daily 0900-1900. more...

Also Read: Foreign relations of Chile | Tourist Attractions of Chile | Activities in Chile


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Climate of Venezuela Weather The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the [...]
Activities in Venezuela Hiking and trekking Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible. Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central [...]
Tourist Attractions in Venezuela Venezuela offers a great variety of landscapes - tropical beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls and great mountains. Unfortunately, the flash floods and mudslides which hit Venezuela in 1999 severely damaged the country’s infrastructure; some of which may still not have been fully restored. Travelers should check prior to [...]
Nightlife in Venezuela There are many nightclubs and discos in the major cities of Venezuela. The National and Municipal Theaters offer a variety of concerts, ballet, plays, operas and operettas. There are other theaters - some of which are open-air - in Caracas, as well as several cinemas.
Food and Dining in Venezuela Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Some local specialties are tequenos, a popular hors d’oeuvres (thin dough wrapped around a finger of local white cheese and fried crisp); [...]
Shopping in Venezuela There are many handicrafts unique to Venezuela that are made by local Indian tribes. Good purchases are gems and jewelry, cacique coins, gold, pearls, pompom slippers, seed necklaces, shoes and handbags, Indian bows, arrows, mats, pipes and baskets, alpargatas (traditional local footwear of the Campesinos), chinchorros (local hammocks) and many other [...]
Caracas: Venezuela Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of a narrow mountain valley. The valley’s temperatures are springlike, and the urbanizable terrain of the Caracas Valley lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft (760 and 910 m) above sea level. The Valley is close to [...]
Military of Venezuela As of 2000, the national armed forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional) enlisted 87,500 individuals in four service branches–the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2005, about 100,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through [...]
Foreign relations of Venezuela Venezuela’s priorities in the international arena are: Respect for human rights; The right of all people to self-determination; Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations; Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes; The right of all people to peace and security; and Support for democracy. Hemispheric cooperation and integration are two pillars of president Hugo Chavez’s [...]
Music of Venezuela Venezuelan pop music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanera music. Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like [...]

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