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Hiking Patagonia & Chile | About Chile

Never more than 150 miles across, Chile's odd geography is bordered by 2,700 miles of Pacific coastline to the west, Peru to the north and Bolivia and Argentina to the east. Chile also has jurisdiction over the islands off its coast, including Easter Island, 2,300 miles to the west, and claims a large part of Antarctica. Within the chain of the Andes Mountains stretching the length of the country are over 2,000 volcanoes. Chile's distinctive culture has survived the turbulent political events of its recent history and is thriving once again, thanks to a people noted for their resilience. Chile's population is spread between a few sophisticated cities with strong European influences surrounded by rural areas with deeply held indigenous traditions, especially prevalent in the Andean foothills and southern plains.

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Chile at a glance

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Chile
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE: Democracy
PRESIDENT: Sebastian Pinera (2010)
National Renewal Party
Runner-up in last presidential election; holds a PhD in economics from Harvard.
Billionaire businessman, co-owner, LAN Airlines and Colo Colo Soccer Club; owns a national broadcasting network.
POPULATION: 16,432,674 (2006 est.)
CAPITAL: Santiago
Population 5.6 million
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES (ranked by population): Concepcion
Vina del Mar
Valparaiso
Talcahuano
Temuco
Antofagasta
Rancagua
ETHNICITY: Mestizo 90%
European descent 5%
Amerindian 3%
Other 2%
LANGUAGES: Spanish
Mapuche (Aracanian)
LITERACY: 95.7%
LIFE EXPECTANCY: Men 72.63
Women 79.42
RELIGION: Roman Catholic 89%
Protestant 11%
HOLIDAYS: 1/1 New Year's Day
March-April Good Friday
March-April Easter
5/1 Labor Day
5/21 Navy Day
6/15 Corpus Christi
6/29 Saint Peter and Paul's Day
8/15 Assumption of the Virgin
9/18 Independence Day
9/19 Armed Forces Day
10/12 Columbus Day
11/1 All Saints Day
12/8 Day of the Immaculate Conception
12/25 Christmas
AREA: 292,000 square miles
PROTECTED AREAS (19% of its territory): National parks 31
National reserves 48
NATIONAL FLOWER: Cattleya Orchid Copihue (La pageria rosea) Chilean Bellflower
NATIONAL BIRD: Andean Condor
NATIONAL ANIMAL: Huemul
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Copper
Iron
Forestry
Fish products
MAJOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: Wine
Apples
Pears
Onions
CUISINE: Chile is famous for its seafood, prepared simply or in hearty soups and stews, and its premium red and white wines. Beef and chicken are staples, and vegetarian alternatives may have to be requested in restaurants. Among its national dishes are choclo, a beef and chicken pie topped with a basil-seasoned corn mixture and baked in a clay pot, parotos, a bean vegetable dish and cazuela, a stew of chicken or beef. Empanadas (fried or baked dough filled with meat or fruit) and humitas (a version of the tamale made of corn dough often mixed with onion) are popular as snack foods.
CURRENCY: Chilean Peso (CLP)
TIME ZONE: 1 hour earlier than Eastern Standard Time
INTERNATIONAL DIALING CODE: 56
ELECTRICITY: 220 V, 50 Hz