The capital of the country of chile. Official name: Republic of Chile

Officially, the country is called the Republic of Chile. This state was founded by the Spanish colonialists at the beginning of the 16th century. But since no minerals were found on this territory, the lands of special importance for the colonialists in the future did not have. But still Chile is a rather peculiar country with a very original nature.

Geographic characteristics

The Republic of Chile is located in the southwest of the South American continent, and occupies a narrow strip of the mainland between the Pacific Ocean and the Andean ridge. To the east, the country is bordered by the prairies of Argentina. From the north, Chile borders on Peru and Bolivia.

The coastal line is 6435 km long. The area of ​​the Pacific Ocean along the state was named the Chilean Sea. The water area of ​​this sea belongs to the country.

After years of military conflicts in the 19th century, diplomatic relations were established between Chile and Peru. The border between states is only 168 km, and it is around the borderland that disputes between states have been going on for many years.

Nature

Stretched along the coast of the ocean, Chile allows visitors to see the snow-capped mountains in the south, close to the shores of Antarctica. And in the north, the climate is close to tropical. This feature of the country arouses the interest of tourists, which makes it possible to develop tourism. One of high mountains on the territory of the Chilean Republic, this is Ojos del Salado (the highest point is 6893 m) and is located on the border with Argentina, it is the second highest peak in South America after Mount Aconcagua located in Argentina ...

There are many rivers on the territory, but they are all quite short. The longest is Loa, which has a length of 440 km. Most of the rivers belong to the basins of the Pacific Ocean, but only the Loa reaches the ocean itself, and many rivers are characterized only by temporary flows in summer period rains ...

In the western part of the country, the territory is washed by the Pacific Ocean, and the coastline is more than 6 thousand km. Thanks to the Humboldt Current, the waters of the Chilean coast are quite cool, but near the coast, the water is pleasant and warm, which also attracts tourists ...

Chile is characterized by xerophytic vegetation, many varieties of shrubs and coniferous or laurel forests. Some areas are rich in cactus and cereal flora.

The fauna is rather scarce and not very diverse. You can find wolves and chinchillas, and there are also a number of deer and cougars in the forests. There are unique types of felines that are dangerous predators.

Among the most popular birds are the Chilean eagle and flamingos, which are somewhat different from their counterparts in other countries ...

In the northern part, the climate is tropical, while other parts belong to the temperate continental, and the elongated shape of the state allows it to occupy several climatic zones in different parts of the country at once. Thus, here you can find rich deciduous forests, and a desert part with a classic nature and a hot climate ...

Resources

The country is rich in copper and mineral deposits, and iron ore also occupies a special place among the minerals. There are quite a lot of industries in the country that relate to the food industry, as well as various sawmills and woodworking enterprises. The development of agriculture is of great importance for the state economy ...

The culture

The population is approximately 16.8 million, including Hispanic Chileans, as well as Europeans and Asians who emigrated in the 20th century. Native American peoples with corresponding cultural traditions are indigenous, and there are also a fairly large number of Polynesians. The cultural characteristics of the state combine a combination of Spanish and local culture, with Spanish motives prevailing. Thus, the culture combines Polynesian, Native American and Spanish ...

Go to navigation Go to search

Chile
isp. República de Chile
Motto: “Por la razón o la fuerza (with Spanish - "Reason or power") "
Hymn: "Himno Nacional"
Independence date	September 18, 1810 (from)
Official language	Spanish
Capital
The largest city
Form of government	presidential republic
The president	Sebastian Pignera
Territory	37th in the world
Total	756 950 km²
% water surface	1,07
Population
Assessment (2017)	▲ 17 789 267 people (65th)
Density	22.81 people / km²
Gdp
Total (2011)	$ 281.4 billion (43rd)
Per capita	USD 16.310
HDI (2013)	▲ 0.819 (very high; 40th place)
Names of residents	Chilean, Chilean, Chileans
Currency	Chilean peso (CLP, code 152)
Internet domain	.cl
ISO Code	CL
IOC code	CHI
Telephone code	+56
Time Zones	-3

Chile(Spanish. Chile, official name - Republic of Chile(Spanish. República de Chile)) - a state in the southwest, occupying a long narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes.

In the west it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the east it borders with, in the north with, in the northeast with.

Chile has a coastline of 6,435 km in length and has exclusive rights to the adjacent sea area, called the Chilean Sea, which includes four areas: territorial waters (120,827 km), contiguous zone (131 669 km), exclusive economic zone (3 681 989 km), and the corresponding continental shelf (161,338 km).

Etymology

As the historian José de Acosta pointed out, the word “ Chile"In Quechua meant" cold" or " limit". According to another version, this was the name of the main valley in Chile.

The question of the grammatical gender of the name "Chile" deserves special attention. If we mean the state, the word Chile is neuter. If the country is meant ("Chile stretches in a narrow strip along the Pacific coast of South America ..."), then - female.

History

Santiago, 1779

Chile's history begins with the settlement of the region about 13,000 years ago.

Period of Spanish colonization

Before the invasion of the Spaniards, the Indian peoples of the Quechua and Aymara lived in the northern part of Chile, the Mapuche in the central part, and the Alakalufs, Yagans and she in the south.

In the late XIII - early XIV centuries, the northern part of Chile (up to the Maule River) was conquered. South of the Maule River, the Mapuche tribes did not obey the Incas, offering them fierce resistance.

The first part of the book "Chronicle of Peru", (1553)

In 1535-50, the Spanish conquistadors conquered the coast of Chile up to about 40 ° S. NS. and found several cities:, Nueva Extremadura,. The northern regions, the population of which was accustomed to obeying the Incas, were easily conquered by the Spaniards. In the areas of Mapuche residence, the advance of the Spaniards southward was accompanied by hostilities.

Fernando de Santillan was the author of the famous Santillana's taxes(Spanish. Tasa de Santillán), introduced in 1558 in Chile, were the first laws that governed relations between the Spaniards and the Mapuche. They were established due to the large decrease in population from migration and the mistreatment of the Indians by the Spaniards.

By the beginning of colonization, about 1 million people lived in Chile, by 1590 the number of Indians had dropped to 549 thousand due to wars, disease and slave labor.

Araucan War

The Spaniards did not find rich deposits of precious metals in Chile, and colonization took on an agricultural character, with an influx of settlers from the poorest Spanish province, as well as the Basques, in the 17th-18th centuries.

In central Chile natural conditions were similar to the Mediterranean. Wheat, barley, hemp, and grapes began to be cultivated there. Breeding of cattle and sheep also began.

Since the 18th century, copper mining has become very important. Thus, during the colonial era, the foundations of the modern economy of Chile were laid.

During this period, the process of crossbreeding took place. By the beginning of the 19th century, mestizos made up about 80% of the population.

Independence period

Bernardo O'Higgins

In the early 19th century (1810-1823), under the leadership of Bernardo O'Higgins and Manuel Rodriguez, the Chilean people won independence from the colonial rule of Spain.

The development of Chile up to World War II was predetermined first by the extraction of saltpeter and copper, then coal and silver began to be mined. Mining has led to significant economic growth in Chile.

1927-1931 - the dictatorship of Carlos Ibanez. Ibanez combined dictatorial methods of government with social demagogy, presenting himself as a supporter of small people and an enemy of the oligarchy, he was called "Myssolini of the New World".

1931 - restoration of democracy, presidential elections.

In June 1932, a junta of leftist officers staged a coup, overthrew the democratically elected president, and proclaimed the creation of the Socialist Republic of Chile, which lasted only 12 days.

October 1932 - restoration of democracy, presidential elections. After that, more than 40 years - democratic development.

1938-1952 - Center-left governments are in power.

1952-1958 - the reign of the democratically elected president of the ex-dictator Ibanez.

The 1964 presidential election was won by the leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDP), Eduardo Frei Montalva, with the Revolution in Freedom reform program. Implementation of agrarian reform and "chilization" of copper (the state bought out 51% of the shares of enterprises mining copper).

Period of Allende reforms and Pinochet's counterreforms

The most contradictory assessments are caused by the period 1970-1988, associated with the activities of the government of President Salvador Allende and the reforms of the military junta of General Augusto Pinochet.

Salvador Allende on the stamp of the GDR

After the People's Unity bloc (a union of left and center-left parties and organizations) came to power, headed by the elected (but did not receive an absolute majority) President Salvador Allende, in 1970-1972, a complex of socio-economic transformations of the left bloc was carried out in the country: nationalization enterprises and banks, agrarian reform, implementation of social programs, changes in labor legislation in the interests of employees. At this time, experiments were carried out with computer control of the state economy (Cybersin project), which received mixed results due to slow feedback. Allende's policies faced growing resistance from conservative financial, industrial and latifundist circles at home and pressure from foreign corporations. This led to economic difficulties, which then turned into an economic crisis. High inflation and a shortage of goods fueled social tensions, accompanied by right-wing opposition-funded strikes, street riots and an upsurge in right-wing terrorism. The number of victims of the regime and those killed in the riots is unknown.

The economic situation was further exacerbated by the credit boycott of Chile by large and international banks. President Allende was systematically subjected to pressure from the left-wing radicals on the one hand, demanding to accelerate reforms and move from the nationalization of industries resorting to sabotage to the complete expropriation of capitalist property; and on the other hand, the rightists, who demanded to curtail the reforms and abandon the proclaimed social guarantees.

Percentage of annual change in Chile's gross domestic product

The CIA has funded opposition media outlets, politicians, and organizations to aid in a campaign to destabilize the country. Legislative initiatives by the Allende government were blocked by a parliamentary majority that did not belong to Popular Unity. Parliamentary elections in March 1973 confirmed the tendency towards polarization of society. On May 26, 1973, the Supreme Court accused the Allende regime of destroying the rule of law in the country. On August 22, 1973, the National Congress passed a resolution outlawing the government and accusing Allende of violating the constitution. In fact, the "Agreement" called on the military to disobey the authorities until they "embark on the path of legality." The opposition did not have 2/3 of the votes necessary to remove Allende from power. By September 1973, state power was paralyzed.

The country's top generals decided to organize a military coup. During the coup during the storming of the presidential palace, Salvador Allende was killed (according to outdated data) or committed suicide (confirmation of this version was obtained as a result of the exhumation of Allende's remains in 2011). The dictatorship of the Government Junta was established in the country, headed by General Augusto Pinochet.

Augusto Pinochet and Henry Kissinger, 1976

The constitution was revoked, the Chilean National Congress was dissolved, all left and center-left parties and organizations, both members of the Popular Unity and not, were outlawed, the United Trade Union Center of Workers (CUT) was banned and the Cybersin project was destroyed, the activities of the right-wing parties were declared “suspended ”, And in 1977 it was also completely banned. Later, new, under the control of the military regime, yellow trade unions were established.

Officially, the state of "siege" introduced during the coup continued for a month after September 11. During this period, over 30 thousand people were killed in Chile.

In 1990, in Chile, according to the methodology proposed, a "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" was created, which operated for a year (and only on the basis of the victims' statements). The commission examined the cases of about 4,500 victims of the dictatorship. In addition to the one-year term of the Commission, the Commission was limited in its capabilities by the Amnesty Act passed by Pinochet in 1978, which made most of the crimes of the coup d'état out of court. For this, the Commission is still criticized by the left, liberal, trade union and human rights organizations.

In 2004, as a result of the work of the Commission on Political Prisoners and Torture, created by the decree of the President of Lagos, more than 28 thousand people received life pensions, in one way or another, suffered during the reign of the military junta from illegal arrests and torture.

The destruction of opponents of power was carried out outside the country as well. The Operation "Condor" for the elimination of political emigrants, carried out by the Office of National Intelligence (DINA), in conjunction with the intelligence services of other dictatorships in Latin America, gained fame. For example, Operation Colombo resulted in 119 people “expelled from Chile” being killed. At the same time, the Pinochet regime interacted with the European far-right for the same purposes.

The period of General Pinochet's rule in political terms was based on the restriction of civil and political rights, and the harsh suppression of the opposition. Repression, imprisonment, torture continued until the end of the dictatorship. One of the famous victims of the repression was the Chilean singer-bard Victor Jara.

Santiago, 2007

The implications of Pinochet's policies for the socio-economic well-being of the population are a matter of controversy. According to the left, there has been a significant setback due to the neoliberal counter-reforms initiated by the government (at the beginning of the reforms, prices rose in a number of cases by 18-20 times, and for such basic foodstuffs as bread, milk, meat - by 4-10 times), As a result, today about 20% (according to official data) of the Chilean population are below the poverty line, and the dictator himself, his family members and other leaders of the regime have become the beneficiary of privatization.

Right-wing and neoliberal authors dispute this interpretation of events, and the evidence cites significant economic success achieved through the economic policy pursued under the leadership of Pinochet. Chile has the most efficient economy in the entire Latin America, according to the human development index, it is in 44th place and belongs to countries with a very high level of human development. The country also has one of the lowest levels of corruption according to Transparency International's rankings - 20th in 2013.

Valparaiso, 2011

In 1978, censorship in the media was somewhat weakened and, in limited cases, "live broadcast" on radio and television was allowed. In 1980, the country adopted a new constitution, but its full implementation was postponed until 1988. In 1988, following the largest domestic and pressured protests in Chile's history, Pinochet agreed to a plebiscite on the continuation of the dictatorship. On the eve of the plebiscite, the activities of right-wing parties were allowed (fascist parties de facto operated in Chile during the dictatorship, although the activities of all parties were formally prohibited). On October 5, 1988, Pinochet lost the plebiscite, and the National Security Council assembled by him rejected the dictator's proposal to refuse to recognize the results of the plebiscite and carry out a new coup. In 1989, Chile passed to democratic rule, elections were held in which the opposition to the dictatorship bloc "Coalition of Parties for Democracy" won. In 1990, Christian Democrat candidate Patricio Aylwin took over as president.

Experts assess the state structure of Chile based on the 1980 constitution as a compromise between democracy and dictatorship, since it contains mechanisms that limit the ability of civilian power to control the army and provide preferences to leaders of the former military regime.

According to analysts, Chile is currently ranked 1st in terms of the integral indicator of competitiveness among Latin American countries (27th in the world ranking), is in the third ten countries in the solvency rating; The rating agency Standard & Poor's in the classification of risk countries assigned it the highest category A.

Politics

Constitution

Chile has a Constitution adopted on March 11, 1981 following a referendum. The constitution provided for the continuation of Pinochet's rule for another 8 years, and most of the constitutional norms were suspended until 1990.

In 1988, the question of the continuation of Pinochet's rule was put forward in a referendum. As a result, Pinochet was defeated and called a new presidential election in 1989.

Executive power

Chilean ministers

The head of state is the president, who is also the head of the government. Elected by the population for a 4-year term, without the right to be re-elected.

The President has the power to appoint ambassadors and members of the government, determine the composition of the Supreme and Appellate Courts, appoint the commanders of all branches of the armed forces and the chief of the National Police. Also, the president has the right to initiate legislation and submits bills to parliament.

Legislature

Supreme Legislature- bicameral National Congress:

• Senate - 38 members elected by the population for an 8-year term (with half of the senators replaced every 4 years);
• Chamber of Deputies - 120 members (2 deputies from 60 constituencies), elected by the population for a 4-year term.

The National Congress was relocated in 1990 to decentralize power from Santiago to Valparaiso.

Judicial system

The highest court in the country is the Supreme Court of Chile, which is subordinate to the lower courts, including the Court of Appeal.

Political parties

According to the results of the elections in November 2013:

"New majority" (center-left and left)- 21 senators and 67 deputies:

• Christian Democratic Party - 6 Senators, 21 MPs
• Socialist Party - 6 senators, 15 deputies
• Party for Democracy - 6 senators, 15 deputies
• Radical Social Democratic Party - 6 deputies
• Communist Party - 6 deputies
• Broad Social Movement - 1 Senator
• Chilean Left Civil Party - 1 MP
• Non-partisan - 2 senators, 4 deputies;

Alliance (center-right)- 16 senators and 49 deputies:

• Independent Democratic Union - 8 senators, 29 deputies
• National Renewal - 8 Senators, 19 Deputies
• Non-party center-right - 1 deputy;

"If you want, Chile will change" (centrists and center-left)- 1 deputy:

• Liberal Party - 1 deputy
• Progressive Party - 0 deputies;

Outside the blocks- 1 senator and 3 deputies;

Administrative division

Chile is divided into 15 regions, and those into 53 provinces and 346 communities.

Geographic data

Chile has access to both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Chile has a length of 4,630 km (2,880 mi) from north to south and 430 km (265 mi) from west to east.

Chile's climate ranges from tropical desert in the north to temperate oceanic in the south.

Average temperature:

• in the south from +3 ° С to +16 ° С
• in the north from +12 ° С to +22 ° С

The highest point is Mount Ojos del Salado, 6893 m.

Mineral resources - copper, iron, manganese ores, silver.

Economy

GDP per capita, PPP, 1950-2008. Latin America (excluding Cuba) - gray, Chile - blue color(in 2000 US dollars)

The main industry of the country is mining (copper and other metals), Chile is the world's largest exporter of copper, which is mined and smelted by the national enterprise CODELCO. Other industries include metallurgy, woodworking, food, and textiles. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, provides 7% of the GNP (13% of the employed), animal husbandry is developed, wheat, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, and fruits are grown. Chile is one of the largest exporters of fruits, as well as fish and wood products. GNP amounted to $ 97.7 billion in 1994 (GNP per capita - $ 7010), in 2008 GNP reached $ 169.6 billion (per capita - $ 14.9 thousand at PPP).

In terms of GDP per capita in PPP, Chile exceeded the Latin American average in the early 1990s. The upward trend in this indicator continued in the future, for 2013 Chile has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America (along with).

Main trading partners: China, USA, Japan, Brazil. The monetary unit is the Chilean peso (1 Chilean peso (Ch $) equals 100 centavos). Total length railways- 7,766 km, motorways - 79,025 km, inland waterways - 725 km. The most important ports of the country:,.

In 2008 (estimate) budget revenues were $ 44.79 billion, expenses - $ 35.09 billion.

Exports of 66.46 billion dollars (in 2008) - copper, fruits, fish, paper, chemical products, wine.

Santiago, 2013

Major buyers (2008): China - 14.2%, USA - 11.3%, Japan - 10.4%, Brazil - 5.9%, South Korea - 5.7%, Netherlands - 5.2%.

Imports of 57.61 billion dollars (in 2008) - oil and oil products, chemicals, electronics, industrial products, cars, gas.

The main suppliers (in 2008): USA - 19.1%, China - 11.9%, Brazil - 9.3%, Argentina - 8.8%, South Korea - 5.6%, Japan - 4.6%.

Advantages: the world's largest copper producer. Export of fruits. Economic growth driven by large foreign investment. Highest level credit confidence due to the stability of the Chilean peso and financial markets, public debt amounted to only 5.2% of annual GDP (in 2008; in 2004 - 12.8%) - 121st in the world. Developed winemaking and fish processing.

Weak sides: A large decline in copper prices on the world market brings at times up to 40% of export losses. High dependence on external oil supplies (90% of all oil consumed). Dependence on American trading partners. Relatively weak currency (exchange rate of 509 pesos to $ 1 in 2008, but 609 in 2004). Inflation 8.7% - 2008 estimate (4.4% in 2007).

Gini index - 54.9 in 2003 (14th in the world), 57.1 in 2000 Household consumption (2006): the poorest 10% consume 1.6%, and the richest 10% - 41 , 7%. Poverty rate 18.2% (2005).

Between 30 and 55% of Chileans are Caucasians. Mestizos - from 45 to 65%, Indians make up 5% of the population. The ethnic composition of immigrants was and remains very diverse: immigrants from Spain (mainly Basques and Galicians), Italy, Germany, France, Croatia, and the British Isles predominate. 5 percent of the population is descended from Germans, Portuguese, Italians, French and South Slavs.

During the colonial period, from 100 to 150 thousand Europeans, mainly Spaniards, arrived and settled in Chile. Then, in the 70s - 90s of the XIX century in southern regions about two tens of thousands of Germans arrived in the central part of the country. In the 1880-1890s, 75 thousand new citizens arrived in Chile, of which 44 thousand were Spaniards, 19 thousand Italians and French, 12 thousand Swiss.

In the 20th century, the number of immigrants to Chile was more than 600 thousand people, mainly Spaniards, Italians, Germans, Croats and Arabs. Today, Chile is home to over 800,000 people born abroad.

Number of

17 789 267 people (July 2017).

Ethnic composition

Santiago

• European origin - 30%
• mestizo - 65%
• Indians - 5%

Xenophobia

average life expectancy

• Men - 76 years old.
• Women - 82 years old.

The share of the urban population is 87.7%.

The culture

Manuel Antonio Caro, The Dance of the Zamacueca, 1873

Religion

The church in Chile was separated from the state in accordance with the 1925 constitution, more than 80% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. Usually, the church rarely intervened in the political life of the country, but since the late 1960s, following the instructions of the papal encyclicals on social issues, as well as under the influence of social trends of European Catholicism, the Chilean church began to play an important role in the implementation of social reforms in the country, and the number socially active clergy has grown significantly. Several clergymen have contributed to the growth of the influence of the Christian Democratic Party.

In 1970, the Catholic Church of Chile officially declared its rejection of capitalism and renounced all the securities it had, as well as its profitable land and property. After 1973, the church condemned torture, murder and kidnapping.

In addition to Catholics, in Chile there are influential groups of Protestants (according to the 1992 census, they make up 13% of the population) and adherents of Judaism. The significant influence of the Protestant Church is due to strong support from the UK and the presence in the country of a number of educational institutions and social institutions founded by North American religious organizations.

mass media

State TV company - TVN (Televisión Nacional- "National Television"), includes the TV channel of the same name, created in 1969.

Festivities

Chile has 15 official holidays, nine of which are religious and six are secular. In addition, the days of a plebiscite, presidential or parliamentary elections, and official population censuses are considered holidays.

Chile is a very diverse country, where you can find every conceivable landscape of nature, from the desert in the north to the glaciers in the south in Patagonia. In Chile, there was a mixture of Spanish culture with the customs and traditions of the local Mapuche Indians. Many tourists begin their acquaintance with this country from Montevideo, then go to Patagonia for a week, and then rest in any Chilean seaside resort.

Chile geography

Chile is located in the southwest of South America. In the north, Chile borders Peru, and in the east - with Bolivia and Argentina. In the west, the country is washed by the Pacific Ocean. Chile includes the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, Easter Island, and the Juan Fernandez archipelago. The total area, including the islands, is 756 950 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 2,010 km.

Geographically, Chile occupies a narrow coastal strip between the Pacific Ocean and mountain system Andes. Most of the country's territory has mountainous relief... Only a fifth are plains and lowlands. In the north is the Atamaka Desert. Closer to the south towards Bio-Bio, there are many rainforests, lakes and lagoons.

The largest Chilean peaks are found in the north and center of the country. These are the extinct volcanoes Llullaillaco (6,739 meters), Tres Cruces (6,749 meters), Cerro Tupungato (6,635 meters) and Ojos del Salado (6,893 meters). By the way, Ojos del Salado is considered the most high volcano in the world.

In the extreme south, where the Patagonian Andes are, the highest Chilean peaks are Torres del Paine and Mount Fitz Roy.

Capital of Chile

Santiago is the capital of Chile. More than 6 million people now live in this city. Santiago was founded by the Spanish in 1541.

Official language of Chile

The official language is Spanish.

Religion

About 63% of the population are Catholics, about 15% are Protestants.

State structure

According to the 1981 Constitution, Chile is a presidential republic. The President is elected by popular vote for a 4-year term. The president is both the head of state and the head of government.

The bicameral local parliament is called the National Congress and consists of the Senate (38 senators) and the Chamber of Deputies (120 deputies elected by popular vote for a 4-year term).

The main political parties are the coalition of the "left" and the center-left parties "Consent of Parties for Democracy", the coalition of the "right-wing" and center-right parties "Coalition for Change".

Administratively, the country is divided into 14 regions and 1 metropolitan area. The regions, in turn, are divided into 53 provinces and 346 communities.

Climate and weather

The climate in Chile is very diverse, it is influenced by the cold Humboldt Current, which originates in the subantarctic waters off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to this current and the south-westerly winds, the climate in the central and northern regions of Chile is moderate (even in those areas that lie in tropical latitudes).

Since Chile is located in the southern hemisphere, the summer is in December, January and February, and the winter is in June, July and August.

Santiago has an ideal climate, which is why 80% of Chileans live in this city. Summer in Santiago is hot (+ 28-32C), and winter is short, moderate (air temperature sometimes drops to 0C).

The best time for holidays in Chile - from January to March.

Chile's seas and oceans

In the west, Chile is washed by the Pacific Ocean. Length sea ​​coast- 6 171 km. The Humboldt Current makes the water off the coast of Chile cold, so those outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy surfing and windsurfing should always wear wetsuits. At the very shore, the water temperature is warm and pleasant.

Rivers and lakes

Chile has many rivers, but they are not very long. The largest of them are Loa (440 km), Bio-Bio (380 km), Maipe (250 km) and Maule (240 km).

The culture

In many ways, Chile's culture is more European than South American, although this country is located in South America. The reason for this is immigrants. However, Chile is home to about 1 million local Indians (mainly in the north of the country).

As in other Latin American countries, Chile celebrates a huge number of religious, cultural and folk holidays every year. In April, for example, the religious festival Fiesta de Quasimodo is celebrated, and in July, another religious festival is the Fiesta de la Tirana.

But, of course, holidays in this country are not limited to religious festivals. Chile annually celebrates many folklore festivals (Angola, San Bernardo, Yumbelna) and musical festivals (Valdivia Classical Music Festival, Tonga Jazz Festival, Semanas de Frutillar Music Festival and Joranadas de Villarrica Music Festival) ...

Chilean cuisine

The Chilean smithy was formed on the basis of the culinary traditions of local Indians and immigrants from Europe. The main food products are potatoes, corn, beans, fish, seafood, meat. For some tourists, Chilean dishes may resemble Peruvian cuisine. However, the Chilean smithy is actually much richer than the Peruvian culinary tradition. Note that in Chile, spicy dishes are not very common, unlike, for example, Mexico.

1. Carbonada (meat soup with finely chopped beef and various vegetables);
2. Arrollado de Chancho (pork in a spicy sauce);
3. Cazuela de Ave (chicken soup with potatoes, beans and rice);
4. Costillar de Chancho (baked pork);
5. Curanto en Hoyo (a typical dish in southern Chile, fish, seafood with potatoes in a tortilla);
6. Palta Reina (tuna or ham with avocado and mayonnaise)
7. Parrillada (grilled various meats, served with potatoes or rice);
8. Pollo Arvejado (chicken fillet with green peas, onions and carrots);
9. Ceviche (sea bass in lemon juice);
10. Arroz con Leche (rice pudding).

Traditional soft drinks - fruit juices, tea, coffee.

Traditional alcoholic drinks - Chicha (sweet liqueur made from apples or grapes), Pipeno (sweet fermented wine), Pisco (grape brandy), wine.

sights

The main Chilean attraction is nature, although, of course, the country has several dozen interesting historical and architectural monuments Indians and Spanish conquistadors.

In any case, tourists in Chile are definitely advised to see the mysterious Easter Island, the El Tatio geysers, the Atacama Desert, the Lauca Biosphere Reserve, Lake Miscanti, the archaeological sites of the Mapuche Indians of Copacilla and Sapauira, the Parinacota Volcano and Patagonia. In the south of the country, in the city of Valdivia, there is an old Spanish fortress built in the Middle Ages.

A significant part of Chile's territory is occupied by National parks and reserves. The most famous and popular of them are - National park Puyehu (107 thousand hectares), Lauca National Park (located in the east of the country), Villarrica National Park with Lake Karbugua, Chiloe National Park with relict coniferous and evergreen forests.

Cities and resorts

The largest cities are Santiago, Puente Alto, Antofagasta, San Bernardo, Viña del Mar, Temuco and Valparaiso.

Most of the most famous Chilean seaside resorts are located in the central part of the country.

Some of the best Chilean beaches include:

1. La Virgen Beach 70 kilometers from Copiapo (infrastructure not developed)
2. Anakena Beach, Easter Island (beach surrounded by coconut trees, turquoise water with soft sand)
3. Bahía Inglesa Beach near Copiapo (well developed infrastructure)
4. Ovahe Beach, Easter Island (located at the foot of a volcanic rock)
5. Las Tijeras, Dama Island (114 km northeast of Coquimbo)

Chile has a few good ones, even by European standards, ski resorts... Among them, we highlight Valle Nevado, 60 km from Santiago at an altitude of 3025 m (more than 30 trails and 40 lifts), Portillo, 145 km from Santiago at an altitude of 2880 m (a large number of trails, 11 lifts, an outdoor swimming pool with heated water), ski complex Farellones - El Colorado - La Parva (more than 14 km of slopes and 17 lifts).

Souvenirs / shopping

Tourists in Chile buy handicrafts, jewelry (especially lapis lazuli), Greda (Chilean traditional clay dishes), small ceramic animal figurines, copper dishes, Emboque (traditional Chilean game), small moai statues from Easter Island, football souvenirs, Chilean spices (e.g. Merquén), wine.

Opening hours of institutions