General Information

Official name:            The Republic of Chile

Capital:                        Santiago

Extent:                         756 950 square kilometres

Population number: 15 823 957

Official language:      Spanish

State organization:   Republic

Main religion:             Roman Catholics (84%), Protestants (13%)

The highest peak:    Ojos del Salado (6880 m)

Time:                           Central European Time – 5 hours 

 

 

Geography

Chile offers, thanks to its extention, very different countryside - such as. picturesque Ands Mountains, volcanic peaks, covered with snow, wide river valleys as well as deep canyons, dried up deserts, cold fjords, great blue glaciers, turquiose lakes, sandy beaches as well as steep caps. From this reason, Chile is called as geographical speciality. The coasts of Chile are washed out by South Pacific Ocean from its western part. This coast is more than 4000 kms long. From its east and north parts, the country has three neighbours - Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. From administrative point of view, Chile is divided into 13 regions and capital Santiago and its region.

Nature

Numerous national parks of the country are targets for many visitors of Chile. Three essential parks are existing in Chile, such as: National Parks, National Reservations and National Monuments. National Parks are mostly of great area, National Monuments are smaller but more watched.

Climate

Owing to great area of the country, the climate is typical with its big diversity. The northern  part has the climate of subtropical character, central part has the climate of moderate belt, and in south, cold and rainy climate is dominating. On the other hand, year season corresponds to those of South Hemisphere. It means that summer period begins in December and terminats in May, whereas winter period is lasting since June till September. The average January temperature in Santiago reaches 21° C and in July 14° C. Year precipitatiuon in capital makes 460 mm.

Population

This several millions´nation is living in central part of Chile (75%), i.e. in capital and in environs and surrounding regions. 80% of total population live in towns or quarters. Chile did not absorbed so great immigration boom during 19th and 20th centuries, as it was in case of neighbouring Argentina. So, at the end of 19th century, only a small part of population had another than Chilian origin. To the nationalities, which came there, belong, for instance, Germans, Frenchmen, Italians, the Jews from Europe and Palestinians. 94% from total population is able to read and write. This fact means that the country belongs to one of most educated countries of Latin America.