Chile
Situated south of Peru and west of Bolivia and Argentina, Chile fills a narrow 2,880-mi (4,506 km) strip between the Andes and the Pacific. One-third of Chile is covered by the towering ranges of the Andes. In the north is the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert, and in the center is a 700-mile-long (1,127 km) thickly populated valley with most of Chile's arable land. At the southern tip of Chile's mainland is Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in the world, and beyond that lies the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego, an island divided between Chile and Argentina. The southernmost point of South America is Cape Horn, a 1,390-foot (424 m) rock on Horn Island in the Wollaston group, which belongs to Chile. Chile also claims sovereignty over 482,628 sq mi (1,250,000 sq km) of Antarctic territory; the Juan Fernández Islands, about 400 mi (644 km) west of the mainland; and Easter Island, about 2,000 mi (3,219 km) west.
Government Republic.
History Chile was originally under the control of the Incas in the north and the nomadic Araucanos in the south. In 1541, a Spaniard, Pedro de Valdivia, founded Santiago. Chile won its independence from Spain in 1818 under Bernardo O'Higgins and an Argentinian, José de San Martin. O'Higgins, dictator until 1823, laid the foundations of the modern state with a two-party system and a centralized government.
Population (2014 est.): 17,363,894 - Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Santiago, 6.034 million
Monetary unit: Chilean Peso - Language: Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%
Ethnicity/race: white and non-indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana)
Religions: Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%. Source: www.infoplease.com
Situated south of Peru and west of Bolivia and Argentina, Chile fills a narrow 2,880-mi (4,506 km) strip between the Andes and the Pacific. One-third of Chile is covered by the towering ranges of the Andes. In the north is the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert, and in the center is a 700-mile-long (1,127 km) thickly populated valley with most of Chile's arable land. At the southern tip of Chile's mainland is Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in the world, and beyond that lies the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego, an island divided between Chile and Argentina. The southernmost point of South America is Cape Horn, a 1,390-foot (424 m) rock on Horn Island in the Wollaston group, which belongs to Chile. Chile also claims sovereignty over 482,628 sq mi (1,250,000 sq km) of Antarctic territory; the Juan Fernández Islands, about 400 mi (644 km) west of the mainland; and Easter Island, about 2,000 mi (3,219 km) west.
Government Republic.
History Chile was originally under the control of the Incas in the north and the nomadic Araucanos in the south. In 1541, a Spaniard, Pedro de Valdivia, founded Santiago. Chile won its independence from Spain in 1818 under Bernardo O'Higgins and an Argentinian, José de San Martin. O'Higgins, dictator until 1823, laid the foundations of the modern state with a two-party system and a centralized government.
Population (2014 est.): 17,363,894 - Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Santiago, 6.034 million
Monetary unit: Chilean Peso - Language: Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%
Ethnicity/race: white and non-indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana)
Religions: Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%. Source: www.infoplease.com
Chile Cuisine
Chilean cuisine varies depending where you are, because of its ecological and climatic diversity there is a great variety of products available in different regions. All the different regional cuisines are a combination of traditional native Chilean dishes and ingredients, European and in a lesser extent Middle Eastern influences, creating the Chilean Creole cuisine. Three distinct cuisines can be distinguished; the cuisine of the North, Central and South. Because of Chile’s long coast seafood is the main ingredient of its many dishes, mostly in the center and the south of the country. Local crops are the staple of each regional cuisine which have been prepared for thousands of years by native Indians before the Spanish arrived. Among the most important agricultural crops are maize also known as choclo, quinoa and potatoes which have been cultivated since pre-Inca times providing nourishment in the high altitudes of the Andes. Although it originated in Europe, olives from the north of Chile are widely used in many local dishes. Among fruits lucuma and chirimoya, both native of Peru, and murtilla, endemic to Chile, are among those widely used in desserts. Since the time of the Spanish conquest Chile has been producing grapes in its soil rich central region. The wine making tradition that Chile started after its conquest gave origin to other alcoholic drinks such as chicha, pisco and aguardiente. Among Chile’s beverages pisco is considered to be the national drink. Pisco is a strong spirit that contains 40% alc/vol and it is made of the colorless grape brandy. Pisco was developed by the Spanish and it was named after the town of Pisco in the department of Ica, Peru. Today there is controversy as to its origin and the rights to use the Pisco name. Source: www.chileculture.org
Chilean cuisine varies depending where you are, because of its ecological and climatic diversity there is a great variety of products available in different regions. All the different regional cuisines are a combination of traditional native Chilean dishes and ingredients, European and in a lesser extent Middle Eastern influences, creating the Chilean Creole cuisine. Three distinct cuisines can be distinguished; the cuisine of the North, Central and South. Because of Chile’s long coast seafood is the main ingredient of its many dishes, mostly in the center and the south of the country. Local crops are the staple of each regional cuisine which have been prepared for thousands of years by native Indians before the Spanish arrived. Among the most important agricultural crops are maize also known as choclo, quinoa and potatoes which have been cultivated since pre-Inca times providing nourishment in the high altitudes of the Andes. Although it originated in Europe, olives from the north of Chile are widely used in many local dishes. Among fruits lucuma and chirimoya, both native of Peru, and murtilla, endemic to Chile, are among those widely used in desserts. Since the time of the Spanish conquest Chile has been producing grapes in its soil rich central region. The wine making tradition that Chile started after its conquest gave origin to other alcoholic drinks such as chicha, pisco and aguardiente. Among Chile’s beverages pisco is considered to be the national drink. Pisco is a strong spirit that contains 40% alc/vol and it is made of the colorless grape brandy. Pisco was developed by the Spanish and it was named after the town of Pisco in the department of Ica, Peru. Today there is controversy as to its origin and the rights to use the Pisco name. Source: www.chileculture.org