Introduction:

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. With Ecuador, it is one of two countries in South America which do not border Brazil. The Pacific coastline of Chile is 6,435 kilometers. Currently Chile is one of South America’s most stable and prosperous nations. It leads Latin American nations in human development, competitiveness, quality of life, political stability, globalization, economic freedom, low perception of corruption and comparatively low poverty rates. It also ranks high regionally in freedom of the press and democratic development. However, it has a high income inequality, as measured by the Gini index. In May 2010 Chile became the first South American country to join the OECD. Chile is also a founding member of both the United Nations and the Union of South American nations.

General Information:

• Capital Santiago
• Area Total 756,950 km2
• Population April 2010 estimate 17,063,000 (60th)
• Density 22/km2 (194th)57/sq mi
• GDP (PPP) Total $243.569 billion(2009est.)
• Currency Peso (CLP)
• Time zone CLT (UTC-4)
• Calling code +56
• Religion Catholic: 70%, Protestant: 16%, Other: 14%.
• Language Spanish (official)

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 Argentinean, 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.

In 1970, Salvador Allende became the first president in a non-Communist country freely elected on a Marxist program. Allende quickly established relations with Cuba and the People’s Republic of China, introduced Marxist economic and social reforms, and nationalized many private companies, including U.S.-owned ones.

Geography:

Chile is located in South America’s Southwest, stretching far south to Antarctica. Its westernmost point is Easter Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, 3,760 km from the Chilean coast. Chile stretches from parallel 17°30′ S to parallel 56°32′ S, at the southernmost tip of South America,Cape Horn. Chile’s claim over the Antarctic continent encompasses the territory between meridians 53° and 90° W, to the South Pole.

One of its most unique and popular characteristics are Chile’s four extreme borders.

In the West, the country follows the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

In the East, the formidable Andes mountain range.

In the North of Chile is the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world, while In the South is forests, pristine lakes, and further down, glaciers.

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