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Santiago

Santiago

Santiago is the capital and the largest city of Chile. Due to Chile’s economic growth during the past decades Santiago has become one of Latin America’s most modern cities. Santiago’s urban area or Greater Santiago, which includes the Commune of Santiago, has a population of over 5 million people who are called Santiaguinos. The Metropolitan area has about 7 million inhabitants. Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile, was founded by Spanish conqueror Pedro Valdivia on … Read entire article »

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The Geography of Chile

The Geography of Chile

Chile occupies a long strip of land in the south west of the South American continent. The country is shaped like a long and narrow ribbon and is the longest country in the planet; its coastline along the Pacific Ocean stretches for 4,300 km or 2,700 m.  Chile’s total surface is 756,950 sq km or 292,183 sq m (excluding claims on Antarctica) its territory is twice as big as Japan or Germany. Chile borders Peru … Read entire article »

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Arts and Literature in Chile

Arts and Literature in Chile

Chile has a remarkable record of artistic and literary achievement considering its relatively small population. Social and political circumstances have had a strong impact on inspiring groups of artists to protest against policies of the regime and rousing strong emotions which translated into works of art and cultural achievement in different fields. Art in Chile works as a reflection that safeguards the cultural heritage of the country. The conquest of Chile by the Spanish and the … Read entire article »

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Chile Holidays and Festivals

Chile Holidays and Festivals

Chile’s holidays and festivals have their roots in historical events and religion. Religion plays an important part in Chilean’s lives, some of Chile’s most important celebrations are based on religious beliefs combining Spanish and Indian tradition. Chileans honor Catholic saints with festivals that usually include processions in which religious statues are carried on the streets, people wear traditional brightly colored costumes and dance to folk music. To recognize the increasing importance of the Evangelical and … Read entire article »

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Food and Cuisine in Chile

Food and Cuisine in Chile

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 … Read entire article »

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Chile City Life

Chile City Life

Four out of five Chileans live in cities along the coast. The countryside has seen large exodus of residents looking for a better opportunities in the cities. Most people migrate to but there are not enough jobs or places to live. They settle around the city and many families live in crowded areas called callampas or mushrooms, here they build small shacks where there is no electricity of running water. According to Chile’s National Statistics … Read entire article »

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Chile Population

Chile Population

Chileans are a diverse people whose roots are found in both South America and Europe. The original inhabitants of Chile include the Ona and Yahgan tribes in the south, the Mapuche in the south of the Central Valley and the Atacameno and Diaguita Indians who lived in the Atacama Desert in the north of the country. Today they represent only 4.5% of the population. As the Spanish conquered most of South America many men inter … Read entire article »

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Easter Island Statues – moai

Easter Island Statues – moai

The massive 887 stone statues or moai built in Easter Island by the Rapa Nui are unique. Although there are stone figures in other Polynesian islands none of them are of the size of the Easter Island statues. The largest finished statue reaches more than 30 feet or 9.14 meters and the smallest 6 feet or 1.80 meters. Many moai were never finished, in fact the largest one found was unfinished and would have stood … Read entire article »

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Easter Island History

Easter Island History

Easter Island was so named by Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutch explorer who on April 5, 1722, Easter Sunday, was the first European to visit the island. First Inhabitants Radio carbon studies estimate that the first inhabitants of  settled between 700 CE and 1200 CE. There is much debate about the origin of the Rapa Nui. Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl suggested that Polynesia was settled by the Incas coming from South America, one of the reasons … Read entire article »

Filed under: Chile History, Chile Travel and Places, Pacific Islands

Chile History Timeline

Chile History Timeline

Chronological events in the history of Chile.   14,000 BC – Nomadic tribes arrive from the north to the area that today comprises Chile. 8,000-1,000 – Tribes become semisedentary and the Chinchorro become the dominant civilization in the area. They experiment with seeds and plants and discover agriculture. Along the coast and rivers inhabitants learn to build tools to gather fish and seashells. 200 AD – Inhabitants become sedentary and the Mapuche emerge as a distinctive tribe. 1475 – The … Read entire article »

Filed under: Chile History