One of the many well-known facts about Chile is the way it is guarded by natural barriers. It is a ribbon-shapped country with many interesting facts.
Did You Know?
In a country as advanced as Chile, a concept such as divorce was legalized only in 2005.
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A bad rumor is better than bad news. - Chilean Proverb
Located within South America, Chile is officially known as the 'Republic of Chile'. It is bordered by Peru in the north, Bolivia in the northeast, Drake Passage in the south and Argentina in the east.
The Pacific Ocean lies to the country's west while the Andes mountains lie to its east. A lot of people believe that Chile is the narrowest country in the world.
However, this isn't true as there are many countries that have a smaller width than that of Chile. Nonetheless, it still remains the longest country globally, from north to south. More such trivia is listed here!
• The national sport of Chile is Chilean rodeo.
• The country's national bird is the Andean Condor. The national animal is the Huemul and the Chilean bellflower is the national flower. However, the Condor and the Huemul are together known as the country's national animals.
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• Chile has a minimum of seven major climatic subtypes. It witnesses four seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring.
• The country is also responsible for 1/3rd of the world's copper production.
• The country's land is of volcanic origin and it has roughly 620 volcanoes. Most of them are considered to be active.
• There are 5 World Heritage Sites in Chile, all of them categorized as 'cultural'. These are the Churches of Chiloé, Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso, Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works, Rapa Nui National Park, and Sewell Mining Town.
• Christianity is the main religion followed in Chile with 63% of the citizens identifying themselves as Roman Catholics. Protestants make for approximately 15%. 18% were estimated to be agnostics and atheist. 4% said they followed other religions. These statistics are derived from a poll taken by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in 2011.
• Chile is also known for the lowest divorce rates globally. This may have been possible due to the late legalization of divorce in the country.
• The country is situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire. The southern part of the country is considered to witness the most amount of rainfall globally.
• It is also believed that Chile is one of the top 5 countries with the most Greek descendants.
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• The oldest mummies in the world, the Chinchorro mummies, are located in Chile.
• The Atacama Desert is said to be the driest place in the world and is also said to highly resemble Mars.
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• Elements in the Chilean Flag represent many aspects of the country. The star symbolizes honor and progress; the sky and the Pacific Ocean are represented by the color blue whereas the snow-covered Andes are represented by white. The color red symbolizes blood spilled to gain independence.
• The border between Argentina and Chile is the third-longest common border in the world, measuring approximately 3,200 miles.
• A really interesting fact about Chile is its claim over 1,250,000 square kilometers of Antarctica. However, under the Antarctic Treaty, these claims have been suspended.
• The country witnessed military dictatorship from 1973-1990, after President Salvador Allende was overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet.
• Chile has participated in the Olympics since its inaugural year and has won 13 medals since then with tennis bringing in the most, a total of four.
• Chile is approximately 4,630 kilometers long and 430 kilometers wide, at its widest point.
• The local currency of Chile is called 'Chilean Peso'. One Chilean Peso is divided into 100 centavos.
• Chile exports fish, fruits, copper, wine, chemicals, paper and pulp.
• Chile has produced two Nobel laureates. Both Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971 and 1945 respectively.
• Chile was proclaimed an independent republic on 12 February 1818. However, they celebrate their National Day on 18th September every year. This is because a national junta was formed on that date in the name of Ferdinand.
• The country is also considered to be one of the largest exporters of salmon.
• Spanish is the country's official language, though the dialect is different from its neighboring nations. In Chile, it has a more accented form. Indigenous languages include Mapudungun, Aymara, Rapa Nui and Quechua. Even though indigenous, these languages are spoken in minority.
• Chile is a founding member of United Nations (UN) as well as of the Union of South American Nations.
• The current northern portion of the country was added to its territory after the end of the War of the Pacific in 1883. In this war, Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia.
• In an article published in 2010, Chile was the fifth largest exporter of wines and the 8th largest producer globally.
• The President is the Head of State and the Head of Government and is elected by a popular vote for a single term of four years.
• Mataveri International Airport on Easter Island is the world's remotest airport from another airport.
• The National Congress is bicameral, comprising the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.