ABOUT CHILE

Information about Chile

Chile is a country of contrasts and great beauty. It is the longest and narrowest country on the continent, with 4,329 km in length and only 177 km. of average width. The Chilean territory is located to the south west of South America, between meridians 17 ° 30 and 90 ° South latitude. Chile has one of the most solid economies in South America and has a long democratic trajectory.

Chile is the place of the geographical and climatic extremes: in the north the Atacama Desert extends – the most arid in the world – the Mediterranean landscapes of the center give life to Santiago – the capital – surrounded by fertile wine valleys and modern ski centers . Even more, at 3,790 km. of the continent, Easter Island – also called the navel of the world by its inhabitants, awaits the foreigner with a unique culture and archaeological heritage. In the south, lakes, wild rivers, volcanoes and native forests allow intimate contact with nature. And the island of Chiloé, for many a paradise on earth, is home to a friendly town, author of fantastic myths. In Patagonia, fjords and ice fields receive genuine adventurous spirits and, in Antarctica, the magic of life is discovered in an environment of eternal ice.

Chile is a country to enjoy nature in its most varied expressions. Mountaineering, horseback riding and skiing in the Andes Mountains, archaeological explorations in the Atacama Desert, observation of flora and fauna, diving and beaches in the Pacific Ocean, stroll through the valleys of wine, rafting, kayaking in rivers and fjords, navigation in ice floes or excursions to ancient ritual sites in Easter Island are some of the activities you can undertake in our country ..

Limits

It limits to the North with Peru, to the East with Bolivia and Argentina, to the West with the Pacific Ocean and to the South with the South Pole.

Weather

Because of its topography and its long extension from north to south, Chile contemplates a great variety of climates. Desert from Arica to La Serena, Mediterranean in the central region to Concepción, temperate rain from Concepción to Punta Arenas and polar ice in Antarctica.

Population

The estimated population, to the year 2010, reaches 17,094,275 inhabitants, with a density of 22.6 hbs./km2. Of these, 40% is concentrated in the Metropolitan Area of ​​Santiago. The total average age is 31.7 years.

Religion

70% of the population professes the Catholic religion. 15.1% is Evangelical or Protestant, 8.3% without religion, atheist or agnostic, and other religions are practiced by 4.4%. (Figures Census 2002).

Most important cities

The most important cities, besides Santiago (the capital, with 5,250,000 inhabitants) are: Antofagasta, Concepción, Temuco, Valparaíso / Viña del Mar (main port of the country), and Puerto Montt.

Language

The official language is Spanish (Spanish)

Coin

The monetary unit is the Chilean peso ($). The equivalence with the dollar must be reported according to the date of the trip. The change can be made in banks and exchange houses, and no special document is necessary.

Education

Escolaridad obligativa. 12 años (educación básica y media).

Transport, Roads and Telecommunications

In the capital there is an extensive transport network or Buses del Transantiago (https://www.transantiagoinforma.cl/). It also has an extensive network of Metro (Metropolitan Railway) with five lines (https://www.metrosantiago.cl/). For domestic trips there are local airlines and excellent buses from the capital to the vast majority of destinations in the country. In the international airport of Santiago “Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez”, distant to 20 km. from the city, you can find minibuses (US $ 20) buses US $ 5) and taxis (US $ 35) to get there.

Chile has a total of 364 air landing strips, including the airports of Chile (Iquique, Antofagasta, Cocepción, Puerto Montt, Easter Island, and the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Santiago). As for the most important and most extensive asphalted road, it is the Panamericana, which joins Chile from Arica to Puerto Montt. There are other transversal roads and towards bordering countries in excellent conditions. In the city of Puerto Montt, the Carretera Austral is born, which will unite this city in the future with the city of Punta Arenas. This road of 1,200 km. of extension by its landscapes and by the almost virgin territories that it crosses, it constitutes one of the main tourist attractions of the Chilean Patagonia.

Chile also has a modern telecommunications system that covers a large part of the territory, including Antarctica and Chile Insular. There are more than 4 miles of fixed telephone lines and 194 miles of mobile telephony (1.13 cell phones per 1 inhabitant). It has the highest rate of Internet access with about 8.4 million users, reaching 50.4% of the population. With respect to broadband, it is the best in the continent reaching 9.7% with 1.6 subscribers

Informations

(56) 65 229 4161

Schedule

24 hours a day

Passenger Terminal building,

Puerto Montt el Tepual Airport

Región de los Lagos, Chile.