Advanced search
image
Travel & living abroad

South America and South Atlantic Islands

Chile

 Flag of Chile

Map of Chile Last reviewed: 15 June 2011

Country information

Map of Chile

Chile today

Country facts

Full Country Name: The Republic of Chile
Area: 756,626 sq km; 292,058 sq miles
Population: Estimated total population in early 2011: 17,000,000. Two thirds of the population is concentrated in the central zone.
Capital City: Santiago de Chile, population nearly six million.
People: Many Chileans descend from Spanish and other (mainly European) immigrants, who settled in Chile from the sixteenth century onwards, although a large number are of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Estimates of the size of the indigenous community vary considerably but according to the results of the 2002 census 692,192 people identified themselves as belonging to an ethnic group (4.6% of the population). The indigenous community is comprised of the following groups: Mapuche (87.3%), Aymara (7.01%), Atacamenos (3.04%), Quechua, Rapa Nui (Easter Islanders), Colla, Alacalufe and Yamana.
Languages: The official language is Spanish. The indigenous community also speak Mapuche, Aymara, Rapa Nui and Quechua, amongst others. English is an obligatory second language in schools, though standards vary greatly.
Religion(s): Roman Catholic 69.96%, Evangelical 15.14% (officially defined in Chile as all non-Catholic Christian churches except the Orthodox, the Mormons, the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses), other Christian churches 2.04%, other religions (including Jews and Muslims) 4.55%, and atheists/indifferent 8.3%.
Currency: Peso (around 760 to 1 in early 2011)
Major Political Parties represented in Parliament:Right-of-centre Alianza Coalition: Renovación Nacional (RN) (National Renovation); Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI) (Independent Democratic Union).
Left-of-centre: Concertación Coalition: Partido Socialista (PS) (Socialists); Partido Demócrata Cristiano (DC) (Christian Democrats); Partido por la Democracia (PPD) (Party for Democracy); Partido Radical Social Demócrata (PRSD) (Radical Social Democratic Party).
Other left-of-centre party: Partido Comunista (PC) (Communist Party).
Government: Chile has a republican system of government consisting of three separate and independent branches: the Executive Branch is headed by the President, who in turn is advised by a Cabinet of (unelected) Ministers; the Legislative Branch consists of a bicameral National Congress located in Valparaíso comprising the Senate (38 Senators) and Chamber of Deputies (120 MPs); and the Judicial Branch, headed by the Supreme Court. These institutions are defined in the 1980 Constitution (amended in 2005). The President is directly elected for a four year term (reduced from six years in March 2006), and may not serve two consecutive terms.
Head of State and Government: Mr Sebastian Piñera (from 11 March 2010)
Foreign Minister: Mr. Alfredo Moreno 

Country information

Pick Another Country :