Chile is a long, narrow country stretching along South America's western edge, with more than 6,000km of Pacific Ocean coastline. Santiago, its capital, sits in a valley surrounded by the Andes and Chilean Coast Range mountains. The city's palm-lined Plaza de Armas contains the neoclassical cathedral and the National History Museum. The massive Parque Metropolitano offers swimming pools, a botanical garden and zoo.
Languages: Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2%
Ethnic Groups: European 59%, Mestizo 25%, Mapuche 9%, African 4%, Aymara 1%, Others 2%
Belief Systems: Roman Catholicism 58%, Protestantism 14%, unaffiliated 24%, other 4%
Demographics:
Population: 17.7 million people (World Rank: 62nd) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 61.7 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 193rd) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 0.868 %/yr (World Rank: 139th) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 80 years (World Rank: 38th) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 32.1 years (World Rank: 64th) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Chile
Worldatlas.com
Country Profile for Chile
United Nations
Chile
Wikipedia.org
Chile - Country Profile
US Library of Congress
Chile - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Culture and Tourism:
Tourism Chile
All about Chile as a tourism destination
Torres del Paine
National park in Chile's Patagonia region
Santiago
Capital city of Chile
Easter Island
Island containing iconic statues carved from volcanic rock
Spanish Language Resources:
Learn Spanish
Free online resource for learning Spanish
Study in Chile
Learn Spanish by studying in Chile
Government Related:
Chilean Embassy
in Washington D.C.
German Government Websites
by Gunnar Anzinger
