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Chile is situated in the southern region of South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru. It has long and narrow costal strip that lies between the Andes mountain and the Pacific Ocean. It has a long coastline stretching up to 6,435 kilometers. Atacama Desert, the driest non-Arctic place on Earth is located in the northern part of Chile.
Chile is considered to be the most corruption free country in Latin America, and ranked 22nd in the world. Chile is ranked highest among Latin American countries, in terms of global connectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social, cultural political, technological and ecological spheres.
The northern part of the Atacama desert is rich in minerals primarily copper and nitrates. The central valley inclusive of the Santiago dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources. Southern region of Chile is rich in, grazing lands, forests and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. Chile is also the world's longest country stretching over 4,200 km (2,610 mi).
Chile has control over Sala y Gomez Island, Easter island, the easternmost island of Polynesia and Robinson Crusoe Island, about 600km from the mainland, in Juan Fernandez archipelago.
The climate in Chile is generally temperate. The climate is very diverse in Chile with desert in the north, Mediterranean climate in central region, cool and damp in south. Most of the country witness four seasons, its summer from December to February, Autumn from March to May, Winter season from June to August and spring from September to November.
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| People |
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| Most of the Chilean population features a considerably homogeneous mestizo quality, the product of miscegenation between colonial Spanish immigrants and Amerindian females. The ethic groups can be defined as 95% of the population being white and white-Amerindians, 3% being Amerindians and 2% others. Whites are basically Spanish origin. The religious groups in Chile can be classified as 70% of the population being Roman Catholic, 15.1% of the population are followers of Evangelical belief, 1.1% are Jehovah's Witness,1% are other Christian , 4.6% other, 8.3% none. The language of communication for Chileans is Spanish. Chileans are known for speaking fast. Other indigenous languages are Mapundungun, Rapa Nui, Quechua, Huilliche, Kawesqar Aimara and Yamana. |
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| Government |
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Chile has a Republic form of Government. In September 1980, under the military government of Augusto Pinodhet, the Chilean constitution was approved in a highly irregular national plebiscite. In the 1988 plebiscite, after pinochet's defeat, the Constitution was amended to ease provisions for future amendments to the Constitution. In September 2005, President Ricardo Lagos signed into law several constitutional amendments passed by Congress. Which included, eliminating the positions of appointed senators and senators for life, granting authority to remove the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces to the president, and reducing the presidential term from six to four years.
President is both the chief of the state and head of the Government. The cabinet ministers are appointed by the president. The president is elected by popular vote for a single four-year term. Chile is divided into 15 administrative regions, the president appoints intendants to head these regions. These regions are further divided into provinces, which are headed by the governor, who are appointed by the President. These provinces are furthermore divided into Communes administered by the municipalities. Every municipality has its own mayor and councilmen elected by their inhabitants for four years.
These 15 regions are Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Coquimbo, , Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, , Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Valparaiso, Biobio, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Maule, Tarapaca,
Capital: Santigo
President: Michelle Bachelet Jeria |
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| Economy |
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Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade.
The majority number of the labour force is concentrated into the service industry i.e. about 63% of the population, 23% of labour force is into the industrial sector and only13.6% into the agricultural field. The major industrial products are copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, iron and steel, transport equipment, fish processing, wood and wood products, cement, textiles. The agricultural produce of Chile are apples, grapes, pears, peaches, onions, corn, wheat, oats, garlic, beans, asparagus, beef, poultry, wool, fish, timber |
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