LEARN SPANISH IN

CHILE

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LEARN SPANISH IN CHILE

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in South America occupying a long coastal strip between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It borders Argentina to the east, Bolivia to the northeast and Peru to the north.

About Chile

People in Chile are primarily mestizo, a combination of European and indigenous descent, and the indigenous traditions are still prevalent in several parts of the country. Nearly 90% of the Chileans are Roman Catholic, but there is freedom of religious expression.

Chile's literacy rate is one of Latin America's highest at 94%, chileans call their country país de poetas 'land of poets'. Gabriela Mistral was the first Chilean to win a Nobel Prize for Literature (1945). Chile's most famous poet, however, is Pablo Neruda, who also won the Nobel Prize (1971) and is world-renowned for his extensive library of works on romance, nature, and politics. His three highly individualistic homes, located in Isla Negra, Santiago and Valparaíso are popular tourist destinations. And there is another famous writer, Isabel Allende, niece of Salvador Allende, she has written well known books as 'The House of the Spirits', there is also a movie based in this book.

The national dance is the cueca. Another form of traditional Chilean song, though not a dance, is the tonada. Arising from music imported by the Spanish colonists, it is distinguished from the cueca by an intermediate melodic section and a more prominent melody. In the mid-1960s native musical forms were revitalized by the Parra family with the Nueva Canción Chilena, which was associated with political activists and reformers, and by the folk singer and researcher on folklore and Chilean ethnography, Margot Loyola.

Chilean people are friendly and hospitable to foreigners. The economy is strong and law enforcement is trustworthy. These characteristics together with the beautiful landscapes and well developed transportation system make this country a very attractive destination for all its visitors.

Population: 16,432,674 (60th) June 2006 est.
Capital: Santiago de Chile
Currency: Peso (CLP)