аÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û

Easter Island photo by Mike W.

20 Fascinating Facts about Chile

 Chile is a nation in the western part of South America. It is located on a slender sliver of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, making it the southernmost nation in the world and the closest to Antarctica. Having a surface size of 756,096 square kilometers (291,930 square miles) and 17.5 million people as of 2017.

Chile is bordered to the north by Peru, to the northeast by Bolivia, to the east by Argentina, and to the south by the Drake Passage. Along with these Pacific islands, the nation also has jurisdiction over Easter Island, Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and a total of 1,250,000 square kilometers (480,000 square miles) of Antarctica that it refers to as the Chilean Antarctic Territory.  Santiago is Chile’s capital and largest city, and the language spoken there is Spanish.

These are 20 Fascinating facts about Chile’s according to discover walks 

1. Chile has been considered the best place on Earth for Stargazing

photo by Greg Rakozy

It is the perfect place for astronomers. Multiple factors account for this. First, the world’s highest and driest desert is located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. Some of the riverbeds in the Atacama have been dry for 120,000 years because of how arid it is there. The Atacama Desert is one of the best locations for stargazing and viewing the Milky Way, nevertheless, because of these circumstances.

2. It is among the World’s longest Nations

With a surface area of 756,096.3 km or 291 930.4 square miles, Chile is the seventh-largest of the 12 South American nations. The distance from north to south, however, is a staggering 4,329 kilometers (2689.916 miles). 

The Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountain Range border the country on its western and eastern sides, respectively. It has an average width of only 180 kilometers (111.85 miles) from east to west because of these geological characteristics.

3. Chile has been around for more than  1000 years 

More than 12,000 years have passed in Chile. Archaeologists were astounded by a discovery in the 1980s. A footprint was found nearby Monte Verde. It was claimed that this footprint was more than 12,500 years old. It examined the “Clovis paradigm.”

According to the Clovis paradigm, humans did not first arrive in the Americas until about 11,500 years ago, when they crossed the Bering land bridge in Alaska. This discovery opened the door for novel theories regarding the origins of the Americas and their migration to the continent.

4. It is the World’s Top producer of Copper 

Mineral resources are abundant in Chile, particularly copper. The nation’s mines produce a whopping 5.6 million metric tonnes of copper annually, far and away more than any other nation. After seeing those figures, it is not at all unexpected that Chile is also home to Chuquicamata, one of the biggest open-cut copper mines.

The Atacama Desert is home to the majority of Chile’s mines, notably Chuquicamata, which are situated there. In addition to producing copper, Chilean mines also produce gold, silver, iron, coal, lithium, and molybdenum. However, copper makes approximately 60% of the nation’s exports and is what actually brings in the big dollars.

5. The Nation has a thriving street art scene

Photo by James Garman

In spite of the fact that Chile as a whole may not be well known abroad for its street art, this small city on the Pacific coast most certainly is. World-class street art may be found at Valparaiso on its hillside canvases. Numerous tourists come to the city expressly to view the large murals and intricately detailed tiny paintings that are found outside.

The artwork is appreciated by both locals and tourists. The municipal government of Valparaiso supports the unpolished street art scene, and cafes, restaurants, and bars queue up to commission painters to cover their blank walls with eye-catching images and vibrant splashes of color. This city is therefore a visual feast, thanks to its vibrant colors. Valparaiso Boulevard cannot be included on a list of Chile’s most notable achievements.

6.  Chile has been the 6th largest wine producer and the 5th largest exporter in the World

photo by Kevin Kelly

Chile has been producing wine since the sixteenth century. It all began when the first vines were introduced into the nation by the Spanish colonists. Hence making it the 6th largest wine producer in the world. 

Despite this, it took Chile more than a century to become recognized as one of the world’s top wine producers. In the 1980s, technology-enabled Chile to increase its wine sales abroad, which had a significant role in this. The ability to experience Chile’s natural landscape in addition to its world-class vineyards is one of the country’s most alluring tourist attractions.

7. Chile was the site of the World’s most powerful earthquake

Due to its location along the Ring of Fire, Chile is among the nations with the highest risk of earthquakes. On the Earthquake Track website, you may view the daily earthquake activity. On May 22, 1960, close to Valdivia, Chile had the strongest earthquake ever recorded. It lasted for 11 minutes, registered a 9.5 on the Richter scale, and resulted in 6,000 tragic deaths. Another significant earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 occurred more recently in 2010.

8. It is home to one of the biggest swimming pools on earth

Photo by Emilio Garcia

The world’s largest swimming pool is in Chile. Officially recognized as having the largest pool in the world is the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo, Chile. The pool measures 900 meters in length, and 20 acres in size, and its deepest point is 35 meters. In actuality, the pool has a staggering capacity of 250 million gallons of clean seawater. The construction of this pool took roughly 5 years and an astounding $1.5 billion USD.

9. Chile has been known as the ” Land of the Poet”

The phrase “pais del poetas,” or “country of poets,” is used in Chilean. This is due to the fact that Chile has produced several well-known poets who have gained international acclaim, something the people may be justifiably proud of. In 1945, Gabriela Mistral of Vicua, Chile, became the first Latin American to ever win the Nobel Prize in literature for her exquisite poems, many of which have been translated from Spanish into English.s”

 A renowned Chilean poet who was also awarded the 1971 Nobel Prize in literature. Along with these two Nobel laureates, Chile has also produced notable writers such as novelist Isabel Allende and poets Carlos Pezoa Véliz, Vicente Huidobro, Gonzalo Rojas, Pablo de Rokha, Nicanor Parra, and Ral Zurita.

10. The country of Chile has been home to 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites

Rapa Nui National Park was the first to be listed in 1995, and was then followed by the Churches of Chiloé (2000), the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaiso (2003), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (2005), Sewell Mining Town (2006), and Qhapaq ‘an Andean Road System (2014).

The Chinchorro mummies, also known as the Archaeological Sites of the Chinchorro Culture, were the most recent site to be added to the list in 2021. 17 sites in Chile are now being considered for the provisional nomination, this number could increase in the future.

11.  One of the World’s Longest Hikes can be found in Chile

It is one of the world’s longest walks, measuring 1,700 miles. The most popular park in Chile is Torres del Paine National Park. At the Southernmost point of the nation, it is situated in Patagonia. The breathtaking vistas and natural surroundings make it a haven for trekkers who travel there to complete the renowned W Circuit.

In 2013, VirtualTourist.com selected the sceneries of Torres Del Paine National Park as one of the eight natural wonders of the world, choosing it over more than 300 entries from 50 different nations.

12. The country shelters the oldest mummies in the world

Photo by Nick Fewings

There are some of the oldest mummies there. Due to the mummies’ association with Egyptian culture, the term “home of the mummies” is frequently used to refer to Egypt. The truth is that Chile is also home to some of the earliest mummies.

Different indigenous groups inhabited Chile before colonialism. The most well-known Chilean at the time was Chinchorro. They were mostly sedentary fishers, and they are noteworthy for producing the oldest mummies that have ever been discovered worldwide.

In this context, the earliest mummies in Egypt date from around 3000 BC, whereas the oldest mummies at Chinchorro date from around 5050 BC.

13. It is home to 2900 Volcanoes 

The Ring of Fire contains Chile. Many active volcanoes can be found in this area, which also has a high earthquake frequency. There are around 90 active volcanoes in Chile, according to specialists, who are unsure of the precise number.13 For the adventure seekers out there, Villarrica Volcano is accessible via hiking in Southern Chile’s Lake District.

14. The driest place in the World has been the Atacama Desert which is in Chile

 The annual amount of rainfall in the Atacama Desert is less than 12 mm (0.47 in). In addition, certain parts of this desert experience prolonged droughts for hundreds of years. The McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica have certain locations that surpass this position in terms of being “the driest spot on Earth.” 

In terms of overall desert aridity, the Atacama Desert has been ranked as the second-dryest desert in the world and the driest non-polar desert. It gets less precipitation than the arctic Desert than any other true desert, as well.

15. The climate in Chile has been Diverse 

Due to the Atacama desert’s dominance over the majority of the region, Chile’s northern region has a dry climate. There is a stronger oceanic influence in the Eastern and Southern regions. While inhabitants in the Andes enjoy an Alpine Tundra, the climate in the country’s middle approaches Mediterranean norms. They like subtropical, humid weather on the islands.

16. The Tallest Tower in South America has been Located in Chile

The highest structure in South America is the 62-story Gran Torre Santiago, which is situated in the nation’s capital. In addition, it is the second-tallest skyscraper in Latin America, behind T.Op Torre 1 in Monterrey, Mexico, and the fourth-tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Costanera Center, the biggest retail center in Latin America, has the Gran Torre Santiago, which was finished in 2013 and stands 980 feet (300 meters) tall. The 360-degree observation deck Sky Costanera, located on floors 61 and 62 of the Gran Torre, is one of the most well-liked tourist attractions in Santiago.

17. Easter Island has been covered in more than 300 Ceremonial Platforms and roughly 900 statues

Easter Island photo by Mike W.

Chile has controlled Easter Island since September 9, 1888. However, given that it is in Polynesia, it is not even near the Chilean mainland. In actuality, Easter Island is located 3,510 kilometers (2,180 miles) west of Chile’s mainland.

It’s also regarded as one of the islands with the greatest degree of isolation. Given this distance, it will take roughly 5.5 hours to travel directly from Santiago to the Mataveri International Airport. Therefore, visiting the island from Santiago would not precisely be a day trip.

In actuality, Chile’s tourist attractions are rather dispersed throughout the country. For instance, locate the Atacama Desert, Torres del Paine National Park, and Easter Island on a map! This should be considered while making travel arrangements.

18. Chile is home to 9 significant Indigenous Groups

 In Chile, there are nine main indigenous communities. The majority of Chile’s indigenous population now lives in metropolitan areas, with the Mapuche making up the largest group. Historically, their way of life depended on agriculture. The other eight indigenous groups are the Aymara, Atacameo, Diaguita, Rapanui, Colla, Kawésqar, Quechua, and Yagan.

19. Pisco has been the National Beverage of Chile

photo by Atoq

The drink of Chile is its name The wine content of pisco is minimal. chile’s national drink has been the Pisco Sour cocktail. The drink is produced at home with some impressive components. To make pisco, you need pisco, sugar, ice, lemon juice, and beaten egg whites to give it a tart taste. The Piscola is a similarly named local beverage that also relies on pisco and coke as its base ingredients.

20. Cueca is the Chilean National Dance 

Cueca dancers wave handkerchiefs above their heads, which is claimed to represent the birds’ feathers, much like the rooster and chicken courtship. Couples dance back and forth in semicircles while facing each other. They never make physical contact but instead stay in close proximity through their body language and movements. It had a distinct Latino flair and was very reminiscent of British Morris dance.

Related Article

Top 8 Facts about the Marble Caves Argentina/ Chile