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Wedged in between land and water, this slender and long country of South America is officially referred to as the Republic of Chile. Apart from encompassing magnificent landscapes, this longest country in the world is also rich in mineral, forest and agricultural resources.
Official Languages:
Though Spanish has been declared as the official languange of Chile and is widely spoken by her inhabitants, English language is also given priority. However, the Spanish spoken by the country’s local residents varies greatly in term of pronunciation. Other indigenous languages which are spoken in distinct niches of Chile are Mapudungun and Aymara.
Independence, Republic and Government:
The 13 regions of Chile are channelized by ‘Intendente’, who’s appointed by the President and the regions are further sub-divided into provinces, communes and municipalities.
In September 1980 through a national voting system the constitution of Chile was approved. This historical event took place under the under the governmental rule of Dictator Augusto Pinochet. In the month of March 1981 the constitution came into action. In September 2005 the ruling party of Chile i.e. Congress brought about loads of changes in Chile's constitution. The constitutional amendments were approved by President Ricardo Lagos.
Presently Chile's political framework is presidential representative democratic republic, which signifies the power and superiority of the President. For a term of four years the President of Chile is elected through public voting and he/ she is considered as the head of the government as well as the state. The executive powers is vested in the hands of the government; whereas, both government and the two chambers exercise the legislative powers. The country’s Judiciary powers are free of both the legislature and the executive.
In 15th January 2006 Michelle Bachelet, the first woman President of Chile came into power by winning the election by 53.49% of votes. Today, she's an active member of the country's Socialist party.
Top Cities of Chile:
Santiago: This capital city is situated in the central valley of Chile and is a sophisticated and modern place to reside. She holds some of the major headquarters of many companies, financial bodies, beautiful architectural creations, modern infrastructure, abundant shopping malls and museums.
Vina del Mar (Vineyard of the Sea): This fourth largest city of Chile is a tourist hotspot due to the numerous striking beaches, casino and the annually held music festival. Locally the city is also referred as La Ciudad Jardin.
Valparaiso: The country’s most crucial seaport, Valparaíso houses the National congress. Her streets sand avenues showcase the cultural and architectural beauty of the city. Apart from being a hub for export, the city is also a major educational and tourism center.
Arica: ‘City of the eternal spring’ or Arica is a significant port of Chile and noted for being one of the dryest occupied place on the planet. Proximity to the beaches and dry climate are the reasons for which tourists flock to this destination.
Culture and Heritage:
Chile is renowned for her assorted culture and heritage. With age and development the country has experienced the taste of numerous cultures namely Mapuche, Araucanian, Spanish, English and French. From music to literature and cuisines to film production, the country has a diversified culture. In the year 1824 sprang up the national dance called ‘Cueca’ and the country’s traditional song is termed as ‘Tonada’. The Spanish influenced music of Chile underwent several changes in the 20th century. The country has gained laurels in literature as well by wining Nobel Prize twice. With their magical words Chilean poets and novelists like Gonzalo Rojas, Nicanor Parra, Isabel Allende, Muguel Serrano, Jorge Edwards, Maximiliano Llich Prieto and so forth have mesmerized people all around the world. Though not so renowned and wide spread, yet the film production unit of Chile is dynamic and doing a steady business in the recent time and has given birth to important filmmakers like Silvio Caiozzi, Miguel Litten and Raoul Ruiz. Parts of Chile also house some of the most splendid architectural works of the country.
Apart from being great gastronomes and specialists in variant cuisines, Chileans are extremely passionate about sports as well. Besides the regular sports, they also indulge in sports called ‘Chueca’ and ‘Chilean rodeo’.
Tourism
This long and slender geographical appearance bestows a diverse and distinct climatic condition to the country. Chile encompasses lakes, subtropical islands, deserts, snow capped mountains, active volcanic ranges, magnificent beaches, splendid Mediterranean landscapes, glaciers and so forth. Tourists rake great pleasure in viewing the unique combination of numerous high peaked mountains with almost fifty volcanic ranges. Some of the developed cities of the Chile provide architectural excellence, beautiful parks and gardens, antique monuments and sculptures to the tourists. Pleasant climatic conditions enhance the beauty of the country to a great extent.
Some of the chief tourist attractions of Chile are Lauca National Park, Elqui Valley, Pukara de Quitor, Bahia Inglesa Beaches, el Morado natural Munoment, Rapel Lake, Geometricas Hot Spring, Nuhuelbuta national park, Rio Simpson National Reserve, Austral Road and so forth. Apart from sightseeing and relishing the delicacies, tourists flock to Chile to enjoy the pleasant and adventurous activities such as sea-kayaking, cannoning, rafting, horseback riding, rock climbing, trekking, skiing, snowboarding and so on. Visitors also enjoy themselves either by visiting and spending time in farms or by touring around the wide stretched wine yards or in Patagonia cruises. Bathing and basking in the numerous Chilean beaches is always liked by the tourists.
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