Chile and its contrasts
The South American coastal strip bordered by the Andes Mountains in the west, boasts the longest and most narrow country in the world, Chile, which runs over 4.600 km from North to South.
The Atacama Desert in the north has great mineral wealth, consisting primarily of copper and nitrates. Southern Chile features rich forests, grazing lands and a string of volcanoes and lakes. The climate of Chile ranges from subtropical in the north, arid desert in the Atacama Desert and a fertile valley centre, with a cold and wet southern region.
The Mediterranean quality of the centre caters to the cultivation of fruits - being Chile's main exports - and wine production. Vineyards in the centre of the country consist of a 500-mile corridor filled with great farms, forests, lakes and the country's capital, Santiago.
Most of the historical buildings in the capital date between the 17th and 18th centuries. Chile declared independence from Spain in 1810, although a clear victory was not achieved until 1818. The country's first freely elected president took office in 1990 and following years of steady growth and stability, Chile has maintained a democratic and representative government.
The chief of state is Michelle Bachelet Jeria, the country's first female president elected into office in March 2006. The next Presidential Election will be held in December 2009.
The chief of state is Michelle Bachelet Jeria, the country's first female president elected into office in March 2006. The next Presidential Election will be held in December 2009.
Chile's 16.2 million population has a large, well-educated middle class, with most young people receiving secondary and tertiary education. Chileans also boast a major literary background, producing two winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature – the poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda.
Throughout the country, two lively and contrasting cultures exist. One is the affluent cosmopolitan urban culture, and the other that of the peasants, who are mainly of Spanish decent, but contain traces of Araucanian heritage. The latter establish their presence through their music and dance. The official language is Spanish, with the major religion being Roman Catholicism.
With its export orientation, Chile has several Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with many countries, including Singapore. Chile has constantly demonstrated its commitment to trade liberalization by being a member of several international economic organizations such as Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), the World TradeOrganization (WTO), and MERCOSUR.
Source: International Enterprise (IE) Singapore
posted by Latino Connections @ 8:32 AM
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