Congress in Santiago

• Chile narrowly stretches along the southern half of the west coast of South America.
• The bordering countries are Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.
• Along with Ecuador, it is one of two countries in South America that do not border Brazil.
• The Pacific coastline of Chile is 6,435 kilometres.
• Chile has the driest desert in the world
• The terrain of Chile consists of rugged Andes Mountains, fertile central valley and low coastal mountains.
• The main religion of the country is Roman Catholic, which accounts for 70% of the total population. Spanish is the chief language of the country.

HISTORY

• Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the Inca ruled northern Chile and the Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile
• Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818
• In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions
• It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche Indians were completely conquered
• In 1970, a Marxist government under Dr. Salvador Allende came to power
• In 1990 Pinochet handed over the presidency to Patricio Aylwin Azocar

FACTS

Mountain Lake

• Over 1/3 of the worlds copper production is produced in Chile.
• Valparaiso is one of the most prosperous cities in all of Chile and is known as “The Garden City”.
• No rain fell in Chiles Atacama Desert for 40 years.
• Chile has farmed salmon for years and in early 2000s was known as the top exporter.
• Along the mountainous region of Chile there are over 1300 volcanoes and a number of them can still be active.
• Most of the Chilean population lives in the capitol city of Santiago, Chile.
• The city of Valparaiso has the largest annual fireworks show in all of South America.
• Chile owns a portion of Antarctica.
• Chile has one of the world’s largest and most deserted deserts known as Atacama.
• The city at the very tip of Chile called Punta Arenas is the southernmost city on a continent in the world.
• The southernmost village in the world is also in Chile called Puerto Williams.
• Chile also has the one of the highest lakes above sea level in the world called Lake Chungara.
• Chile has one of the longest coastlines in the world but also one of the smallest at being 6500 km long and 200 km wide.
• Chile’s Andes mountains have some of the world’s largest and still active volcanoes
• By a flaw in design the church of Campania had doors that swung inward which caused a large wind to push them open and disrupt the meeting of worshippers by dumping a burning candle to the floor which resulted in the churches destruction. More than 2500 people died in that fire.

Atacama Desert

• Hotel breakfast 5000 CHP
• Three course dinner 10,000 CHP
• Café lunch 3500 CHP
• Cappuccino 800 CHP

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Easter Island

• Santiago suffers from a high rate of pickpocketing and muggings. It’s advisable not to travel in the downtown area wearing expensive-looking jewelry or watches, even during the day.
• It is recommended to wear your backpack at the front of your body in crowded areas
• Chilean Carabineros (National Police) are very trustworthy – call 133 from any phone if you need emergency assistance
• Since Chile is almost racially homogeneous, Chileans get curious and may stare at foreigners.
• Avoid taking photographs of navy ships and buildings or other military buildings, ask first. If being caught they have the right to arrest you.

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Torres del Paine National Park

• Much of Chile has a mountain climate with snow and glaciers
• Precipitation is light in the northern mountains, and so the snowline is high
• Away from the mountains, the north is a desert
• The southern part of the country is rugged and densely forested with a cool wet changeable climate.
• Northern Chile is one of the world’s driest regions. The weather is often cloudy and cool.
• Annual average rainfall in the North can be as low as 14 mm.
• Central Chile has a Mediterranean climate with warm and virtually rainless summers, with the winters being mild and moderately wet.

Chile Vineyard

Easter Island

• Easter Island has been one of the major Chile tourist attractions since the 19th century.
• Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from the nearest population center, (Tahiti and Chile), making it one of the most isolated places on Earth.
• A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific – it is best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, that dot the coastline.
• The great monoliths on the island attract thousands of tourists every year.

View Map

Atacama Desert

• The Atacama Desert is one of the few deserts on Earth that does not receive any rain.
• It is a plateau in South America, covering a 600-mile (1,000 km) strip of land on the Pacific coast of South America, west of the Andes Mountains.
• The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world, due to the rain shadow on the leeward side of the Chilean Coast Range.
• It is composed mostly of salt basins, sand, and felsic lava flows towards the Andes.

Portillo Ski Resort

• A ski resort located 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Santiago, Chile, near the city of Los Andes.
• It rises 2880 meters above sea level and its highest point reaches 3332 meters above sea level.
• Ski Portillo has 23 ski trails and 12 lifts.

Torres Del Paine

• Torres del Paine National Park is a national park surrounding mountains, a glacier, a lake, and river-rich areas in southern Chilean Patagonia.
• The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park.
• The park is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales and 312 km (194 mi) north of Punta Arenas.

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Lauca National Park

• Lauca National Park is located in Chile’s far north, in the Andean range.
• It encompasses an area of 1,379 km² of high plains, mountains, and enormous volcanoes.

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Communication Etiquette:
• Men will usually shake hands, women will pat each other on the right forearm or shoulder
• When addressing your Chilean counterpart if you don’t know their title then use “Senor”(Male) or “Senora”(Female) while addressing their surname
• Chileans stand very close when conversing in public and in business
• Wait to be invited to use the first name
• Pour wine with the right hand only
• Wait for toast to be made before taking a sip of your drink

Business Etiquette:
• Firm Handshake with a smile is an appropriate greeting
– Exchange Business Cards
– Make sure it is not dirty or ripped
– Respect the cards given to you
– Shows a sign of respect
• Be Patient during meetings – Chileans take as long as they need it to last
– Decisions are not made in meetings
• Confrontation is avoided
• Never openly criticize someone