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Brief History
Before being discovered by the Europeans, Chile was inhabited by several tribes of Native Americans including the Inca and the Araucanian tribe. In 1808 when Spain was seized by Napoleon, the people in Chile saw it as the opportunity to gain independence. Chile is now a republic with a stable government and economy. The current president is Michelle Bachelet, who is also Chile’s first female president.
The population of Chile is 17.4 million according to the fact sheet from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Culture, Religion & Points of Interest
Culture
Chile is a place of various cultures as there are different communities of people. Various types of music play a major role in Chileans everyday life such as fold, popular and classical music. The national dance of the country is Cueca which is still very popular in the countryside and often performed during national holidays. Chilean cuisine combines Spanish cuisine with traditional Chilean ingredients creating a very unique flavor. Some of the most popular Chilean dishes are Empanadas (pastry turnover with fruit/meat/cheese filling), Bistec a lo Pobre (steak with fried onions and egg) & Alfajores (cookie-like pastry topped and filled with chocolate & butterscotch.
Religion
According to a census in 2011 held by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and Adimark, 63% of the Chilean population are Roman Catholics which makes it the most popular religion in Chile, while 15% of the Chilean population are Protestant and Evangelical.
Points of Interests Northern Patagonia is the perfect place for people looking for an adventure as it is full of dramatic waterfall, rivers, forest and lakes. Lake District is the beautiful region with bluest waters, white-tipped volcanoes, waterfalls and ancient forest. The Atacama Region is located at the north of Terres del Pain where the desert landscapes and ancient villages attract many tourist through out the year.
Travelling Tips
According to the latest update of the travel advice to Chile on Friday, 24 August 2012, travelers should exercise normal safety precautions in Chile due to the following influencing factors:
Civil unrest / Political tension: Large-scale protest can take place in central Santiago, other major cities and rural town in Chile. Travelers should avoid ALL protests and should not participate in ANY as violence may be returned unexpectedly. Travelers should beware of local media for notice of protests. Australians should be extremely alert on the following commemorative significance such as Worker’s Day (1 May) & the Day of the Young Combatant (29 March).
Crime: Australians should avoid walking alone at night in urban areas as you may be targeted by robbers. Daylight muggings occurred in the Cerro San Cristobal Park as well as around the Plaza de Armas in Santiago. Other crimes such as pick-pocketing, bag snatching and robbed after accepting ‘spiked’ drinks also occurred in Chile, travelers should remain vigilant at all times.
Money & Valuables: Travelers are suggested to organize a few different ways to access your money abroad such as travelers’ cheques; however, some travelers’ cheques are not accepted in many countries, confirm this with your bank before travelling and find out more information of the currency. In addition, travelers shouldn’t carry too much cash and always keep valuables such as expensive watches, jewelry, cameras and passport safe as these items are always attractive to criminals.
Currency
The currency of Chile is Peso, different values of peso coins and notes are showed below. When using local currency, notice that the 1,000 and 10,000 peso notes appear similarly.
