Chile is a country with a
diverse climate, extreme natural phenomena, and excellent wines. Many people
dream of visiting it, but before you plan a vacation on the west coast of South
America, you should do some research and learn as much as you can about this
part of the world.
In today’s article, we have
prepared a handful of tips that will be useful to anyone who would like to go
to Chile. What languages do its inhabitants speak? Which month is the best time
to plan a trip? And what is worth seeing in Chile? Find it out for yourself!
Republic of Chile – essential
information
The Republic of Chile is a
country located on the coast of South America on the Pacific Ocean. It shares
land borders with Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Chile also controls about 3,000
islands, including Juan Fernández, Easter Island, Sala y Gómez, San Ambrosio,
and San Félix. The capital of Chile is Santiago. The area of Chile is 756,950
km², and the population is estimated at just over 18 million. Chile’s currency
is the Chilean peso. The dominant religion is Roman Catholicism, followed by
Protestantism and other branches of Christianity. Chile is a republic with a
president elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term as head of state.
The geography of Chile
Chile occupies a narrow strip
of land of 4.3 thousand kilometres along the southwestern coast of South
America – 468 kilometres east to west at its widest point, and at its
narrowest, only 90 kilometres east to west! This makes Chile the country with
the longest shape of any country in the world.
The Republic of Chile is a
mountainous country, with the Andes Mountains located on the eastern border
across the entire territory from north to south. The highest peak is Ojos del
Salado with a height of 6880 m. The longest river flowing through Chile is the
Loa River, which is 440 kilometers long.
The climate of Chile
Due to its unique location,
Chile has a very diverse climate. In the north of Chile, the climate is
tropical arid to very dry, which in summer means heat during the day and high
temperatures at night. Precipitation in the region is no more than 100 mm per
year, and in the driest parts of the Atacama Desert, the last rain was noticed
about 400 years ago.
Slightly to the south, the
climate becomes subtropical, similar to the Mediterranean climate.
Precipitation is much higher, and it rains and snows all year round in the
mountains. The subtropical climate then transitions to temperate, with the
occasional influence of air masses formed in the Antarctic Region.
The southernmost part of Chile
is located in the subpolar climate zone, which is characterized by cold winters
and cool summers, and due to the proximity of the West Winds Current, there is
also often strong wind.
In most of the country, there
are four seasons: summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter
(June to August), and spring (September to November).
Languages of Chile
Although the vast majority of
Chilean citizens speak Spanish, some communities still use other languages.
Here’s everything you need to know about languages in Chile.
Chilean Spanish
Spanish is the national
language of Chile and the native language of approximately 14 million people
living in the country. The dialect of Spanish in Chile is similar to Andalusian
Spanish, and it also contains a lot of chilenismos, i.e. phrases and
expressions used only in Chile. An additional difficulty for foreigners coming
to Chile is that Chileans speak very fast and often drop the final syllables.
Useful phrases in Spanish
Are you planning on going to
Chile? Then you will undoubtedly need some basic Spanish words and phrases to
help you feel more confident while exploring the country.
Under a 1993 law, the
indigenous languages of Chile are officially recognized for use and
conservation, and may be used by the communities, for example as names in the
Civil Registry, in media promotion, and in artistic expression. Below we
describe the indigenous languages of Chile, both spoken and extinct.
It is the language of the
Mapuche ethnic group, inhabiting mainly the central part of Chile and western
Argentina. Mapudungun belongs to the Araucan language family. It is estimated
that there are around 260,000 native speakers. It had a major influence on the
vocabulary of Chilean Spanish.
This language belongs to the
Aymara language family and is spoken by the Aymara people that live mainly in
the Andes on the border of Bolivia and Peru. It is estimated that Aymara is the
native language of about 2.3 million people, of which about 20,000 live in
Chile.
The Quechua language, the
language of the Quechua people, is spoken in many countries of South America,
and the number of its native speakers is up to 11 million. Chilean Quechua is
identical to or very similar to South Bolivian Quechua. It is estimated that
about 8.2 thousand native speakers of this language live in Chile.
Rapa Nui is a language that
belongs to the eastern branch of the Polynesian language family of Austronesian
languages. It is spoken by a total of about 5,000 people, most of whom live on
Easter Island.
An isolated language spoken by
the Alacaluf Indians. There are currently only twelve speakers of the language,
ten of whom live in Puerto Edén.
An isolated language of the
Yagans who used to live in southern Tierra del Fuego. The last native speaker
of Yagan died in 2022.
Tehuelche language
It belongs to the Chon
language family. It was the native language of the Tehuelche people of
Patagonia. Considered an extinct language since 2019.
It is the language spoken by
the Diaguita and Kalchakí people of northern Argentina and Chile.
Unfortunately, we have very limited information about it, but it is estimated
that it has been extinct since the end of the 17th or the begging of the 18th
century.
Kunza language
An isolated language spoken by
the Atacameños people in northern Chile. The last user of the language was
documented in 1949.
In addition to Spanish and indigenous
languages, in Chile we can also hear other languages spoken by members of
immigrant communities. The largest of them is the community of people of German
descent, a community estimated to be between 150,000 and 250,000 people, of
which about 20,000 are speakers of the German language.
A type of sign language used
in Chile by deaf people. According to data provided by the World Federation of
the Deaf, approximately 293,000 hearing-impaired people are living in Chile, of
which 66,500 are completely deaf. There is no precise information on the number
of users of Chilean Sign Language, but it is estimated that it may be about
21,000 people.
Many people going on a trip to
any country in the world assume in advance that English would be enough to
communicate with its inhabitants. This is not always true, and Chile is one
such case. According to statistics from a few years ago, we can only communicate
in English with about 10% of Chileans. This means that we have a much better
chance of getting things done if we know the basic Spanish vocabulary. Knowing
English, on the other hand, is highly appreciated by Chilean employers, so if
you are looking for a job in Chile, being an English speaker is going to work
to your advantage.
Chile – useful information for travellers
Chile, compared to
neighbouring countries, is distinguished by a low crime rate. However, all
people travelling in the country should be careful in places such as metro
stations, bus stations, popular cafés, and all places popular with tourists in
major urban centres such as Santiago, Antofagasta, Viña del Mar, and
Valparaiso.
Chile is a country prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, floods, and volcanic eruptions. The Chilean Ministry of the Interior and Public Security regularly updates information on the threats occurring in each region and their intensity on its official website.
No visa is required for a trip
to Chile for up to 90 days. A passport or a temporary passport with a minimum
validity of six months is sufficient to enter the country. You cannot cross the
border with only an ID card. Stays longer than 90 days require a visa.
Appropriate visas are issued by the Department for Foreigners and Migration.
Chile does not require any
certificate of vaccination from visitors, but it is recommended to get
vaccinated against typhoid fever, diphtheria with tetanus, rabies, and
hepatitis A and B before your trip. Hantavirus infection is also common in
Chile, and to prevent it travellers are recommended to frequently air their
rooms, store food in airtight containers and ensure cleanliness, especially
kitchen countertops and floors.
Chile offers an extraordinary
range of diverse attractions, among which everyone will find something for
themselves. The vast majority of travellers will start their adventure in Chile
from its capital, Santiago, because that is where the international airport is
located. To be able to admire the city’s architecture, you should visit the
Plaza de Armas and the Barrio París-Londres.
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