As soon as our plane began to descend and the snow-capped peaks of the Andes appeared, I could no longer tear myself away from the window! The capital of Chile and other secrets of this wonderful country

As soon as I left my five-star hotel in the center of Santiago, I realized that I would not stay here longer than necessary. It was the center, the sun was shining and I was even met by a car that took me to a meeting with local human rights activists.

I was well received, I told about my history with Azerbaijan, then there was lunch, a lot of communication with interesting guys and girls. But the first impression of the city, or call it the sixth sense, turned out to be correct. After dinner, when I returned to the city and went for a walk, every minute I became more and more convinced that it was not comfortable and dangerous here.

This feeling is very rare for me. last time I tested it in Johannesburg, South Africa many years ago. Most of all, my impression of Santiago is characterized by a photograph of a sleeping dog in the central square.

After half an hour of walking around the center, a policeman turned to me and recommended holding the camera tighter so that I would not be torn out. Thanking him, I looked around, but it was quite deserted around and at first glance the danger was not obvious. I had previously visited major cities in Latin America, be it Quito, Bogota, Buenos Aires, La Paz or Lima, and therefore had a good idea that crime on the entire continent is one of the most serious in the world. Few people - this is just more dangerous, in which case no one will help you. A lot of people are pickpockets.

The very center of the city is very busy, but tourists are not visible, the vast majority of those walking are local Chileans -

If Argentina is a European country in terms of ethnicity, then Chile is already largely mestizos and Indians. Interesting, it seems neighboring states With common history Spanish colonization.

So I say, a slight tension did not leave me. The very center, here are all the ministries and main square with the Cathedral. But somehow everything is littered, miserable, cracked. There are a lot of declassed people, or simply poor -

There is no black population in Chile, or rather, it has never been before. Now there are several hundred thousand Africans in the country, and these are not even quite Africans from Africa, these are Cubans for the most part, who came in search of a better life.

Police at every turn -

And the Arabs in Santiago are fine, I mean, there are quite a lot of them, but general Statistics says that there are more than a million of them out of the 17 million population of the republic. A significant part of them are Lebanese and Syrians, who massively migrated to Chile in 70-80 years due to wars in the Middle East.

I decided to walk around the city, not just a couple central squares. Looking ahead, I’ll say that during the day I walked about 15 kilometers on foot, bypassing the entire more or less central part of Santiago. As in many other cities South America, as soon as you move a little away from the place where the parliament, the central Cathedral and the main walking street, you find yourself somewhere in the semblance of a post-apocalypse. Now let me explain clearly. So, go!

Police cars here are like from a movie about the "Terminator" -

There are also many mounted police -

View of the mighty peaks of the Andes, somewhat reminiscent of Almaty -

Why in a city with a population of 5 million inhabitants is absolutely empty in the center - I do not understand. The feeling that in such megacities people are trying to leave the centers and move to the outskirts where they live middle class and where it is quiet and peaceful. The centers are populated by poor people who have come in large numbers from the provinces and outright crime. The same situation, by the way, in many US cities.

I wonder if that guy in the car has already been bitten?

To complete the picture, there is not enough pack of vicious dogs that eat the homeless. Joke!

Damn, what is this all about? Is it the center of the Chilean capital, a country for which the US canceled visas last year, or is it a slum in Uganda and Ethiopia? Well, really trash. I remind you that in a straight line to the Parliament of Chile there is not even a kilometer -

When I took a picture of a sleeping homeless person, from a passing car, my aunt pointed her finger at those Africans in the distance, they say, carefully. This is the third warning. It seems, locals seriously concerned about crime in the city.

Here is the number! Donkey in the center of Santiago -

The official name of the country is the Republic of Chile. This state was founded by the Spanish colonialists at the beginning of the 16th century. But since no minerals were found in this territory, the lands were of no particular importance for the colonialists in the future. But still, Chile is a rather peculiar country with a very original nature.

Geographic characteristics

The Republic of Chile is located in the southwest of the South American continent, and occupies a narrow strip of the mainland between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Range. In the east, the country borders on the prairies of Argentina. From the north, Chile borders on Peru and Bolivia.

The coastal line has a length of 6435 km. The space of the Pacific Ocean along the state was called the Chilean Sea. The water area of ​​this sea belongs to the country.

After years of military conflicts in the 19th century, diplomatic relations were established between Chile and Peru. The border between the states is only 168 km, and it is around the border that disputes between states have been going on for many years.

Nature

Stretched along the coast of the ocean, Chile allows those who visit it to see the snow-capped mountains in the south, close to the shores of Antarctica. And in the north the climate is close to tropical. This feature of the country is of interest to tourists, which allows the development of tourism. One of high mountains on the territory of the Chilean Republic, this is Ojos del Salado (the highest point is 6893 m) and is located on the border with Argentina, this is the second highest peak in South America after Mount Aconcagua, located in Argentina ...

There are many rivers on the territory, but they are all quite short. The longest is Loa, which has a length of 440 km. Most of the rivers belong to the Pacific Ocean basins, but only the Loa reaches directly to the ocean itself, and many rivers are characterized by only temporary flows during the summer rainy season ...

In the western part of the country, the territory is washed by the Pacific Ocean, and the length of the coast is more than 6 thousand km. Thanks to the Humboldt current, the waters of the coasts of Chile are quite cool, but near the coast the water is pleasant and warm, which also attracts tourists...

Chile is characterized by xerophytic vegetation, many varieties of shrubs and coniferous or laurel forests. Some areas are rich in cactus and cereal representatives of the flora.

The animal world is quite scarce and does not differ in great diversity. Wolves and chinchillas can be found, and there are also a number of deer and cougars in the forests. There are unique cat species that are dangerous predators.

Among the most popular birds, one can single out the Chilean eagle and flamingos, which are somewhat different from their counterparts in other countries...

In the northern part, the climate is tropical, while other parts are temperate continental, and the elongated shape of the state allows it to occupy several climatic zones at once in different parts of the country. Thus, here you can find both rich deciduous forests and a desert part with classical nature and a hot climate...

Resources

The country is rich in copper and mineral deposits, and iron ore also occupies a special place among the minerals. There are quite a lot of industries in the country that belong to the food industry, as well as various sawmills and woodworking enterprises. Great importance has for the economy of the state the development of agriculture ...

culture

The population is approximately 16.8 million people, among which are Hispanic Chileans, as well as Europeans and Asians who emigrated in the 20th century. Indigenous are Indian peoples with corresponding cultural traditions, and there are enough a large number of Polynesians. The cultural features of the state combine the combination of Spanish culture with the local one, with Spanish motifs predominating. Thus, the culture combines Polynesian, Indian and Spanish...

Chile is a very diverse country, where you can find every conceivable landscape of nature, from the desert in the north to the glaciers in the south in Patagonia. In Chile, there was a mixture of Spanish culture with the customs and traditions of the local Mapuche Indians. Many tourists begin their acquaintance with this country from Montevideo, then go to Patagonia for a week, and then relax in some Chilean seaside resort.

Chile is located in the southwest of South America. Chile borders Peru to the north and Bolivia and Argentina to the east. In the west, the country is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Chile is an archipelago Tierra del Fuego, Easter Island, and the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. The total area, including the islands, is 756,950 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 2,010 km.

Geographically, Chile occupies a narrow coastal strip between the Pacific Ocean and mountain system Andes. Most of the country has mountainous relief. Only one fifth are plains and lowlands. To the north is the Atamaca Desert. Further south towards Bio-Bio, there are many tropical forests, lakes and lagoons.

The largest Chilean peaks are located in the north and in the center of the country. This extinct volcanoes Llullaillaco (6739 meters), Tres Cruces (6749 meters), Cerro Tupungato (6635 meters) and Ojos del Salado (6893 meters). By the way, Ojos del Salado is considered the highest volcano in the world.

In the extreme south, where the Patagonian Andes, the highest Chilean peaks are Torres del Paine and Mount Fitz Roy.

Santiago is the capital of Chile. More than 6 million people now live in this city. Santiago was founded by the Spaniards in 1541.

The official language is Spanish.

About 63% of the population are Catholics, about 15% are Protestants.

According to the 1981 Constitution, Chile is a presidential republic. The president is elected by popular vote for a term of 4 years. The president is both head of state and head of government.

The bicameral local parliament is called the National Congress, it consists of the Senate (38 senators) and the Chamber of Deputies (120 deputies elected by popular vote for a term of 4 years).

The main political parties are the coalition of “left” and center-left parties “Consent of Parties for Democracy”, the coalition of “right” and center-right parties “Coalition for Change”.

Administratively, the country is divided into 14 regions and 1 capital district. The regions are in turn divided into 53 provinces and 346 communities.

The climate in Chile is very diverse, it is determined by the cold Humboldt Current, which originates in the subantarctic waters off the Pacific coast. Thanks to this current and southwest winds, the climate in the central and northern regions of Chile is temperate (even in those areas that lie in tropical latitudes).

Since Chile is located in the southern hemisphere, summer is in December, January and February, and winter is in June, July and August.

Santiago has an ideal climate, which is why 80% of Chileans live in this city. Summers in Santiago are hot (+28-32C), and winters are short and moderate (the air temperature sometimes drops to 0C).

The best time to visit Chile is from January to March.

To the west, Chile is bordered by the Pacific Ocean. Length sea ​​coast– 6,171 km. The Humboldt Current makes the water off the coast of Chile cold, so those lovers active rest Those who love to surf and windsurf should always wear wetsuits. Near the shore, the water temperature is warm and pleasant.

There are many rivers in Chile, but they are not very long. The largest of them are Loa (440 km), Bio-Bio (380 km), Maipe (250 km) and Maule (240 km).

In many ways, Chile's culture is more European than South American, even though the country is located in South America. The reason for this phenomenon is immigrants. However, about 1 million local Indians live in Chile (mainly in the north of the country).

As in other Latin American countries, Chile celebrates a huge number of religious, cultural and folk holidays every year. In April, for example, the religious festival Fiesta de Quasimodo is celebrated, and in July, another religious festival, the Fiesta de la Tirana.

But, of course, holidays in this country are not limited to religious festivals. Every year in Chile many folklore festivals are celebrated (in Angola, in San Bernardo, in Humbelln) and musical holidays (Festival classical music to Valdivia, Tonga Jazz Festival, music Festival Semagnas de Frutillar and Joranadas de Villarrica Music Festival).

The Chilean smithy was formed on the basis of the culinary traditions of local Indians and immigrants from Europe. The main food products are potatoes, corn, beans, fish, seafood, meat. For some tourists, Chilean dishes may remind you of Peruvian cuisine. However, in fact, the Chilean smithy is much richer than the Peruvian ones. culinary traditions. Note that in Chile, spicy dishes are not very common, unlike, for example, Mexico.

1. Carbonada (meat soup with finely chopped beef and various vegetables);
2. Arrollado de Chancho (pork in spicy sauce);
3. Cazuela de Ave (chicken soup with potatoes, beans and rice);
4. Costillar de Chancho (baked pork);
5. Curanto en Hoyo ( typical dish in southern Chile, fish, seafood with potatoes in a tortilla);
6. Palta Reina (tuna or ham with avocado and mayonnaise);
7. Parrillada (fried various meats, served with potatoes or rice);
8. Pollo Arvejado (chicken fillet with green peas, onions and carrots);
9. Ceviche (sea bass in lemon juice);
10. Arroz con Leche (rice pudding).

Traditional non-alcoholic drinks - fruit juices, tea, coffee.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are Chicha (sweet liqueur made from apples or grapes), Pipeno (sweet fermented wine), Pisco (grape brandy), wine.

The main Chilean attraction is nature, although, of course, the country has several dozen interesting historical and architectural monuments of Indians and Spanish conquistadors.

In any case, tourists in Chile are definitely advised to see mysterious island Easter, the geysers of El Tatio, the Atacama Desert, biosphere reserve Lauca, Lake Miscanti, Mapuche archaeological sites of Copaquilla and Sapahuira, Parinacota Volcano and Patagonia. In the south of the country in the city of Valdivia there is an old spanish fortress built in the Middle Ages.

Much of Chile's territory is occupied National parks and reserves. The most famous and popular of them are Puyehu National Park (107 thousand hectares), Lauca National Park (located in the east of the country), Villarrica National Park with Carbugua Lake, Chiloe National Park with relic coniferous and evergreen forests.

The largest cities are Santiago, Puente Alto, Antofagasta, San Bernardo, Viña del Mar, Temuco and Valparaiso.

Most of the most famous Chilean seaside resorts are located in the central part of the country.

Some of the best Chilean beaches include the following:

1. La Virgen Beach 70 kilometers from Copiapo (infrastructure is not developed)
2. Anakena Beach, Easter Island (beach surrounded by coconut trees, turquoise water with soft sand)
3. Bahía Inglesa Beach near Copiapo (well developed infrastructure)
4. Ovahe Beach, Easter Island (located at the foot of a volcanic cliff)
5. Las Tijeras, Dama Island (114 km northeast of Coquimbo)

In Chile, there are several good, even by European standards, ski resorts. Among them, we single out Valle Nevado, 60 km from Santiago at an altitude of 3025 m (more than 30 slopes and 40 lifts), Portillo, 145 km from Santiago at an altitude of 2880 m (a large number of slopes, 11 lifts, an outdoor swimming pool with heated water), ski complex Farellones - El Colorado - La Parva (more than 14 km of slopes and 17 lifts).

Tourists in Chile buy handicrafts, jewelry (especially lapis lazuli), Greda (Chilean traditional pottery), small ceramic animal figurines, copper utensils, Emboque (traditional Chilean game), small moai statues from Easter Island, football souvenirs, Chilean spices (eg Merquén), wine.

Banks:
Mon-Fri: 09:30-15:00

The shops:
Mon-Fri: 09:00-13:00 and 14:30-18:00

Ukrainians need a visa to travel to Chile.

Santiago (capital of Chile) Santiago(Santiago), capital of the Republic of Chile. The main cultural and economic center of the country. Located at the foot of the Andes (at an average height of about 540 m), on both banks of the river. Mapocho. Mediterranean climate, average temperature January 19.7 °С, July 7.7 °С, precipitation 363 mm per year. Area over 100 km 2 . 3.4 million inhabitants (1974, B. Santiago).

A major junction of railways and highways. The Pan American Highway passes through S. . The railway connecting S. with the main port of Chile, Valparaiso, is electrified, there are 4 airports. The largest enterprises in the electrical, metal-working, machine-building, chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber, light (including textile), food, and other industries are concentrated in S. S. enterprises provide about 1/2 of the value of the output of the country's manufacturing industry.

S. was founded on February 12, 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia. After the declaration of independence of Chile (1818) - the capital of the republic. From the beginning of the 20th century industrial centre countries. IN modern times S. is the arena of the largest class and anti-imperialist actions of the proletariat, especially in the 1930s, in 1950, 1954–55, 1966. With the coming to power in November 1970 of the Popular Unity government headed by S. Allende, S. was the center of acute class fighting between supporters of Popular Unity and the opposition. On September 11, 1973, a reactionary military action took place in S., which led to the overthrow of the government of Popular Unity; during the assault on the presidential palace of La Mopeda, S. Allende was killed.

S., who received in the middle of the 16th century. strictly regular layout, built up with the same low and wide houses with patios. In the center is the rectangular Plaza de Armas with buildings of the colonial period, mainly in the Baroque style: the cathedral (1541‒1619; completed in 1780, architect J. Toesca y Rici) and the town hall (second half of the 18th century, architects Toesca -i-Richie and M. de Hara Quemada). Among other buildings of the colonial period, the Church of San Francisco (1618) and the Mint (La Moneda; later presidential palace; begun in 1782, architect Toesca y Rici, bombed in 1973 during the coup). From the end of the 19th century in the city streets are paved and planted, parks are laid out. Many buildings in the spirit of neoclassicism, neogothic, "modern". In the center, as well as to the south-west. and west of the center - modern 8‒12-story administrative, business and residential buildings, numerous mansions.

In S. there are: University of Chile, Catholic University of Chile, Technical State University, Military School, School of Applied Arts, National Conservatory. Scientific institutions: Academy of Sciences of Chile, academies of linguistics, natural sciences, history; The Chilean Institute for the Study of Antarctica, the Latin American Institute of Socio-Economic Planning, the Institute of Experimental Medicine, etc. There are 13 libraries in C., the largest of them is the National Library of Chile. Museums: National historical Museum, National Museum fine arts, National Museum natural history, museums of anatomical, archaeological, pedagogical, contemporary art, folk American art, etc.

Among the theater buildings: "Teatro Municipal" (opera, ballet and drama performances), "Opera", "Municipal de los condes", "A. Varas", "El tunnel", "Caupolican", "Petit Rex".

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what "Santiago (capital of Chile)" is in other dictionaries:

SANTIAGO (Santiago), the capital (since 1818) of Chile (see CHILE). Located at the foot of the Andes, on the Pan American Highway. Population 4.4 million people (2004; 5.4 million people in the agglomeration). International Airport. Mechanical engineering, metalworking, ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Santiago) the capital of Chile, located at the foot of the Andes, surrounded on all sides by mountains, from east to west, the city is crossed by the Mapocho River. Mount Santa Lucia rises in the center of Santiago, at the foot of which the conquistador Pedro de Valdivia February 14 ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

City of Santiago Santiago de Chile Flag Coat of arms ... Wikipedia

1) the capital of Chile. Founded in 1541 by Spanish. conquistadors and named Santiago in honor of Saint Iago (Jacob, mouth of James), who was especially revered as the patron saint of Spain, his remains are buried in S. W. Spain in Galis, the town of Santiago de Campostela. ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

SANTIAGO- CHILE Santiago the capital of Chile (since 1818) is located at the foot of the Andes, on the Pan-American Highway in the most populated central region of the country. The population of the city is about 5.1 million inhabitants. The snowy peaks of the mountains to the east of the city fascinate … Cities and countries

The Republic of Chile is a state located on the southwestern coast of South America between the Andes mountain ranges and the Pacific Ocean. The length of Chile from the city of Arica in the north to Cape Horn in the south is 4025 km, the area is 756.6 thousand square meters. km, while ... ... Collier Encyclopedia

Republic of Chile (República de Chile), a state on southwest South America. 756.9 thousand km2. Population 14.4 million (1996), over 90% Chileans. Urban population 85.8% (1995). The official language is Spanish. Most believers are Catholics. encyclopedic Dictionary

Republic of Chile, state in South. America. The name is in the language of the Arawak Indians, whose chilli is cold, winter, which is associated with their perception of the snowy peaks of the Andes. Geographical names of the world: Toponymic Dictionary. M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001. Chile... Geographic Encyclopedia

- (Santiago), the capital of Chile. Located at the foot of the Andes. Founded in 1541. In the middle of the XVI century. the city received a strictly regular layout. In the development, churches and houses of the colonial period with courtyards are combined with modern ... ... Art Encyclopedia

CHILE
Republic of Chile, a state located on southwest coast South America between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. The length of Chile from the city of Arica in the north to Cape Horn in the south is 4025 km, the area is 756.6 thousand square meters. km, while the width of its territory nowhere exceeds 360 km. mainland Chile borders Peru to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and Bolivia and Argentina to the east beyond the Andes. Through the Strait of Magellan, Chile has access to Atlantic Ocean. Chile also owns several small islands in the Pacific Ocean: Easter Island, the Sala y Gomez Islands, San Felix, San Ambrosio, the Juan Fernandez Islands, and the Diego Ramirez Islands, 100 km southwest of Cape Horn.

Chile. The capital is Santiago. Population - 14.8 million people (1998). Urban population - 86%, rural - 14%. The population density is 20 people per 1 sq. km. km. Area - 756.6 thousand square meters. km. The most high point- Mount Ojos del Salado (6893 m). The official language is Spanish. The dominant religion is Catholicism. Administrative-territorial division - 13 regions (including the Capital Region). Monetary unit: peso = 1000 escudos. National holiday: Independence Day - September 18-19. National anthem: "Dear Motherland, take our oath."