Understanding the Cultural and Historical Landscape of Chile

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Chile is located in South America and is a Spanish speaking country. The official name of Chile is the Republic of Chile. Chile has a population of 15,153,797. The literacy rate in Chile is 95.2%. Chile’s academic year starts in March and ends in December. Students in Chile are required eight years of schooling (Chile History and Background).
Chile was first under the control by the Incas in the north and the south was under control by the nomadic Araucanos. In 1541, Pedro Valdivia, founded the city Santiago. In 1818, Chile won its independence from Spain. Chile got its independence while under the rule of Bernardo O’Higgins and Jose San Martin. O’Higgins was a dictator until 1823 and he laid the foundation of the two-party system and centralized …show more content…

The Andes Mountains cover a third of Chile (Infoplease). The north of Chile, Desert North, does not get much rain and has an average temperature of 70°F in the summer and an average of 60°F in the winter. The middle of Chile has a mild winter. Middle Chile also has a warm, dry summer. The yearly rainfall in Santiago is 14 inches. The average temperature of winter is 52°F and the summer’s average temperature is 69°F. South Chile has mild winters. The winter average temperature in Valdivia is 46°F with a summer average temperature of 62°F. Throughout all of the seasons South Chile has heavy rainfall, averaging 86 inches of rain yearly (Hintz …show more content…

The Roman Catholic Church traditionally has held a privileged status in the country. In March 2000, a new law on religion was adopted to allow non-Catholic churches certain rights and permissions. Churches are allowed to set up affiliate organizations, such and schools and clubs, without establishing them as separate, independent corporations. Under the 2000 law, non-Catholic religious group leaders are permitted to have chaplains in public hospitals, prisons, and military units. However, a 2002 a report indicated that implementation of these laws had been somewhat lax, so that non-Catholic religious leaders faced difficulties in access to public institutions. There were also reports of discrimination against non-Catholics in military employment” (Religions-Chile).
Many people visit Chile for its diverse ecosystems and variety of endemic plants and animals. Chile has many plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. An estimated half of Chile’s identified plant species are endemic. One of South America’s finest national park systems is home to the many unique ecosystems that are preserved there. Chile is seventh in rank in the world for the percentage of landmass protected. Chile ranks third in the Americas for the percentage of landmass protected (Nature and Wildlife in

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