Capital: Santiago.
Time: Behind Moscow by 7 hours.
Holidays and non-working days: September 18 (Independence Day (1810)); November 1 (All Saints Day), December 25 (Christmas), May 21 (Navy Day). New Year: On Easter Island, the year begins with the moment when the first egg of a swallow that arrived here in the spring is found. Whoever finds this egg announces the arrival of the New Year and becomes the most honorary citizen of the island for the next 12 months.
Geography: State in the southwest of South America. The territory of Chile is stretched along the Pacific coast for 4300 km. Two mountain systems stretch across the country. In the east – the Andes, in the west along the coast stretch the coastal Cordillera. According to a2zgov, Chile borders Peru in the north, Bolivia and Argentina in the east, and the Pacific Ocean in the south and west. Chile also owns Easter Island (Rapa Nui) and the Juan Fernandez archipelago with the island of Robinson Crusoe. The area of the country is 756.945 sq. km.
By latitude, Chile is divided into three regions that differ sharply from each other in climate and relief: the Northern Desert (the desert region of Atacama), Central Chile (the Andean highlands) and Southern Chile (a hilly zone of dense forests in the foothills of the Southern Andes and a labyrinth of narrow straits and mountainous islands in the far south).
Climate: Due to its great north-south extent, Chile has a fairly varied climate. The northern region is one of the driest in the world, but the temperature there is moderated due to the influence of the Humboldt current. The average monthly temperature in January in Antofagasta is about 20°C, the average temperature in July is about 13°C. In Santiago, January temperatures range from 12°C to 29°C, while July temperatures range from 3°C to 15°C. Further south, temperatures drop and snowfalls occur in some places. The average annual temperature in Punta Arenas is around 7°C. Easter Island has an even subtropical climate, quite hot. In the area of the Strait of Magellan and on the island of Tierra del Fuego it is cold, strong winds and low rainfall.
The best time to visit: – Santiago and the central region of the country – September-November;
– Ski resorts – June-August;
– Easter Islands – March.
Population: The population is over 13.5 million people. Ethnic composition: descendants of Europeans (Spaniards, Italians, Germans) 25%, mestizos 70%, Indians (a small group of Araucan Indians lives mainly in the south of the country, between the cities of Concepción and Puerto Montt, Aymara Indians live in the far north of the country) 3%. A special group is also the population of Easter Island – the Rapanui.
Language: Spanish (“castellano”).
Religion: Catholics make up 89% of the population, Protestants 11%.
Currency: The monetary unit is the Chilean peso, equal to 100 centesimos. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000 pesos, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 pesos. In the central regions, large shops and hotels, credit cards of the world’s leading systems and traveler’s checks are accepted for payment, in the provinces this is often problematic.
Customs regulations: Prohibited for import: unprocessed fruits and vegetables, seeds, grains, products of animal origin; firearms, ammunition or explosives; illegal drugs. Duty-free import of any personal items that were in use, including television, radio and video equipment, portable electronic computers, as well as cigarettes – up to 400 pcs., or tobacco – 500 gr., or cigars – up to 50 pcs., alcoholic beverages – up to 2.5 liters. Non-commercial purchases are also permitted at the Airport Duty-Free Shop for up to $500 USD. When entering the country, the following are subject to declaration: home furniture, tableware, linen products (bed linen), paintings and decorations, new household appliances and spare parts for it, all new goods or goods imported for commercial purposes. It is forbidden to export, without special permission, objects and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value, as well as weapons and rare representatives of flora and fauna. It is allowed to export wool and leather products, jewelry, souvenirs within the limits of personal needs, while you need to present a receipt from the store where these products were purchased. Import and export of currency is not limited, but is subject to declaration.
Transport: Chile is one of the countries in Latin America with the best quality roads, as well as a country with an extensive network of railways and convenient air traffic. Aeroflot in Santiago:
Tel: 331-0244/5 (tickets). Address: Guardia Vieja 255 D/1008, Providencia, Santiago.
Transfer: Arturo Merino Benitez Airport lies 26 km west of Santiago near Pudahuel. Buses to the capital run regularly.
To drivers: seat belts are obligatory for the driver and passengers; smoking, using a cell phone or player while driving is prohibited. Almost constantly, Chilean drivers use their left hand as an additional indicator of their intentions (“drive”, “stop”, “do not drive”, etc.). In case of violation of traffic rules, your rights are taken away, and you are assigned a meeting with a judge. Rights and documents are checked quite often. Drunk driving is considered a serious offense that can lead to a heavy fine or even arrest.
Car rental: It is very convenient to rent a car. On average, a second-class “B” car will cost $52 per day, or $288 per week excluding VAT. You can rent a car with a driver, but then you will have to pay another $36 per driver (for 9 hours) and $54 if the driver can speak other European languages in addition to Spanish.
Electricity: 220 Volt, 50 Hertz. To use electrical appliances rated at 110 volts, you will need a special adapter.
National Cuisine, Drinks: In Chile, any well-known fruits and a huge number of vegetables are grown – from avocados, papaya, grapes, bananas and pineapples to tomatoes, cucumbers and all kinds of wild berries. Even the kiwi fruit was specially imported from New Zealand, and now it is also a Chilean product.
Many consider Chile to be the country with the most delicious seafood in the world (mariscos), which can be enjoyed in numerous eateries throughout the country. Chileans also love meat, especially chickens. One of the typical dishes is “casuela de ave”, which is chicken soup with various spices, potatoes and noodles.
In general, Chile is considered one of the most Europeanized countries on the continent and the country’s cuisine is very similar to European. Of course, there are also local dishes. For example, “curanto”, common in the south of the country and on Easter Island. It can be conditionally called a kind of shish kebab – earthen shish kebab. The meat is placed underground, on hot stones, and a fire is kindled above it, and under the influence of fire and the resulting coals, well-seasoned meat is cooked. Empanadas are also popular – local pies, the filling of which can be the most diverse: meat, olives, and tuna. Another typical dish is sea urchin soup. And although its taste can be argued, this iodine-rich dish is very loved by the Chileans. And, of course, a “faithful companion” of all dishes is a bottle of good Chilean wine,
Tips: Tips are 10% of the bill, often already included in the total. Taxi drivers don’t require tips, but it’s a good idea to round the fare up for convenience. In the markets and in private shops you can bargain.
Emergency telephones: Ambulance – 131, firemen – 132, police – 133, Andean rescue service – 136
Tips for travelers:
– so that your legs are not very tired on the plane, take an aspirin tablet, it is very effective for aerothrombosis and simple edema, you can also wear tight tights (den 70-100) on the flight
– Put alcoholic drinks in your suitcase, import restrictions in Chile no, but in Madrid they won’t let you take anything liquid with you in your hand luggage, only if this alcohol is bought in duty free.
– Try not to miss the sight of flying over the Andes, especially since it will be almost dawn, there is not much snow now, but still very impressive
– On the plane, you will be given two forms, one is a migration card, the other is a biological declaration. The first one will need to be shown at the passport control window, they will put a stamp, and then you will give this form to them when leaving the country. The declaration must be filled in and put NO on everything, after passport control and baggage claim, before going to the arrivals hall you will be asked to give a declaration and your baggage will be enlightened. It’s a one-minute procedure, so don’t worry.
– upon arrival, do not change a lot of money at the airport, the rate there is usually not very extortionate, but you can find better ones in the city. In general, the dollar has now fallen sharply, with an average rate of 430 pesos per dollar.
Important: All airports in the 27 countries of the European Union must check the hand luggage of passengers and prevent the carrying on board of aircraft of liquids in volumes greater than 100 milliliters, with a total volume of not more than 1 liter. Medicines and baby food are checked separately and are not limited in volume. Perfumes, drinks, alcohol and aerosols purchased from duty-free shops at the airport and packed in sealed plastic bags can also be carried in hand luggage. BUT!!! If a passenger has a flight with a transfer, liquids purchased at the airport of departure will not be allowed on board, they can only be purchased at the transfer airport.
