Not so chilly Chile

Bordering the Andes Mountains in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west, you can’t help but notice Chile’s unusual ribbon shape. With an average width of 175 km, Chile is the narrowest and longest country in the world. But that is not all! Chile’s north is home to the driest and longest desert in the world, the Atacama Desert. And while central Chile enjoys a comfortable Mediterranean climate, snowy Alpine regions dominate the south. It is here where the world’s southernmost village, Puerto Williams, can be found.

It is believed that the first settlement in Chile occurred about 10, 0000 years ago. However, after three centuries of occupation by the Spaniards, Chile’s official language has since been Spanish. Nonetheless, there are still many indigenous languages being spoken by various minority groups across the country.

These days, Chile (officially the Republic of Chile) is a flourishing, worldly and stable country in South America. During Australia’s 2000 Sydney Olympics, the Chilean soccer team returned home with a bronze medal and in 2006, Michelle Bachelet Jeria was elected as the first female president in Chilean history.

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