Chile Population, Politics and Economy
Population in Chile
According to directoryaah, around 95% of the Chilean population is made up of Chileans. These Chileans are made up of 2 groups, the descendants of European settlers and the so-called mestizos. Mestizos are the descendants of whites and the indigenous people of Chile. The indigenous population that we will visit on our motorcycle tours through the country makes up only 4.5% of the total population and is divided into 93% Mapuche, 5% Aymara and 2% Rapanui.
The official language of Chile is Spanish, but it sounds significantly different in Chile than in Spain and is called Castello. Mapudungun is the Mapuche language and the most widely spoken indigenous language of Chile. Aymara and Rapanui also have their own language.
Even if the law officially separated church and state since 1925, the Catholic influence on society, law and culture and media is strong.
In 2002 a census found that 70% of the population of Chile belong to the Roman Catholic Church. 8% consist of agnostics (they don’t know if there is God), Indian shamanism is represented among the indigenous people, 1% consists of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1% of Mormons and 0.1% of Jews.
Politics and economy in Chile
Chile is a presidential republic. The constitution was amended on August 16, 2005 by the Chilean parliament.
The President, who is also head of government following the US model, is elected for a four-year term of office. The President can serve several terms, but not in direct succession. He appoints the ministers (2005: 18 ministers) and sub-secretaries (comparable to state secretaries; 2005: 30) as well as the regional directors (one for the capital region and one each for the regions) and provincial governors (one per province). He can issue decrees that have the force of law within a framework established by the constitution. He can also appoint the top commanders of the armed forces.
The legislature (Congreso Nacional) consists of two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies consists of 120 direct elected representatives. The Senate has 38 members.
The Supreme Court is a collegiate court with 21 judges. It is the highest judicial authority in Chile. The judges are proposed by the judges of the Supreme Court and appointed for life by the president. The Court of Appeal is located under the Supreme Court. In addition, there are 17 courts of appeal in Chile.
The constitutional court is responsible for checking that the laws passed by parliament are unconstitutional.
In Chile, around 14% of the working population is employed in the agricultural sector.
Except in the southern part of the country, where sheep are raised, agriculture is mainly carried out along the great long valley. Wheat, corn, potatoes, fruit and vegetables (especially tomatoes), sugar beets, rice and oats are grown. Fruit is also grown in Chile as a travel destination, namely grapefruits, melons, apples, peaches, apricots, plums and cherries. In terms of animal husbandry, sheep, cattle, pigs and horses should be mentioned.
According to ebizdir, Chile has the world’s largest known copper deposit. Crude oil and gas are also extracted. The country also has large deposits of nitrates, iodine, sulfur and coal, as well as silver and gold.
Transport network in Chile
Chile has a road network totaling approx. 81,000 km of which 17,000 km are paved. From gravel roads to motorways and from mountains to endless expanses in the Atacama, there is everything a motorcyclist’s heart desires.
Culture and sights in Chile
There are big differences between the culture in the cities and in the country in Chile. In the country, folklore plays an important role with traditional dances such as the national Cueca dance. The folk culture is strongly influenced by Spanish and Araucanians. Payadores are folk singers whose songs are mostly about love and dreams. Political songs were forbidden to them during the Pinochet dictatorship.
The handicrafts in the country are characterized by Indian influences. Mainly weaving and pottery works as well as carvings are produced. The Huasos, a kind of Chilean cowboys or gauchos, play an important role in the countryside. You are at almost all folklore festivals and especially at the Chilean rodeo. The city culture is more cosmopolitan.
The greatest variety of museums and historical places, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, can be found in Santiago de Chile, Concepción and Valparaíso. There are many monuments all over the country that were built long before the Spanish colonization.
The natural beauties of Chile can best be explored in the numerous national parks.