WHAT DOES DEFINE CHILE? (TEXT)

Official name of the country:  República de Chile.

Geographical location: (South) American Continent; Chile is between the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru t the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east and the Drake Passage in the far south.

Features: Long and narrow (over 4, 200 kms long)

Capital city:  Santiago de Chile

Nature:  (Flowered) Desert, Valleys, Mountains, Lakes, Countryside, Seaside, Forests, Islands, Glaciers, Rivers... (Watch videos of Chilean landscapes here).

National language: (Chilean) Spanish. Ethnic groups: Mapuches, Aymaras, Quechuas, Kawéskar, Pehuenches.

National flower:  Copihue (Lapageria Rosae)

National dance:  Cueca

Most popular comic magazine:  "Condorito"   (regarding to Cóndor)

Flag description: Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square that bears a star in the centre. It's located at the hoist-side end of the white band. The star represents a guide to progress and honor; blue represents the sky; white is for the snow-covered Andes and red represents the blood spilled to achieve Independence. Adopted: October 18th, 1817. 

Coat of arms:  A shield divided into 2 equal parts: at the top one is blue and the bottom one is red with a white star in the centre.  The crest of the shield has 3 feathers: blue, white, and red.
The shield has two emblematic animals at both sides: a Condor (The most significant bird of prey from the Andes) and the Huemul (a kind of deer). Both animals have in their heads a navy's golden crown. It symbolizes the heroic deeds of the  Chilean Navy in the Pacific Ocean. Its motto is "Por la razón o la fuerza" (Engl. transl. "By reason or by force").  Adopted: June 26th, 1834.

Currency: Peso Chileno (Chilean Peso) - CLP




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