15 interesting facts about Chile

15 interesting facts about Chile

We share the most interesting facts about Chile that we collected during our breathtaking visit to this incredible country

There is a story that Chileans like to tell tourists. When God created the world, they say, he had a bit of everything left over: deserts, lakes, mountains, glaciers and volcanoes, so he threw it all together and created Chile.

This strip of land in South America is, in fact, one of the most diverse in the world. From the arid and alien landscapes of the Atacama Desert to the lush greenery of the Lake District, Chile has something to offer everyone.

Our arrival from the ever-challenging Bolivia was greeted with the words “más bajo, más caliente” (lower and hotter), which effectively re-energized us.

Our trip from San Pedro de Atacama in the north to Punta Arenas at the southern tip was fun and fruitful and taught us many interesting facts about Chile, the best of which we share below.

Interesting facts about Chile

1. Chile ist das längste Land der Welt von Nord nach Süd und misst 4.620 km (2.647 Meilen). Es erstreckt sich über 38 Breitengrade, ist aber von West nach Ost nur 150 km breit. (Quelle: CIA World Factbook)
2. Die Anden erstrecken sich über die gesamte Länge des Landes und bedecken ungefähr 80 % seines Landes. Infolgedessen sind nur 3,8 % des chilenischen Landes landwirtschaftlich nutzbar. (Quelle: Trading Economics)
3. Die Osterinsel, berühmt für ihre Moai-Statuen, ist geografisch polynesisch, gehört aber offiziell zu Chile. 2.000 km (1.200 Meilen) östlich von Pitcairn und 3.700 km (2.300 Meilen) westlich von Chile gelegen, ist es eine der abgelegensten Gemeinden der Welt. (Quelle: National Geographic)

alt=“Moai-Statues-of-Easter-Island”>Easter Island officially belongs to Chile

1. In Chile gibt es etwa 90 aktive Vulkane. Cerro Arul, Cerro Hudson und Villarrica – zusammengesetzte Vulkane, manchmal auch Schichtvulkane genannt – sind drei der aktivsten und werden daher am genauesten überwacht. Chile ist auch die Heimat des höchsten historisch aktiven Vulkans der Welt: Ojos del Salado, der sich auf 6.893 m (22.615 ft) erhebt. (Quelle: BBC, CIA World Factbook)

2. Chile celebrates its independence every year with Fiestas Patrias on September 18th and 19th. By law, all public buildings must display the Chilean flag during the celebrations. The flag must be pristine and hung on a white pole or at the front of the building. Failure to comply with the requirements may result in a fine of up to 40,000 pesos ($80). (Source: Emol Nacional – Spanish)

3. The largest swimming pool in the world is located at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in the Chilean city of Algarrobo. It is over 1,013 m (3,323 feet) long, covers an area of ​​eight hectares (20 acres) and has a maximum depth of 115 feet. It holds 66 million gallons of water and costs over $3 million per year to maintain. (Source: Guardian)

alt=“The largest swimming pool in the world, facts about Chile”>

(Image: Crystal Lagoons [Creative Commons])

1. Die älteste Mumie der Welt ist nicht ägyptisch, sondern chilenisch. Das Kind, eine Chinchorro-Mumie von einem Ort im Camarones-Tal, wurde auf 5050 v. Chr. Datiert. Im Gegensatz zu den Ägyptern, die die Mumifizierung Königen und Koryphäen vorbehielten, gewährten die Chinchorro jedem in der Gemeinde diesen heiligen Ritus, unabhängig von Alter oder Status. Quelle: National Geographic)

2. Chile only legalized divorce in 2004, the last country in the Western Hemisphere. (Source: The New York Times)

3. Chile's Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth, with an average of 15 mm (0.6 inches) of precipitation per year. Four years without rainfall have been recorded in the central sector, and some weather stations have received no rain at all since records began. The area is so dry that planetary scientists used it to test early prototype Mars rovers. (Source: National Geographic, Smithsonian)

alt="Atacama Desert: Facts about Chile">Atlas & BootsAtacama Desert, the driest place on earth

1. Der schottische Seefahrer Alexander Selkirk war vier Jahre lang auf den chilenischen Islas Juan Fernández gestrandet, die 670 km (416 Meilen) vor der Küste liegen. Er wurde schließlich von dem ehemaligen Besatzungsmitglied und berühmten britischen Entdecker William Dampier gerettet. Selkirks Überlebensgeschichte wurde nach seiner Rückkehr weit verbreitet und soll die Inspiration für Daniel Defoes Klassiker Robinson Crusoe gewesen sein. (Quelle: Smithsonian)

2. In 2000, a glass box (Casa de Vidrio) appeared in the center of Santiago with a young woman inside. The woman, a local actress, lived in the box for two weeks, revealing all the intimate details of her daily life to fascinated viewers. The architects behind the installation said the stunt aims to address the limits of privacy and quality of life in big cities. (Source: Guioteca – Spanish)

3. Chile is one of the few countries in the world with a government-supported UFO research facility. So many UFO sightings have been reported in the country's Central District that in 2008 the city of San Clemente opened a 30 km (19 mile) UFO trail through the Andes, including plateaus for UFO landings. (Source: Huffington Post, CEFAA, Time)

4. Ushuaia in Argentina is the southernmost large settlement in the world and is considered the “end of the world”. However, the Chilean town of Puerto Williams on the island of Navarino is the southernmost human settlement anywhere (apart from research stations in Antarctica). Puerto Williams is also a port of entry to Antarctica and an important hub for scientific activities. (Source: Rough Guides)

5. The exceptionally clear atmosphere in the mountains of Norte Grande is excellent for astronomers. It has about 300 clear nights a year and is the best possible place to build observatories in the Southern Hemisphere. (Source: Smithsonian)

alt=“Observatory in Chile, interesting facts”>Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile

1. Chile wird liebevoll país de poetas (Land der Dichter) genannt. Es hat zwei Literaturnobelpreisträger hervorgebracht: Gabriela Mistral im Jahr 1945 und den berühmten Dichter Pablo Neruda im Jahr 1971. (Quelle: BBC – Spanisch)

For more fun facts about Chile, the Lonely Planet Chile and Easter Island Travel Guide includes a comprehensive guide to the country.

Additional photography: Dreamstime

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