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- Geographic location
Chile is located in the south-western part of South America between latitudes 17°30' and 90°. It is the region’s longest and narrowest country, measuring 4,329 km from north to south with an average width of only 177 km. In the north, it borders on Peru and Bolivia and, in the south, reaches the Antarctic where a number of military and scientific bases make up Chile’s Antarctic Territory.
- Climate
Chile’s length and topography give it a great variety of climates, ranging from the desert conditions of the north from Arica and La Serena and the Mediterranean climate of central Chile south as far as Concepción to the temperate rainy climate found between Concepción and Punta Arenas and the polar ice of Antarctica.
- Population
According to the 2002 National Census, Chile had 15,116,435 inhabitants, almost five times its population at the beginning of the 20th century. Out of this total, 7,447,695 were male and 7,668,740 were female, and their average age was 26.5 years.
- Administrative structure
Chile is divided into 15 regions - Arica & Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitan Santiago, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Maule, Bío Bío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo and Magallanes & Antarctica - with a total of 53 provinces and 346 municipal districts.
Chile’s capital is Santiago, located in the Metropolitan Region in the centre of the country.
- Language
The official language of Chile is Spanish, although some indigenous groups in the north and south of the country maintain their own languages.
- Currency
Chile’s official currency is the Chilean peso ($). Its ISO 4217 code is CLP.
- Religion
According to the 2002 Census, 70% of the population is Catholic, 15.1% is Evangelical or Protestant, 8.3% has no religion, is atheist or agnostic and other religions are practised by 4.4%.
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