System of Government
Democratic republic, whose President is head of the executive authority. The legislative authority has its headquarters in the port city of Valparaiso, 120km from the capital Santiago, and there is an independent judicial authority.

Population
Chile's population is composed predominantly of mestizos, who are descended from marriages between the Spanish colonizers and the indigenous people. The surviving indigenous groups consist of the Aymara, in the north, and the Mapuche, who number roughly 500,000 and continue to inhabit the forested areas of the Lake District. Chile is also home to a number of significant immigrant groups, including minority populations from virtually every European country. There are significant numbers of Basques and Palestinians. The high proportion of mestizos among Chile's people has made race a minor issue in comparison to class. The great majority of Chile's people, as one might expect, live in the central valley.

Language
The official language is Spanish.

Geography
From the heights of the Andes to the treacherous seas around cape horn, Chile is not lacking in geographic diversity. The slender country, which streches over 4,300 km and never reaches a width over 240 km, is home to arid deserts, mountains, river valleys, and the Strait of Magellan. more...

Climate
Aside from the obviously extreme climatic conditions of the Andes and the Atacama, the country enjoys a comfortable temperate climate. Due to its topography and immense length from north to south, Chile has a great variety of climates. Desert climate in the area between Arica and La Serena, Mediterranean in the central area down to Concepción and temperate and rainy from Concepción to Punta Arenas and the polar ice of Antarctica.

Electricity
Supply: 220 V, 50Hz

Health
Inoculations for Chile are not prescribed. The standard of hygiene is high, one of the highest in Latin America. We advise to take some care with drinking water from the tap (especially in smaller towns) and when eating unwashed fruits and vegetables.

Credit Cards and Traveler's Checks
The most generally accepted credit cards are Visa, MasterCard, Diners, and to a lesser extent, American Express. Traveler's cheeks are widely accepted.

Loss of Credit Cards in Chile
Visa International .................631-7003
MasterCard International .......631-7003
Diners International ..............232-0000
American Express .................800-201022

Banking Hours
Banks attend Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 14.00
Currency changers open Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 14.00 and 15.00 to 18.00.

National Holidays
New Year (1st January), Holy Week (end of March or April), Labour Day (1st May), Naval Battle of lquique (21st May), Corpus Christi (22nd June), St Peter and St Paul (29th June), Assumption of the Virgin (15th August), National Reconciliation Day (1st Monday in September), Independence Day (18th September), Army Day (19th September), (Hispanic) Columbus Day (12th October), All Saints' Day (1st November), Immaculate Conception (8th December), Christmas (25th December).

Tourist Information
Office of the National Tourist Service, SERNATUR (Av.Providencia 1550, Santiago, between Metro stations Manuel Montt and Pedro de Valdivia. It attends Monday to Friday, from 9.30 to 20.00, and on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9.30 to 18.30. Telephone numbers: 731 -83361 731 -8337. There is another SERNATUR office at Santiago's Arturo Merino Benitez Airport, telephone 601-9320. It attends Monday to Sunday from 8.15 to 21.30.

Shopping
Shops in Santiago are open from 10.00 to 20.00. Malls and supermarkets close at 21.00.

Tipping
10% is considered an adequete tip. One usually tips bell hops, restuarants, and other service workers. Tipping is not generally expected for taxi services.

Transport
There is a wide network of public trans- port in the capital, with taxis, buses and the Metro (Metropolitan Railway). For journeys within the country there are local airlines and excellent long-distance buses from the capital to the vast majority of destinations. The bus terminals are: Terminal Santiago, tel. 779-1385 (buses for the south and international routes), Terminal Alameda, tel. 778-0808 (the coast, north and south), San Borja, tel. 776-0645, 776-1025 (the north and area around Santiago), Terminal Los Héroes, tel. 696-9250(mainly the north).