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History and Culture
Geography
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spans west coast of South America, over 4000 miles long
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primary language: Spanish
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Santiago, capital
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extreme terrain; mountains, volcanos, desert, beaches
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Easter Island; Moai statues
Political History
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14,000 BC Indigenous people inhabit land
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1541 Spanish colonization, Santiago founded
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1818 Chile declares independence
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political unrest ensues over next two centuries / dictatorship / coup
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2002 joined European Union
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2003 joined NAFTA
Indigenous People
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Mapuche people--since 200 AD
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fierce warriors able to resist Spanish conquistadors for centuries
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native language facing extinction today
Culture and Traditions
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Indigenous and Spanish influences
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regional variants of food, music and customs
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festivals blend religious and mythology
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"cueca" national dance: music juxtaposes 6/8 and 3/4
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