• Colombia!

    Colombia: Caribbean Sea coast. Go Now!

    Colombia
    Although most of the people live inland, Colombia also has its share of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea (pictured). Go Now!

  • Ecuador!

    Ecuador: Sally Lightfoot Crab. Go Now!

    Ecuador
    The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador are home to incredible wildlife, such as the famous Galapagos Turtle and the lesser known, but more common Red Rock or Sally Lightfoot crab (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

  • Chile!

    Chile: Torres del Paine National Park. Go Now!

    Chile
    The Andes dominate much of Chile, including the breath-taking Torres del Paine National Park (pictured). However, the country also hosts the world's driest desert and a thriving metropolis. Begin Your Journey!

  • Venezuela!

    Venezuela: Los Roques. Go Now!

    Venezuela
    Rooted in Europe, Venezuela boasts an impressive history, culture, and beauty, including the Caribbean Coast (pictured). Explore Venezuela!

  • Bolivia!

    Bolivia: Salt flats. Go Now!

    Bolivia
    This hidden gem is full of surprises, from the impressive salt flats (pictured) to the migrating flamingos. It also clings to the most historic indigenous culture on the continent. Explore Bolivia!

Ethnicity, Language, & Religion of Chile

Ethnicity

Nearly everyone in Chile is either wholly European or a combination of European and Amerindian. Of these groups, the Spanish ethnicity is the most common among them, although Italian and other European groups are also included. About 5% of the population claims to be wholly Mapuche, which is a group that held off Spanish advances for hundreds of years and still dominates regions in the south.

The Mapuche aren't necessarily an ethnic group, but they cling to a single identity as they all share a common language, history, and culture. Despite not truly being a single ethnic group, the Mapuche are all related ethnically to some degree. On a smaller scale the Mapuche can be divided into numerous smaller groups, primarily divided in geographic terms, including the Pichunches, Huilliches, Moluche, and the Nguluche among others.

Language

Spanish is the only official language in Chile, but there are other languages often spoken. German has some native speakers as does Mapudungun. English is probably the most commonly taught second language in the country.

Spanish is a Romance language also spoken in Spain; it is closely related to other Romance languages, including Portuguese, Italian, French, Romanian, others. The dialect of Spanish in Chile is quite distinct in comparison to that of Spain and there are also many minor differences in the language across Latin America.

Mapudungun is a language family of South America, which is spoken by the Mapuche people; this language is quite similar across all speakers. The number of people that speak this language is very limited in numbers and in area as most of the native speakers of this language live in southern Chile.

Religion

Most of the Chileans are Roman Catholic, tallying about 70% of the total population. About half of the remaining population is Evangelical Christian and the other 15% adheres to numerous religions or follows none.

Catholicism is a Christian religion that is one of the first Christian religions and was the most dominant religious force in the Christian world for years. Catholicism believes that there is a single God who created everything, a savior, the son of God, Jesus Christ who is the forgiver of sins, and there is the Holy Spirit, which makes up the last part of the Holy Trinity.

Continue reading on Safari the Globe to Learn the Catholic Church's doctrines, liturgy, symbolism, traditions, & hierarchy

This page was last updated: May, 2014