Welcome to Chile

Friday 26th June

Around The World

Friday 26th June - CHILEOFFICIAL NAME

República de Chile (Republic of Chile)

FORM OF GOVERNMENT

Multiparty republic with two legislative houses

(Senate [38]; Chamber of Deputies [120])

HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

President: Sebastian Pinera

CAPITAL

Santiago

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

Spanish

OFFICIAL RELIGION

none

MONETARY UNIT

peso (Ch$)

POPULATION

(2019 est.) 17,967,000

TOTAL AREA (SQ KM)

756,096

National Day:18th SeptemberIndependence Day 2020 in Chile

Capital: Santiago

Emblem:The coat of arms of Chile dates from 1834 and was designed by the English artist Charles Wood Taylor (1792–1856). It is made up by a figurative background divided in two equal parts: the top one is blue and the bottom, red. A five pointed white star is in the centre of the shield.

History of Chilean Independence Day

On September 18th 1810, Chile broke from Spanish rule, declaring their independence. The Spanish had ruled Chile since the middle of the 16th Century. The movement to independence had been driven by other South American countries revolting against colonial rule, the French and Spanish warring in Europe and the appointment of an unpopular Governor in 1808.

While Chileans celebrate their independence on September 18th, their declaration in 1810 was the start of a long struggle and the Chilean war of Independence lasted for eight years before Chile could officially proclaim independence on February 12th 1818.

English Spanish

Hello Hola

Good morning Buenos días

Goodbye Adiós

Please Por favor

Thank you Gracias

My name is Mi nombre es

What is your name? Cómo te llamas?

I live in Vivo en

I would like an ice cream please Me gustaría un helado por favor

How much is that? Cuánto es que?

What is the official language of Chile?

The official language of Chile is Spanish.

How good is your Spanish?

Cazuelas, or stews, are part of Chile's national and traditional cuisine. These simple Chilean dishes come in many variations. The beef, pork, lamb or chicken (preferably with bone and meat) is simmered in water or broth with garlic, onions, oregano, paprika.

What would you eat in Chile?

Where is Chile?

Chile can be found on the western side of South America. It extends approximately 2700 miles (4300 km) from its northern border with Peru to the tip of South America at Cape horn.

Chile has sovereignty over Easter Island, the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, and the volcanic islets of Sala y Gomez, San Felix and San Ambrosia. All of these islands (islets) are located in the South Pacific.

Chile’s is for the most part mountainous, with the Andes range dominating the landscape. Because of the country’s extreme length it has a wide variety of climates, from the coastal desert beginning in the tropical north to the cold sub-Antarctic southern tip.

Chile is also a land of extreme natural events: volcanic eruptions, violent earthquakes, and tsunamis originating along major faults of the ocean floor periodically beset the country. Fierce winter storms and flash floods alternate with severe summer droughts.

What is it like in Chile?

Much of northern Chile is desert; the central part of the country is a temperate region where the bulk of the population lives and where the larger cities, including Santiago, are located. South-central Chile, with a lake and forest region, is temperate, humid, and suitable for grain cultivation; and the southernmost third of the country, cut by deep fjords, is an inhospitable region—cold, wet, windy, and limited in resources.

The economy of Chile is based on primary economic activities: agricultural production; copper, iron, and nitrate mining; and the exploitation of sea resources.

What is it like in Chile?

Science / Geography task

1. Research the benefits and consequences of copper mining.

2. Produce a table to show the benefits against consequences.

“Copper market is poised to enter a

“substantial” supply deficit from 2021

onwards, pushing prices of the industrial metal higher. “

“Chile, the world’s No. 1 copper

producer…”

Chilean mining disaster 2010

The 2010 Copiapó mining accident, also known then as the "Chilean mining accident", began on Thursday, 5 August 2010, with a cave-in at the San Jose copper-gold mine, located in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile.

Thirty-three men, trapped 700 metres underground and 5 kilometres from the mine's entrance via spiralling underground ramps.

They were rescued after 69 days.

TimelineAugust 5, 2010 - A collapse of the main ramp into the San Jose mine leaves 33 miners trapped

2,300 feet underground. Emergency officials are unable to communicate with the trapped miners.

August 6, 2010 - A statement from Chile's National Emergency Office says 130 people are working

to rescue the miners.

August 7, 2010 - Rescuers face a setback when another cave in blocks the path they were using to

reach the miners. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera travels to Copiapo, where the mine is

located, to meet with officials.

August 22, 2010 - The miners send a note up tied to a probe which was lowered by authorities

earlier in the day. Written in red ink, it reads, "We are fine in the shelter, the 33 of us."

August 23, 2010 - A second probe reaches the miners. Rescuers are now capable of relaying

communications and can send food and water to miners. Before this, the miners survive by sharing

small amounts of tuna and mackerel that were in the shelter, along with water.

August 24, 2010 - Experts from NASA and Chilean navy submarine experts are called to help

address the psychological toll the isolation can take on the miners.

August 26, 2010 - Miners send a video message to their families expressing thanks for the efforts

underway to free them.

Chilean mining disaster 2010

Chilean mining disaster 2010

August 27, 2010 - Miners are told for the first time of the lengthy process rescuers expect it will take to

extract them from the mine. Officials announce that they are working on a "Plan B," which could help

speed up the rescue process.

August 29, 2010 - Each of the trapped miners is given about 20 seconds to speak directly with family

members for the first time since the accident.

August 31, 2010 - Plan A drilling starts.

September 3, 2010 - The Schramm T-130 drill, otherwise known as Plan B, arrives at the rescue scene.

The drill is usually used for boring water holes.

September 6, 2010 - Rescue officials temporarily stop the Plan B initial drill due to a damaged drill bit.

September 9, 2010 - Miners record a new video to show their families a glimpse of what their routines

are like. The three minute clip shows them in good spirits.

September 14, 2010 - Elizabeth Segovia, wife of trapped miner Ariel Ticona, gives birth to a girl she

names Esperanza, Spanish for hope.

September 17, 2010 - The Plan B bore hole reaches the 33 miners. However, the hole is only 12 inches

wide and will need to be widened on a second pass.

September 22, 2010 - The Plan C drill starts drilling.

September 25, 2010 - The rescue capsule expected to haul the miners back to the surface arrives at the

mine. Named the Phoenix, it's painted red, white and blue - the colours of the Chilean flag.

September 28, 2010 - The Plan B drill passes the halfway point to the trapped miners.

Chilean mining disaster 2010

September 30, 2010 - Rescue crews successfully test the capsule. One test subject declares it

"comfortable."

October 1, 2010 - Mining Minister Laurence Golborne announces that officials expect to reach the

miners as early as mid October - sooner than previously expected. Crews could reach the miners

between October 15 and October 30. Officials earlier prediction put the date as far away as November

or Christmas.

October 5, 2010 - Rescuers say they are within 160 meters of the trapped miners.

October 6, 2010 - Two additional capsules and a winch, a device used for winding and tension

adjustments, arrive at the mine site.

October 7, 2010 - A source close to rescue operations says the Plan B drill is now less than 100 meters

from the target.

October 9, 2010 - The Plan B drill breaks through the roof of the mine.

October 12, 2010 - During a press conference, Mining Minister Golborne announces that the rescue is

expected to begin during "the last quarter" of the day.

October 13, 2010 - The first miner rescued, Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva, 31, reaches the surface at

about 12:11 a.m. ET. Shift foreman Luis Alberto Urzua Iribarren, 54, is the 33rd and final miner to be

rescued, approximately 22 1/2 hours after the rescue operation begins.

English / Literacy task

You were one of those trapped miners, so you can describe how you were feeling.

Use the timeline to help you to write a story of being trapped and your rescue.

Creative Art / Design task

Street artists in Chile often draw in a graffiti / mural style. Have a go at drawing a picture inspired by this type of art.

Maths / Numeracy task

The conversion rate is:

£1 = 993.7 Chilean Pesos

How much would these items cost in Chile?

£269.95 £55.00 £1.50

321.50 Euro 10.32 Euro 17.21 Euro

The conversion rate is:

£1 = 1.12 Euros