Officially known as the Republic of Chile, this country is not like the others. For one, Chile is a long and narrow strip of land. You’ll probably think that it’s some sort of a huge beach resort if you look at it from the map. However, this country has more interesting things to offer other than its unique landmass shape. For one, this country is known to be a resource for mineral deposits such as lithium and copper. Of course, there are more interesting things than some minerals that can be found elsewhere.
Chile Facts
1. There is a UFO research bureau here!
Unidentified Flying Objects have been the media craze for decades now. However, it’s only in this country that you’ll find a government-funded UFO research facility, an interesting fact about Chile. Chileans always had the habit of looking at the sky and reporting unidentified anomalies that they see flying over them. Of course, most of the available footages have fewer pixels than a bowl of cereal. But somehow, the UFO research bureau happened. At least it’s a tangible effort in saying that we may not be alone in this galaxy. Also, it’s just so cool to have the real thing instead of just a hoax you see on the internet these days. That said, the bureau is a guarded facility which makes it even more genuine!
2. Chileans move their homes in a very literal way.
Moving from one house to another is always a chore. However, it’s quite a stretch to move your home literally from point A to B. Apparently, communities or neighbors in Chile are up to that task. They call it the ‘Minga’. This is probably something that you’ll see in cartoons, but ‘Minga’ is moving a house by using wheels and oxen to drag the entire house to a new location. However, it’s only common on the southern coast of Chile. The change in tides can be dramatic and this was somehow the solution they came up with. It must have been a desperate attempt to not lose a house to the tides. Thankfully, it worked and is now a tradition in the country’s southern coasts.
3. The driest desert in the world is located in Chile.
There’s no arguing that the Atacama desert loved the sun so much that it ended up driving away every drop of rain. Ever since it was discovered, Atacama desert is said to have not seen a drop of rain, an interesting fact about Chile. Either this desert has had enough rain in the past or it’s just dying for a drop. That said, living near the desert has become impossible. Doubly so when the abandoned towns show levels of dryness that’s unfit for life. The only good thing that came out with this is that it was an ideal location simulation for the rovers that were sent to Mars or at least the one that made planetfall.
4. The most ancient mummy was found here.
As you know, mummies are quite popular in Egypt. Unfortunately, it’s not the resting place for the oldest mummies in history. The Atacama desert in Chile is where the Chinchorro mummies were discovered. The Chinchorro people are settlers that lived in Northern Chile. The remains were found to be about 7,000 BC old. That’s thousands older than the mummies found in Egypt. Of course, Egypt’s a bit more classy when it comes to mummies.
5. Chile had the largest swimming pool in the world.
San Alfonso del Mar is a private resort that’s located in Algarrobo, Chile. It had a huge pool the size of a lake. An interesting fact about Chile is that Guinness World Records recognized it as the largest swimming pool by the time it was finished in 2006. This was made possible by using the seawater that’s adjacent to the resort. Back then, this pool was quite a sight for a lot of people. However, maintenance issues caused the pool to close down indefinitely.
6. Chile is a breeding ground for penguins.
Penguins are usually seen in the icy floats of Antarctica. At least that’s what you’ll see most of the time on TV. However, this country is known for having different species of penguins. That makes Chile a protected breeding ground for the different penguin species here. It also comes with a fascinating sight of seeing penguins on green land. Aside from that, you don’t have to take a long drive just to see a penguin in this country.
7. Easter Island is a place to be if you want to see some big stone heads.
One of the most interesting things about Chile’s Easter Island is the fact that it was a goldmine for archeologists. Finding dozens of Moai statues must have been a field day for them. Of course, it’s always been a mystery how the inhabitants of this island left after making so many big stone head statues. Nevertheless, Moai statues have been attracting tourists and visitors ever since they were discovered. It’s a wonder how the inhabitants of Easter Island managed to apply primitive techniques to make all these statues, a fun fact about Chile.
8. There are about 500 active volcanoes in Chile.
For a narrow strip of land, you have to wonder how Chile managed to have a lot of active volcanoes. Thankfully, all of them aren’t in agreement to erupt at the same time or else there wouldn’t be much left of the country. Currently, the Villarica volcano is considered to be the most active one. It’s also nicknamed as the ‘Rucapillan’ which is a Mapuche-derived word that means “devil house”.
9. Chile is the homeland of potatoes!
Technically, there are a lot of variants when it comes to potatoes. However, 90% of potato species all over the world originally came from this country, a fun fact about Chile. Aside from that, the country has special potatoes that can be found nowhere else due to them being endemic to the place. That’s also the reason why other kinds of flora can only be seen growing in this country.
Conclusion
Chile is one of the unique places on earth that’s got surprising facts. Simply knowing that it’s where potato came from is already a neat tip for a surprise trivia. That said, this country has a rich culture. Even the ‘Minga’ was surprising enough that you’d call it insane. Still, that’s just one of the things that make this country special. That’s why it’s one of the most interesting places for tourists. Besides, not every country has a special UFO research facility like in the movies.
I hope that this article on Chile facts was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Country Facts Page!
