A unique blend of the influence of our geography, the ancestral knowledge of our native peoples, and the talent and creativity of the new generations, make Chile's cultural capital a source of pride for the entire country.
Chile's cultural heritage is as diverse as our landscapes and challenging geography, which have defined the identity of Chileans. Historically, the traditions of our native peoples, from north to south, have merged with the energy of the new generations, enriching our cultural capital and allowing us to connect through different expressions that speak of a unique country.
There are 10 recognized native peoples in Chile, whose wisdom and ancient traditions fill us with history and pride, and have strongly marked our identity: Aymara, Quechua, Atacameño, Colla, Chango, Diaguita, Mapuche, Yagán, Kaweskar and Rapa Nui. Thus, while the north celebrates festivities such as the Andean Carnival or the festival of La Tirana in the Atacama Desert, in the central south of the country the traditions of the Mapuche culture are lived with their medicinal gardens and typical dishes that highlight the properties of our endemic products, while festivals such as the grape harvest are celebrated in the valleys of the central area where world-class wines are produced. In Rapa Nui (Easter Island) it is possible to delve into the island culture with its imposing moais and typical dances.
Chile has seven Unesco World Heritage Sites due to their cultural and historical richness: Valparaíso, the city of Sewell, the Qhapaq Ñan Inca trail, the island of Rapa Nui, the Humberstone and Santa Laura saltpeter offices, the churches of Chiloé and the settlements of the Chinchorro culture. In addition to these, there are two other postulations that could materialize: Lota and Quinchamalí.
Chilean culture is expressed in a wide variety of media such as literature, with Nobel Prize winners, such as Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, who have driven the literary pilgrimage to Chile, as well as the international bestseller, Isabel Allende, who has paved the way for young Chilean writers who are being singled out among the new generation of Spanish-language storytellers. For its part, Chilean art has been installed on the world map with painters such as Roberto Matta and Claudio Bravo. Impossible not to mention the recently conquered film industry by the hand of the new generations that have positioned Chile in the Oscar awards from the nomination of "No" (2012) by Pablo Larraín, as Best Foreign Film, and "A Fantastic Woman" (2017) that managed to take the statuette in that category, to "A Bear Story" that won as Best Animated Short Film in 2016. In the last edition, Chile won the only Latin American nomination for the Oscars 2021 for the documentary "El Agente Topo".
The performing arts take on special prominence during the summer, when Chile hosts the largest performing arts cultural festival in Latin America, the Santiago a Mil Festival, in which the most renowned local and international artists participate to generate a rich cultural exchange within everyone's reach.
The quality of life in Chile is internationally recognized. In fact, the UNDP Human Development Index ranks us as the country with the highest score in Latin America. This index measures the level of development of each country based on variables such as life expectancy, education and per capita income. Chile is also one of the three Latin American countries to be considered "Full Democracy" according to The Economist Intelligence Unit 2020, which speaks of the health of its electoral processes and pluralism, the functioning of its governments, political participation, political culture and civil liberties. In addition, Chile is one of the "freest countries in the world" according to the Freedom ranking of the think tank Freedom House, with 93 points out of a total of 100.
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