| The population of Chile today represents centuries of intermingling peoples and cultures. More than 86% of the population lives in urban areas. Nearly 4.6% of the total national population self-identifies as belonging to a particular ethnic group. The largest of these ethnic groups is the Mapuche. A strong correlation exists between the ethnicity and socioeconomic situation of Chileans, with notable differences observed between the lower classes of high Amerindian ancestry and the upper classes of mainly European ancestry. Chile is, like much of Latin America, a predominantly Catholic country, though religious diversity is respected and constitutionally protected.
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