Republic of
Chile
República de Chile
With 1,080 volcanoes, Chile has one out of every ten volcanoes in the world.
For centuries, Chileans have used llamas to carry their goods.
One of Chile’s native animals is the pudu, the world's smallest deer. It averages
about 15 inches (38 cm) tall. Also native to Chile, the rhea, is a huge flightless bird
similar to the ostrich.
About five hundred years ago, the ancient Inca Empire of Peru began spreading south
into Chile. Ruins of Inca roads and buildings still can be seen in Chile today.
Kite flying is a favorite Chilean hobby.
Chile’s Easter Island is in the Pacific Ocean, far away from the Chilean coast. The
island’s strange ancient statues stand 30 feet (9 m) tall, but why and how they were
built is a mystery.
Two Chilean poets have won Nobel Prizes in literature.
Flag
White stands for the snow of the Andes, blue for the sky, and
red for the blood of Chile’s heroes. The star symbolizes
progress.
National Image
The Chilean coat of arms pictures two animals: the huemul, a rare deer,
and the condor, the world’s largest bird of prey.
Land and Climate
Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the giant Andes
Mountains, Chile is the longest and narrowest country on the
planet. Chile runs more than half the length of the whole
South American continent, but 221 miles (356 km) across is
the widest it ever gets. It would take only a few hours to
drive across Chile. Being so long, Chile has many different
landscapes: dry desert in the north, mountains and rich
farmland in the center, and islands and glaciers in the south.
The weather is also very different depending on where you
are. The north is warm and dry, the central part of the
country is mild, and the south is cold and rainy. Average annual precipitation ranges
from 0.04 inches (0.10 cm) in the north to 119 inches (302 cm) in the south. Because
Chile lies in the Southern Hemisphere (the part of the earth that is south of the
equator), its seasons are opposite those in North America: summer is between
December and March.
Population
During the centuries when Chile belonged to Spain,
thousands of Spaniards went to live there. Many Spaniards
married native inhabitants (also called indigenous people).
People of a mixed European and indigenous background are
known as mestizo. Today, about 95 percent of Chileans are
either European or mestizo. Besides Spain, the ancestors of
today’s Chileans came from France, Germany, Switzerland,
Croatia, Russia, Syria, Lebanon, and other countries. About 4
percent are indigenous. Chile has a current population of
about 16.5 million people. More than 85 percent of Chileans live in urban areas.
Language
Spanish is the official national language of Chile, and almost everybody speaks it. But
the Spanish that people speak in Chile is a little different than the Spanish spoken in
other countries. Chileans call it Castellano. Chileans like to add little word endings like
-ito, which means “small” and is used affectionately. For example, Chileans can change
the boy’s name Carlos into “little Carlos” by saying Carlitos. Chao means “good-bye,”
but Chaoito is an affectionate good-bye.
Can You Say It in Spanish?
Hello
Hola
(OH-la)
Good-bye
Chao
(chow)
Please
Por favor
(POHR fa-VOHR)
Thank you
Gracias
(GRAH-see-ahs)
Yes
Sí
(see)
No
No
(noh)
Religion
Most Chileans are Christian. About 70 percent of the population belongs to the Roman
Catholic Church, and others belong to a variety of Protestant churches. The country
recognizes a separation of church and state, and religious freedom is guaranteed.
Time Line
AD 1400
Around AD
1450
Incas come into contact with the tribes in northern
Chile
1500
1520
The Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan becomes
the first European to see Chile
1536
Diego de Almagro claims Chile for the Spanish
Empire
1541
Pedro de Valdivia begins the Spanish invasion of
Chile
1800
1810
1817
1818
Chile begins fighting for independence from Spain
Chilean and Argentine forces invade Chile by
crossing the Andes Mountains
Chile becomes independent; Bernardo O’Higgins is
its first president
1823
1879
1891
1900
1925
1970
1973
1988
1990
Chile makes slavery illegal
The War of the Pacific (involving Chile, Bolivia, and
Peru) begins
Civil war begins
A new constitution allows Chileans to join labor
unions
Marxist Salvador Allende becomes president
General Augusto Pinochet overthrows Allende’s
government
Pinochet allows a vote to decide if he should
continue in power
Patricio Aylwin takes office as the first elected
president since 1970
2000
2000
Ricardo Lagos becomes president
2004
President Lagos signs a bill giving Chileans the right
to divorce, despite disapproval from the Roman
Catholic Church
2006
Michelle Bachelet becomes Chile’s first female
president
PRESENT
Overseas Invasion
Native tribes such as the Mapuche and Atacameño farmed and hunted
for centuries in Chile. Then, about five hundred years ago, explorers
from Europe began arriving in their sailing ships. Most were Spanish, and
these conquistadors (conquerors) claimed the land for Spain. Although
some of the local groups fought against the Spanish, it wasn’t long
before the powerful Spanish controlled most of the area.
Revolution and Independence
As the Spaniards married indigenous (native) people, a new group of Chileans
developed. These people had never been to Spain and felt no loyalty to it. In 1810, the
Chileans told the Spanish that they no longer wanted to be ruled by a country so far
away. But the Spanish didn’t want to give up control of their colony. After years of war,
the Chileans joined their troops with those in Argentina and quickly defeated the
Spanish. Bernardo O’Higgins, one of the revolution’s heroes, became the first leader of
the new nation.
War of the Pacific
Disagreements over land in the Atacama Desert began between Chile and its neighbors,
Peru and Bolivia. The desert contains rich fields of nitrate, a valuable mineral used in
fertilizer. In 1879, Chile declared war against these nations and defeated them five
years later. With their victory, Chileans gained the nitrate fields and significantly
increased the size of their country.
General Pinochet’s Rule
For most of Chile’s history, the people have chosen the government.
But in 1973, one of Chile’s generals, Augusto Pinochet, came to
power by overthrowing the elected president, who had left the
economy in ruins. Although Pinochet helped build a better economy,
thousands of Chileans who disagreed with him were jailed or killed.
Because their families did not know what had happened to them,
these people were called “the disappeared.” In 1988, Pinochet finally
allowed Chileans to decide if he should continue in power. They said
no, and Chileans restored their democracy (government by the
people).
Games and Sports
Like people throughout South America, Chileans love to play
soccer, which they call fútbol. Kids play on both school and
soccer club teams. Thousands of people go to professional
matches. Tennis is increasingly popular. Some Chileans ski in
the snowy Andes Mountains, but since skiing is expensive,
only the wealthy get to do it. However, nearly every Chilean
enjoys going to the beach to swim or fish.
Holidays
Chileans love to celebrate their Independence Day, 18
September. This was the day in 1810 that Chileans began
working toward independence from Spain. Today, they
celebrate the holiday by eating and drinking. The next day,
19 September, is Armed Forces Day, and Chileans hold
parades, go to rodeos, and perform the cueca, the national
folk dance.
Food
Chileans make many delicious foods, and one of the most
popular is called empanadas de horno. It’s a turnover pastry
filled with beef, hard-boiled eggs, onions, olives, and raisins.
Sometimes people fill them with fish or other meats instead
of beef. If you go to a Chilean celebration, you usually will
find plenty of these tasty pastries.
Schools
Chileans take education very seriously. All kids between the
ages of five and seventeen have to go to school. They go to
public schools, which are free, or to private or religious
schools. Because there are few school buses in Chile, most
kids take public transportation. Chilean kids study many of
the same subjects you do. After eight years of elementary
school, kids advance to a four-year secondary or vocational
school. For those who want to get a higher education, Chile has many universities.
Life as a Kid
Life can be very different in different parts of Chile. Some
kids live in remote villages or on farms, but half of all Chilean
children live in the Santiago area. Most kids there live in
middle-class suburbs, but there are also slums where
families can only afford to live in shacks. Wherever they live,
children put on uniforms and go to school every weekday. At
recess and after school, kids play sports or their favorite
games, such as bolitas (marbles), checkers, or luche
(hopscotch).
Government
President: Michelle Bachelet
Like the United States, Chile is a democracy, which means that Chile’s people decide
who will run the country. The person who makes the most important decisions is the
president. The Chilean legislature has two parts: the 38-member Senate and the
120-member Chamber of Deputies. The voting age is 18. All eligible citizens are
required by law to vote. Chile is divided into 15 regions.
Money and Economy
Agriculture, or farming, is one of the most important parts of
the Chilean economy. Chile sends its fruits, such as grapes,
apples, nectarines, and peaches, to more than 40 countries
around the world. In fact, you probably have eaten a piece of
fruit from Chile recently. Chile has signed trade agreements
with the United States, the European Union, South Korea,
China, and other countries so that more of its industries can sell goods to them. The
currency is the Chilean peso.
Getting Around
Santiago is a huge city with a lot of traffic, so traveling can be difficult. There are so
many cars that many people take the subway or the bus. In the countryside, people
use buses, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. With so many islands in the south,
sometimes the only way to get from one place to another is by boat.
Rodeos
The people of Chile held their first rodeo (or la fiesta huasa) more
than four hundred years ago, and they have loved them ever
since. Huge crowds go to watch them. Rodeos in Chile are a little
different than rodeos in North America. Two riders on horseback
try to corner a bull against a certain spot on the edge of the
rodeo ring. The winning team is the one that can corner the bull
the best and the fastest. The riders wear the traditional clothing
of flat hats, brightly colored ponchos, and boots with spurs.
Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Chile, 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20036; phone (202) 785-1746; web site www.chile-usa.org.
© 2009 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. It is against
the law to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by
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Country Detail Map
Chile
PERU
PA C I F I C
Arica
BOLIVIA
O C E A N
Antofagasta
Nevado Ojos
del Salado
Copiapó
A
The world's driest
desert is the Atacama.
N
D E
Coquimbo
S
M
Santiago
ARGENTINA
O
Nevado Ojos del Salado
in the Andes Mountains
is Chile's highest point,
at 22,566 feet (6,878 m).
U
The Andes Mountains are
one of the world's longest
mountain ranges.
N
T A
Puerto Montt
I
N S
Because it shortens the
journey, the Strait of
Magellan is an important
passage for ships traveling
between the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans.
Punta Arenas
STRAIT OF
MAGELLAN
CAPE HOR N
© 2007 ProQuest-CSA LLC and Brigham Young University.