The Republic of Chile lies on the west coast of South America. It is a long, narrow country that stretches for nearly 2,700 miles (4,350 kilometers) from north to south. It averages only about 110 miles (180 kilometers) from east to west. Mountains extend throughout the length of the country. They form a natural barrier between Chile and its neighbors to the east. The people and culture of Chile reflect its history as a former colony of Spain. In addition, the country has a long history of stable democratic government. Its capital and largest city is Santiago. GeographyChile is entirely bounded on its west by the Pacific Ocean. It has the longest seacoast of any country in the world. Its land boundaries are shared with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, and Argentina to the east. Chile claims a pie-shaped piece of Antarctica. It also controls several islands in the South Pacific, including Easter Island. The total area of Chile, including the islands, is about 292,135 square miles (756,626 square kilometers). - A section of the Andes mountains runs through the Torres del Paine National Park near Puerto …
Chile can be divided into three major physical regions. The Andes Mountains are in the east. Parts of the Andes reach heights of more than 20,000 feet (6,000 meters). Smaller coastal mountain ranges are in the west. In between the two mountain systems are the flat plains of a central valley. These three regions run north-south, side by side, for nearly the entire length of the country. Chile's rivers are relatively short. They average about 100 to 300 miles (160 to 480 kilometers) in length. Most of them flow west from the Andes Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean. The Bío-Bío River in south-central Chile cuts through the coastal mountains. Because of the country's great length, Chile has a wide variety of climates. In general, it is warmer and drier in the north and cooler and wetter in the south. The northern part of Chile is a desert that has little or no rainfall. Temperatures in both northern and central Chile are mostly moderate. The center of the country has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Southern Chile has low temperatures and high humidity. Some parts in the south receive more than 160 inches (410 centimeters) of precipitation per year. Plants and animalsThe vegetation of Chile varies greatly from the north to the south. Fewer plants grow in the northern desert. The northern coast has some cacti and prickly shrubs. A type of spiny acacia tree does well in the dry interior. The center of the country has hardwood trees, shrubs, cacti, and green grass. Many of the native plants in central Chile have been replaced by farmed crops. Farther south the country is covered with dense forests. The area's trees include beeches, myrtle, evergreens, and the monkey-puzzle tree, or Chile pine. Tangles of vines, shrubs, ferns, and mosses also thrive in the humid south. Chile's wildlife is less diverse than the wildlife of other South American countries. In the northern Andes live four types of camel—the guanaco, llama, alpaca, and vicuña. Other mountain animals include large deer, wolves, pumas, wildcats, and rodents. The southern forests are home to foxes and small deer. The south also has several kinds of marsupials, or animals with pouches like kangaroos. The country's main birds are doves, ducks, and some birds of prey. The giant condor is found in the Andes. The country has many amphibians but few poisonous reptiles. Saltwater fishes swim in the ocean near the coast. People and cultureLike many other Latin American countries, Chile was colonized by Spain. Its people today are mainly mestizo, or people of mixed Spanish and American Indian descent. The Araucanian Indians are the only major ethnic minority. There are some small communities of English, Italian, French, German, and Swiss people. Spanish is the official language and is widely spoken. More than 75 percent of the people are Roman Catholic. Nearly 15 percent are Protestant. Most Chileans live in cities; less than 20 percent live in rural areas. The major cities of Chile are concentrated in the central part of the country. Literature is one of the most important creative arts in Chile. The Chilean poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda both won the Nobel prize for literature. The National Library in Santiago ranks among the largest in Latin America. EconomyMining has long been the backbone of the Chilean economy. The north is especially rich in minerals. Chile is the world's largest producer of copper. It also mines significant amounts of iron ore, coal, and molybdenum, a metal obtained from the large copper deposits. It produces iodine from its vast nitrate reserves. Gold, silver, manganese, oil, and natural gas also are important resources. Chile is one of the foremost fishing nations of the world. Sardines, jack mackerel, chub mackerel, hake, and anchovy make up most of the catch. The chief products are fishmeal and fish oil, which are exported to Europe and the United States. Central Chile has good soils and moderate weather. Most of the country's food is grown there. The main crops are cereals (chiefly wheat), grapes, potatoes, corn (maize), apples, beans, rice, and a variety of vegetables. Sugar beets and sunflower seeds for cooking oil are also grown. Chile exports fresh fruit, canned vegetables, and wines. Chile has a large iron and steel mill, paper mills, and a petroleum refinery. The country's light industries produce appliances, chemical products, food products, textiles and clothing, and construction materials. HistorySpanish ruleLittle is known about Chile before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. At least 500,000 American Indians were living in the region at the time. The Spaniards quickly conquered the northern Araucanian Indians and used them for labor. However, the other Araucanians resisted the Spaniards. Spanish troops continued fighting them for about 350 years. The Spaniards first invaded Chile in 1536. They founded Santiago in 1541. Agriculture on huge estates became the major economic activity. A small class of people controlled most of the land, the wealth, and the political life. After France invaded Spain in 1808, Chile tried to gain its independence. Chile began to set up a new government in Santiago in 1810. Spain took control of Chile again in 1814. Chile finally defeated Spain in 1817 and officially declared its independence in 1818. IndependenceA new constitution in 1833 created a strong central government. Throughout the 19th century Chile made great social and economic progress. Other Latin American nations were torn by continual political strife. Chile suffered only one serious revolt, in 1891. Chile's wealthy landowners continued to dominate the political system. The workers in cities and the growing middle class began to demand better living conditions. They formed new political parties in the early 20th century. In 1925 a new constitution gave Chile the most progressive social programs in Latin America. It also established democratic elections. In 1970 Salvador Allende was elected president. He was Chile's first socialist president. He believed that the government should control the economy and distribute property and wealth equally among the people. In 1973 a military group overthrew Allende. Augusto Pinochet was the group's leader. He established a military government that crushed all opposition. Pinochet's rule was marked by severe human rights violations. In 1988 a vote allowed the people to either approve or reject Pinochet's presidency. They rejected him by a small majority. Full elections in 1989 returned the country to civilian rule. However, the constitution allowed Pinochet to remain commander of the army until 1998. Several countries later tried to prosecute Pinochet for the political killings and torture that took place during his presidency. He was declared to be too ill to stand trial, however. Population (2000 estimate), 15,211,000. |