Welcome to: Chile Inside Out
Chile – Some Facts, Figures and History
Long form of Name: Republic of Chile
Capital City Santiago (6.3 million in metro area)
Currency Chilean Peso (CLP)
Languages Spanish
National Day September 18
Religions Catholic (89%), Protestant (11%)
Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)
Relative Location Chile is positioned in both the western and southern hemispheres. It's located on the western and southwestern coast of South America, and bordered by Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, and by the Pacific Ocean.
A Brief History:
Ferdinand Magellan was the first European explorer to visit Chile, settling here on 21st October, 1520.
In the last 15th century, the Incas extended their empire south, attempting to conquer Chile, they were successful in the north, but their influence (central and south) was limited as they faced fierce resistance from the indigenous Araucanian peoples.
In 1540, the Spanish explorer, Pedro de Valdivia arrived. He later founded the capital city of Santiago in 1541and managed to control the local Indians, forcing them into hard labour, but in the south the Araucanians would not budge.
Numerous Spanish settlements were built in central Chile and their population base eventually exceeded 1000.000. Those initial settlers suffered repeated attacks ( often brutal) by Araucanians and that remained a serious (hard to control) problem into the 19th century.
The colonies secretly detested Spain’s military rule, but remained loyal to the Spanish throne for nearly three centuries, when the King of Spain was over thrown at the beginning of independence, and self government.
Speaking of freedom, Jose de San Martin and Bernardo O’Higgins and their up-start armies drove out the Spanish and achieved their independence from Spain in 1818. Bernardo O’Higgins would later become Chile’s first President.
Chile defeated Bolivia and Peru in a regional was (1879 – 1883) for the control of the Atacama Desert areas. During that war, Chile gained more land to the north and Bolivia lost its outlet to the open sea, proving disasterous even up to today for it’s economy.
Beginning in 1891, and over the next 80 years, Chile was governed by self-serving parliamentary regimes, military rule, left-wing, right-wing parties (including Communists) and a long line of democratically elected presidents.
All remnants of democracy were tossed aside when the repressive military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinnochet began in 1973; finally ending in 1989, when democratic elections were held again.
Today this underdeveloped country with an overdeveloped landscape is primed for the 21st century, as it controls a great portion of the planet’s most spectacular scenery, as well as untold natural resources and riches.
It’s a great place to visit!
