Chili (written CHILE by its own citizens), one of the republics of South America. It is situated on the west coast, and may be described as a long strip of territory lying between the summit of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, extending from about the 18th parallel of south latitude to the southern extremity of Tierra del Fuego. Boundaries: N. by Peru, E. by Bolivia and Argentine Republic, W. and S. by the Pacific Ocean. By recent treaties the territory of Chili has been considerably extended. After the war with Bolivia and Peru (1879-81), Chili acquired the coast between 23° and 25° S. claimed by Bolivia, and annexed the Peruvian province of Tarapacá. She also occupies the Peruvian provinces of Arica and Tacna, subject to the payment of a war-indemnity by Peru. In the south the disputed claims of Chili and Argentina to Patagonia have been settled by Chili taking all territory and islands south of the 52d parallel and west of 68° 30' W. This includes the larger portion of Tierra del Fuego. The Strait of Magellan is by treaty considered neutral. The length of Chili is about 2500 English miles. Its breadth varies from 40 to 200 miles. The Andes extend in two parallel lines throughout nearly the entire length of the country. Between these two ranges of the 'Cordillera' there is a central valley or tableland which attains its greatest breadth between 33° and
40° S. The streams in the north are of little importance, being mostly shallow brooks, which, after a short course, are licked up by the thirsty land; in the south they are larger and more numerous, although most are navigable for only a few miles. The principal are the Maipu, which waters the valley of Santiago; the Máule; the Biobio (q.v.), the largest river in the country; the Cauten, or Río Imperial; the Bueno; and the Callecalle, or Río de Valdivia (100 miles), the most important of all, because of the sheltered harbour at its mouth. In the south are also many deep lakes, such as Llanquihue (30 miles long by 22 broad) and Ranco (32 miles by 18). Mineral waters, chiefly saline and sulphureous, are abundant; the principal spa is at Chillan (q.v.). The most important islands are those constituting the province of Chiloé (q.v.); Juan Fernandez (q.v.) also belongs to Chili. Owing to its great extension from north to south, Chili comprises regions of very different nature and climate. The north provinces, Tarapacá, Atacama, and part of Coquimbo are arid, rainless districts, where the principal industry is mining and extraction of saltpetre. The middle and southern provinces—viz. Aconcagua, Valparaiso, Santiago, Colchagua, Curicó, Talca, Linares, Máule, Nuble, Concepcion, Arauco, Biobio, and Valdivia, are agricultural and viticultural, and have also valuable coalfields. The Patagonian region is densely wooded and sparsely inhabited by a few Indians. The climate of Chili is temperate. In the north it is moderately hot and rainless, but banks of clouds always hang overhead, and heavy dew falls at night. In the south it is dry for about eight months of the year, and rainy the other four. The temperature is remarkably even and pleasant, and always cool at nights. The south wind blows fiercely during many days of summer dry and cold; the north wind brings heat, tempest, and rain; other winds are unknown. In Southern Chili generally the land is poor and of hardly any value for agriculture, which, indeed, is carried on in a very primitive fashion; but the soil of the valleys, where large herds of cattle graze, is very fertile. Vines, also, grow well on the hillsides, and the wines of the country are superseding in Chili the French red wines. The Andes are almost everywhere visible, covered with perpetual snow. The highest peak is Aconcagua, 22,867 feet. The average height of the great range is 8000 feet. There are many volcanic peaks, mostly extinct. Amongst these may be mentioned Tupungato, Descabezada, Chillan, Osorno, Villa Rica, &c. Chili is subject to frequent shocks of earthquake, and occasionally to destructive terremotos. The most notable of these recorded was in 1822, when the coast near Valparaiso was thrown up permanently between 3 and 4 feet: this elevation extended over 100,000 sq. m. In 1835 Concepcion and Talcahuano were destroyed by a fearful earthquake which produced disaster all over the southern provinces. In 1868 Iquique was destroyed by a shock which was felt more in the northern districts, and again in 1875.
The population of Chili according to the census of 1885 was 2,524,476, an increase of 352,813 since the preceding census of 1875, making allowance for the new territories. In 1894 the population was estimated at 2,920,000. The number of foreign residents increased from 26,635 to 40,000 during that period. The natives of Chili are a mixture of Spanish with the Araucanian Indians. In the upper classes the race has been kept more purely Spanish than in any other South American country. The working-classes are laborious and docile, but it cannot be said that there is as yet any effectual protection for property. Wages are still very low. On estates labourers receive about 1s. 6d. per day, but are allowed a patch of land to cultivate for themselves. Since the acquisition of the territory of the Araucanian Indians in 1881 the government has been anxious to attract European emigrants, but British adventure in that direction has been deprecated. There is practically no demand for English mechanics, and the manufactures, properly so called, are confined to copper-smelting, sugar-refining, tanning, brewing, manufactures of soap and candles, biscuits, boots and shoes, woollens, flax, and nitrates. A special effort is being made to introduce new manufacturing industries which will be protected by tariff.
The established religion of Chili is Roman Catholic, but public opinion is now very liberal, and other religions are tolerated. Education receives much attention, and is gratuitous and at the cost of the state. There are 1200 public elementary schools, with 110,000 pupils, besides 500 private schools; but in spite of the elaborate educational apparatus, less than 650,000 persons can both read and write. There is a first-class university at Santiago, normal and agricultural colleges, and a lyceum in every provincial capital. The language spoken in Chili is Spanish, but with many local words of Indian origin.
The value of imports in 1890-99 varied from 63,000,000 to 156,000,000; and of exports from 69,000,000 to 170,000,000; a third of the imports and two-thirds of the exports were British, the German and French trade being next in importance. Mineral products represented five-sixths of the total exports. The chief articles of export were nitrate and iodine, copper, silver, gold, manganese, hides, wool, wheat, and barley. The principal imports were cotton, woollen, and jute goods, iron, hardware, coal, machinery, timber, rice, sugar, earthenware, cement, paper, beer, glassware, kerosene, tallow, matches, tea and coffee.
The railway system of Chili is well developed. A government broad-gauge line runs from Valparaiso to Santiago, crossing the coast-range of the Andes, and thence southwards through the central valley to Concepcion, and through Arancania towards Valdivia, making a total length of about 1500 miles. A branch from the Valparaiso and Santiago line also runs to Santa Rosa at the foot of the Andes, from which a line is now in progress, to unite with the Argentine railway system, via the Uspallata Pass, which it will cross at the elevation of 9843 feet above sea-level by means of a tunnel 6½ miles in length. When this is finished there will be a through communication from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans, and by many it is argued that this will be the shortest route from England to the Australian colonies. The length of the railway from Valparaiso to Buenos Ayres will be 880 miles. In the northern provinces there are several mineral railways belonging to English companies. One of these, the Antofagasta line, has been prolonged into Oruro in Bolivia.
The financial position of Chili is satisfactory, and its credit stands higher than that of any other South American state; it has borrowed money in the London market at the rate of 4½ per cent. per annum, as well as at 5 and 5½. The public debt in 1894 comprised an external debt of £71,780,000 (usually stated in English pounds sterling), and an internal debt of 66,000,000 (paper pesos: the paper peso being worth little more than 1s.). The revenue of 1895 was stated at 70,502,000 (paper), and the expenditure at 57,090,000, showing a large surplus, as is not unusual. The revenue is mainly derived from customs—now producing about 40,000,000 (paper) annually. The progress of the country may be tested from this branch of the revenue, which in 1856 amounted to 4,147,298, in 1866 to 3,053,416, and in 1876 to 7,422,791, in 1886 reached 23,416,346. The current money of Chili previous to the late war was gold and silver and a restricted bank-note issue which stood at par. The necessities of the government caused an issue of inconvertible paper notes which subsequently fell to a serious depreciation. The par value of a dollar is equal to 5 francs or a little over 48d., but its value in exchange during the war with Peru was as low as 16d. Its value in 1895 was about 38d. Owing to this circumstance it is difficult to form an exact estimate in sterling of the exports and imports. Elaborate statistics are regularly published by the government. The values are arrived at by official valuation, which is not always in proportion to the real value. Government accounts are also still kept as though the dollar was equivalent to 48d. The foregoing statistics must therefore be modified in view of these conditions.
The constitution of Chili is republican and based upon that of the United States. Every citizen is entitled to a vote who can read and write and prove that he earns 150 or upwards a year, and is twenty-one years of age if married, or twenty-five if single. The president is appointed by a body of electors chosen by the people. His term of office is five years, and his salary 18,000 per annum. The cabinet consists of six ministers—viz. of Finance, the Interior, Foreign Affairs, War, Commerce and Public Works, and of Justice, Public Worship, and Instruction. The Council of State consists of five members nominated by the president, and six appointed by congress. The legislature is composed of two chambers—viz. the Deputies, about 100 in number, being in proportion of one to 20,000 inhabitants; and the Senate, numbering one to every five deputies. Deputies must have an income of at least 500, and senators of 2000. The elections are conducted with considerable fairness, but as the majority of the representatives chosen have come from the ranks of a few leading families, Chili has been well described as ‘an aristocratic republic.’ This state of affairs, however, has brought excellent results, as the Chilean government has long had a deservedly high reputation for ability and integrity.
History.—The name Chili is supposed to be derived from an ancient Peruvian word signifying ‘snow.’ The northern portion, as far as the river Máule, formed part of the dominions of the Incas of Peru. The southern was held by the valiant Araucanians, the only aboriginal race which was not subdued by the Spaniards, and which until a few years ago maintained their independence against the Chileans. The first European to land in Chili was the Portuguese discoverer Magellan, after his famous voyage through the strait which now bears his name. He landed at Chiloé in 1520. After the conquest of Peru by Pizarro, an expedition was made to Chili from that country overland under the leadership of Diego de Almagro in 1535. This expedition penetrated as far as the Río Clano, but returned unsuccessful. Another was sent under command of Pedro Valdivia in 1540, which succeeded in annexing the territory as far as the river Maipu. Santiago, the capital, was founded by Valdivia in 1542. During the colonial period the governors of Chili were appointed by the viceroys of Peru. In 1810 a revolt against the Spanish power broke out, in which Don Bernardo O’Higgins, son of one of the last viceroys of Peru, but a native of Chili, played a conspicuous part, and finally became the first dictator of the new republic. The conflict between the Spanish troops and the republican army continued until 1826, when peace was definitely settled, and Chili left to govern itself. The first constitutional president was General Blanco Encalada. The government was unsettled until 1847. A revolution broke out in 1851, but since then there has been no serious attempt to overturn the government by force of arms. In 1864 Chili gave Peru very valuable support in her war with Spain. Valparaiso was bombarded by the Spaniards in 1866. In 1879 Chili declared war against Bolivia, and immediately thereafter against Peru, with which Bolivia was allied. For a time the Peruvian fleet kept the Chileans in check, but in August 1879 the Peruvian ironclad Huascar was captured by the Chilean men-of-war Cochrane and Blanco Encalada, both armour-plated. After this event the success of the Chileans was uninterrupted—Peruvian towns were bombarded, war-ships captured, and Lima taken by storm 21st June 1881. The Chileans occupied Lima and Callao until 1883, when a treaty of peace was signed. President Balmaceda’s unconstitutional government led to civil war in 1891, when the congressionalists were victorious. The decisive battle was fought near Valparaiso on 28th August, and Balmaceda committed suicide.
See books on Chili by Dr W. H. Russell (1890), M. H. Hervey (1891), Hancock (1894), W. Anderson Smith (1900), Rumbold (Paris, 1877), Robiano (Paris, 1882), Ochsenius (Leip. 1884), Boyd (1881), Sir Clements R. Markham (1883); Lord Cochrane, in the Fortnightly Review (1884); the Historia General by Arana (1863), and that by Rosales (1878).—For Chili Pine, Chili Nettle, see ARAUCARIA, LOASACEÆ.