The Republic of Chile is a country in South America occupying a long coastal strip between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It shares borders with Argentina to the east, Bolivia to the northeast and Peru to the north. South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Note that the geology in this article currently reflects views from the first decade of the 20th century. ... The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, peaceful sea, bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the worlds largest body of water. ... Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ... The Republic of Bolivia is a landlocked country in central South America. ... The Republic of Peru (Spanish: Perú; Quechua, Aymara: Piruw) is a country in western South America, bordering with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the east, south-east and south, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

(Flag) (Coat of Arms)
National motto: Por la razón o la fuerza (Spanish: "By right or might")
National anthem: Himno Nacional
Capital	Santiago1 33° 26′ S 70° 40′ W
Largest city	Santiago
Official languages	Spanish
Government President	Democratic republic Ricardo Lagos
Independence  - Initiated  - Declared	From Spain September 18, 1810 February 12, 1818
Area  - Total  - Water (%)	756,9502 km² (38th) 1.07%
Population  - July 2005 est.  - 2002 census  - Density	15,980,912 (60th) 15,116,435 20/km² (187th)
GDP (PPP)  - Total  - Per capita	2005 estimate $186,733 million (45th) $11,537 (57th)
Currency	Peso (CLP)
Time zone  - Summer (DST)	— (UTC-4) — (UTC-3)
Internet TLD	.cl
Calling code	+56
1 The legislative body operates in Valparaíso 2 Includes Easter Island and Isla Sala y Gómez; does not include 1,250,000 km² of claimed territory in Antarctica

Origin of the name

There are various theories about the origin of the word Chile. According to one theory the Incas of Peru, who had failed to conquer the Araucanians, called the valley of the Aconcagua "Chili" by corruption of the name of a tribal chief ("cacique") called Tili, who ruled the area at the time of the Incan conquest. Another theory points to the similarity of the valley of the Aconcagua with that of the Casma in Peru, where there was a town and valley named Chili. Other theories say Chile may derive its name from the indigenous Mapuche word chilli, which may mean "where the land ends" or "the deepest point of the Earth," or from the Aimara tchili meaning "snow"; another meaning attributed to chilli is the onomatopoeic cheele-cheele—the Mapuche imitation of a bird call. The Spanish conquistadors heard about this name from the Incas and the few survivors of Diego de Almagro's first Spanish expedition south from Peru in 1535-36 called themselves the "men of Chilli." For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... The Republic of Peru (Spanish: Perú; Quechua, Aymara: Piruw) is a country in western South America, bordering with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the east, south-east and south, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ... The Mapuche are the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Argentina. ... Aconcagua is the highest mountain in The Americas and the highest peak outside of Asia. ... A cacique is a tribal chief in Latin America, particularly of the Spanish West Indies from the 16th century. ... The Mapuche are the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Argentina. ... Aymara is the name of a South-American people and of their language. ... Diego de Almagro (1475 - July 8, 1538), El Adelantado, was a Spanish conquistador and a companion and rival of Francisco Pizarro. ... Events January 18 - Lima, Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro June 24 - The Anabaptist state of Münster is conquered and disbanded. ... Events February 2 - Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza founds Argentina. ...

History

Main article: History of Chile This is the history of Chile. ...

About 10,000 years ago, migrating Native Americans settled in fertile valleys and along the coast of what is now Chile. The Incas briefly extended their empire into what is now northern Chile, but the area's remoteness prevented extensive settlement. Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ...

Pedro de Valdivia

The first Europeans to arrive in Chile were Diego de Almagro and his band of Spanish conquistadors, who came from Peru in 1535 seeking gold but were turned back by the local population. The Spanish encountered hundreds of thousands of Indians from various cultures in the area that modern Chile now occupies. These cultures supported themselves principally through slash-and-burn agriculture and hunting. The first permanent European settlement, Santiago, was founded in 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia, one of Francisco Pizarro's lieutenants. Although the Spanish did not find the extensive gold and silver they sought, they recognized the agricultural potential of Chile's central valley, and Chile became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Download high resolution version (615x790, 158 KB)Subject: Pedro de Valdivia Source: [1] The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Download high resolution version (615x790, 158 KB)Subject: Pedro de Valdivia Source: [1] The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... This article is about the continent. ... Diego de Almagro (1475 - July 8, 1538), El Adelantado, was a Spanish conquistador and a companion and rival of Francisco Pizarro. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under Spanish rule between the 15th and 17th centuries. ... Events January 18 - Lima, Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro June 24 - The Anabaptist state of Münster is conquered and disbanded. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 (IB), 6, d Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... This article is about the hunting of prey by human society. ... Satellite image of Santiago Santiago (full form Santiago de Chile) is the capital of Chile. ... Events The first official translation of the entire Bible in Swedish February 12 - Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Chile. ... Pedro de Valdivia Pedro de Valdivia (c. ... Francisco Pizarro ( 1475–June 26, 1541) was a Spanish conquistador, conqueror of the Inca Empire and founder of the city of Lima. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series Transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5 , d Density, Hardness 10490 kg/m3, 2. ... Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) contained most of Spanish-ruled South America until the creation of the separate viceroyalties of New Granada (now Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá and Venezuela, the last-named previously in the Viceroyalty of New Spain) in 1717 and Río...

Conquest of the land that is today called Chile took place only gradually, and the Europeans suffered repeated setbacks at the hands of the local population. A massive Mapuche insurrection that began in 1553 resulted in Valdivia's death and the destruction of many of the colony's principal settlements. Subsequent major insurrections took place in 1598 and in 1655. Each time the Mapuche and other native groups revolted, the southern border of the colony was driven northward. The abolition of slavery in 1683 defused tensions on the frontier between the colony and the Mapuche land to the south, and permitted increased trade between colonists and Mapuches. The Mapuche are the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Argentina. ... Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... Events January 7 - Boris Godunov seizes the throne of Russia following the death of his brother-in-law, Tsar Feodor I April 13 - Edict of Nantes - Henry IV of France grants French Huguenots equal rights with Catholics. ... Events New Sweden (Delaware) attacked and captured by Dutch forces. ... Slavery is any of a number of related conditions involving control of a person against his or her will, enforced by violence or other clear forms of coercion. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ...

The drive for independence from Spain was precipitated by usurpation of the Spanish throne by Napoleon's brother Joseph. A national junta in the name of Ferdinand—heir to the deposed king—was formed on September 18, 1810. The junta proclaimed Chile an autonomous republic within the Spanish monarchy. A movement for total independence soon won a wide following. Spanish attempts to reimpose arbitrary rule during what was called the Reconquista led to a prolonged struggle. For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... There are a number of things that junta (hUn-tah) could refer to: It can be a military dictatorship. ... For related meanings see also Monarch (disambiguation) A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, one, and archein, to rule) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ... For other uses, see Reconquista (Disambiguation). ...

Bernardo O'Higgins

Intermittent warfare continued until 1817, when an army led by Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile's most renowned patriot, and José de San Martín, hero of Argentine independence, crossed the Andes into Chile and defeated the royalists. On February 12, 1818, Chile was proclaimed an independent republic under O'Higgins' leadership. The political revolt brought little social change, however, and 19th century Chilean society preserved the essence of the stratified colonial social structure, which was greatly influenced by family politics and the Roman Catholic Church. The system of presidential absolutism eventually predominated, but wealthy landowners continued to control Chile. Subject: Bernardo OHiggins Source: IGM (Military Geographic Institute, Chilean State) http://www. ... Subject: Bernardo OHiggins Source: IGM (Military Geographic Institute, Chilean State) http://www. ... Events March 4 - James Monroe succeeds James Madison as the President of the United States of America April – Earthquake in Palermo, Italy April 3 – Princess Caraboo appears in Almondsbury in Gloucestershire, England May - The General Convention of the Episcopal Church founded General Theological Seminary while meeting in New York City. ... Bernardo OHiggins Riquelme ( August 20, 1778 – October 24, 1842), South American revolutionary leader and first Chilean head of state (Supreme Director, 1817– 23), who commanded the military forces that won independence from Spain. ... José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 - 17 August 1850) was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South Americas successful struggle for independence from Spain. ... Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ... Note that the geology in this article currently reflects views from the first decade of the 20th century. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1818 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

Toward the end of the 19th century, the government in Santiago consolidated its position in the south by ruthlessly suppressing the Mapuche Indians, finally completing the conquest begun more than three centuries earlier. In 1881, the government signed a treaty with Argentina confirming Chilean sovereignty over the Strait of Magellan. As a result of the War of the Pacific with Peru and Bolivia (1879-83), Chile expanded its territory northward by almost one-third and acquired valuable nitrate deposits, the exploitation of which led to an era of national affluence. Chile established a parliamentary style democracy in the late 19th century, but degenerated into a system protecting the interests of the ruling oligarchy. By the 1920s, the emerging middle and working classes were powerful enough to elect a reformist president, whose program was frustrated by a conservative congress. In the 1920s, Marxist groups with strong popular support arose. The Mapuche are the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Argentina. ... Events January - April January 16-24 ? Siege of Geok Tepe ? Russian troops under general Skobeleff defeat Turkomans January 25 - Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company February 5 - Phoenix, Arizona is incorporated. ... The Strait of Magellan, near Punta Arenas The Strait of Magellan is a navigable route immediately south of mainland South America. ... The War of the Pacific was fought between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia and Peru, from 1879 to 1884. ... 1879 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Events January January 16 - The United States Civil service, is passed January 19 - The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires begins service (Roselle, New Jersey) It was built by Thomas Edison. ... Oligarchy is a form of government where most political power effectively rests with a small segment of society (typically the most powerful, whether by wealth, military strength, ruthlessness, or political influence). ... Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s - 1920s - 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 Referred to as the Roaring 20s. ... The term working class is used to denote a social class. ... Marxism is the political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century German philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary, along with Friedrich Engels. ...

A military coup led by General Luis Altamirano in 1924 set off a period of great political instability that lasted until 1932. The longest lasting of the ten governments between those years was that of General Carlos Ibáñez, who briefly held power in 1925 and then again between 1927 and 1931 in what was a de facto dictatorship. When constitutional rule was restored in 1932, a strong middle-class party, the Radicals, emerged. It became the key force in coalition governments for the next 20 years. During the period of Radical Party dominance (1932-52), the state increased its role in the economy. In 1952, voters returned Ibáñez to office for another 6 years. Jorge Alessandri succeeded Ibáñez in 1958. Carlos Ibáñez del Campo ( November 3, 1877– April 28, 1960) was a Chilean dictator and political figure. ... Events January-May January 3 - Benito Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy. ... Events January 7 - First transatlantic telephone call - New York City to London January 9 - Military rebellion crushed in Lisbon January 14 - Paul Doumer elected president of France January 19 - Britain sends troops to China February 12 - First British troops lad on Shanghai February 14 - Earthquake in Yugoslavia - 700 dead February... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... A number of political organizations have called themselves the Radical Party, or have Radical as part of their name. ... Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (May 19, 1896–August 31, 1986) was President of Chile from 1958 to 1964. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The 1964 presidential election of Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Montalva by an absolute majority initiated a period of major reform. Under the slogan "Revolution in Liberty," the Frei administration embarked on far-reaching social and economic programs, particularly in education, housing, and agrarian reform, including rural unionization of agricultural workers. By 1967, however, Frei encountered increasing opposition from leftists, who charged that his reforms were inadequate, and from conservatives, who found them excessive. At the end of his term, Frei had accomplished many noteworthy objectives, but he had not fully achieved his party's ambitious goals. The Christian Democratic Party of Chile is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Concertion of Parties for the Democracy coalition. ... Eduardo Frei Montalva (1911 – 1982) was the president of Chile from 1964 to 1970. ...

In 1970, Senator Salvador Allende Gossens, a Marxist physician and member of Chile's Socialist Party, who headed the "Popular Unity" (UP or "Unidad Popular") coalition of the Socialist, Communist, Radical, and Social-Democratic Parties, along with dissident Christian Democrats, the Popular Unitary Action Movement (MAPU), and the Independent Popular Action, won a plurality of votes in a three-way contest. The Chilean Congress conducted a runoff vote between the leading candidates, Allende and former president Jorge Alessandri and chose Allende by a vote of 153 to 35. Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908 - September 11, 1973) was president of Chile from 1970 until 1973, when he was overthrown in a military coup détat (see Chilean coup of 1973), during which he died. ... The Socialist Party of Chile (Spanish: Partido Socialista de Chile) is a political party in Chile, and part of the ruling Concertation of Parties for the Democracy coalition. ... Popular Unity (Spanish: Unidad Popular or UP) was the coalition of Chilean political parties that coalesced behind the successful candidacy of Salvador Allende for the 1970 Chilean presidential election. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ... Congress building The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile. ... Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (May 19, 1896–August 31, 1986) was President of Chile from 1958 to 1964. ...

Allende's program included advancement of workers' interests; a thoroughgoing implementation of agrarian reform; the reorganization of the national economy into socialized, mixed, and private sectors; a foreign policy of "international solidarity" and national independence; and a new institutional order (the "people's state" or "poder popular"), including the institution of a unicameral congress. The Popular Unity platform also called for nationalization of foreign (U.S.) ownership of Chile's major copper mines. General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 , 4, d Density, Hardness 8920 kg/m3, 3. ...

An economic depression that began in 1967 peaked in 1970, exacerbated by capital flight, plummeting private investment, and withdrawal of bank deposits by those opposed to Allende's socialist program. Production fell and unemployment rose. Allende adopted populist measures including price freezes, wage increases, and tax reforms, which had the effect of increasing consumer spending and redistributing income downward. Joint public-private public works projects helped reduce unemployment. Much of the banking sector was nationalized. Many enterprises within the copper, coal, iron, nitrate, and steel industries were expropriated, nationalized, or subjected to state intervention. Industrial output increased sharply and unemployment fell during the Allende administration's first year. In economics, a depression is a term commonly used for a sustained downturn in the economy. ... Seen in Asian markets in the 1990s capital flight is when assets and/or money rapidly flow out of a country. ... Unemployment rates in the United States. ... Populism is a political ideology or rhetorical style that holds that the common person is oppressed by the elite in society, which exists only to serve its own interests, and therefore, the instruments of the State need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and instead used for the... The notion of internal improvements or public works is a concept in economics and politics. ... For other uses, see Bank (disambiguation). ... Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 , 4, d Density, Hardness 8920 kg/m3, 3. ... Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground either by underground mining, open-pit mining or strip mining. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metal Group, Period, Block 8 (VIIIB), 4 , d Density, Hardness 7874 kg/m3, 4. ... Nitrates are the salts of nitric acid. ... Steel framework Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ... In law, eminent domain is the power of the state to appropriate private property for its own use without the owners consent. ...

Other reforms undertaken during the early Allende period included redistribution of millions of hectares of land to landless agricultural workers as part of the agrarian reform program, giving the armed forces an overdue pay increase, and providing free milk to children. The Indian Development Corporation and the Mapuche Vocational Institute were founded to address the needs of Chile's indigenous population. Land reform (also agrarian reform) is the government-initiated or government-backed transfer of ownership of (or tenure in) agricultural land. ... A glass of milk Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. ...

The nationalization of U.S. and other foreign-owned companies led to increased tensions with the United States. The Nixon administration brought international financial pressure to bear in order to restrict economic credit to Chile. Simultaneously, the CIA funded opposition media, politicians, and organizations, helping to accelerate a campaign of domestic destabilization. By 1972, the economic progress of Allende's first year had been reversed and the economy was in crisis. Political polarization grew, and large mobilizations of both pro- and anti-government groups became frequent, often leading to clashes. CIA, see CIA (disambiguation). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ...

By early 1973, inflation was out of control. The crippled economy was further battered by prolonged and sometimes simultaneous strikes by physicians, teachers, students, truck owners, copper workers, and shop owners. A military coup backed by the CIA overthrew Allende on September 11, 1973. As the armed forces bombarded the presidential palace (Palacio de La Moneda), Allende committed suicide. A military government, led by General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, took over control of the country. The first years of the regime were marked by serious human rights violations. A new Constitution was approved by a plebiscite on September 11, 1980, and General Pinochet became President of the Republic for an 8-year term. In its later years, the regime gradually permitted greater freedom of assembly, speech, and association, to include trade union and political activity. In contrast to its authoritarian political rule, the military government pursued decidedly laissez-faire economic policies. During its nearly 17 years in power, Chile moved away from economic statism toward a largely free market economy that fostered an increase in domestic and foreign private investment. In a plebiscite on October 5, 1988, General Pinochet was denied a second 8-year term as president. Chileans elected a new president and the majority of members of a two-chamber congress on December 14, 1989. Christian Democrat Patricio Aylwin, the candidate of a coalition of 16 political parties called the Concertación, received an absolute majority of votes. President Aylwin served from 1990 to 1994. 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... Inflation rates of five core members of the G8 from 1950 to 1994. ... Strike action (or simply strike) describes collective action undertaken by groups of workers in the form of a refusal to perform work. ... The Chilean coup détat of September 11, 1973 was a watershed event in the history of Chile and the Cold War. ... CIA, see CIA (disambiguation). ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years). ... Front view of La Moneda The Palacio de La Moneda, or La Moneda, the actual seat of the President of the Republic of Chile, is one of the most notable buildings constructed by the Spanish crown in its American colonies. ... General Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte1 (born November 25, 1915) was head of the military government that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. ... When a government violates national or international law related to the protection of human rights, this is termed a human rights violation. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... Freedom of speech is the right to freely say what one pleases, as well as the related right to hear what others have stated. ... Laissez-faire is short for laissez faire, laissez passer, a French phrase meaning to let things alone, let them pass. First used by the eighteenth century Physiocrats as an injunction against government interference with trade, it is now used as a synonym for strict free market economics. ... A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in Leap years). ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Patricio Aylwin Azócar (born November 26, 1918) was the president of Chile after its return to democratic rule in 1990, following the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. ... The Coalition of Parties for Democracy (Concertación de partidos por la democracia) is an alliance of left wing political parties in Chile. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

In December 1993, Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, the son of previous president Eduardo Frei Montalva, led the Concertación coalition to victory with an absolute majority of votes. President Frei's administration was inaugurated in March 1994. Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (born June 24, 1942) was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. ... Eduardo Frei Montalva (1911 – 1982) was the president of Chile from 1964 to 1970. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

A presidential election was held on December 12, 1999, but none of the six candidates obtained a majority, which led to an unprecedented runoff election on January 16, 2000. Ricardo Lagos Escobar of the Socialist Party led the Concertación coalition to a narrow victory, with 51.31% of the votes, beating the center-right candidate Joaquin Lavin, with 48.69%. Lavin was a former supporter of the Pinochet regime. Lagos was sworn in March 11, 2000, for a 6-year term. December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is the current President of Chile. ... Joaquín Lavín is a Chilean politician, member of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) party and former mayor of Santiago and Las Condes municipalities of capital Santiago. ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (71st in Leap year). ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Chile Politics of Chile Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 2005 Government Chile is a republic with an elected President and a bicameral Congress. ...

The country's current constitution was adopted in 1981 during the military government led by Augusto Pinochet and increased the power of the president and institutionalized the participation of the commanders in chief of the armed forced. After Pinochet's defeat on the 1988 referendum, several amendments were made, decreasing the power of the president and reducing the influence of the armed forces. As of 2004, discussions about further reforms continue, but have a low priority. Chiles current constitution, approved by a referendum in the year 1980, replaced the earlier constitution from 1925. ... General Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte1 (born November 25, 1915) was head of the military government that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. ...

The Executive Branch is headed by the president of the republic. Since March 11, 2000, the President is Ricardo Lagos of the Socialist Party. The President also appoints the cabinet members. The President is chosen for a 6-year term and cannot be immediately re-elected. (A recently passed constitutional reform has modified the presidential term in office to 4 years.) ... Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is the current President of Chile. ...

The Judicial Branch has the Supreme court as its highest institution. For questions related to the constitution there is the Constitutional Court, which also has the right to veto laws that it considers to go against the constitution. The Chilean Supreme Court is the Highest Court in the land. ...

The Legislative Branch is made up of 2 chambers.

• The Senate has 38 members elected by popular vote, nine appointed from various institutions such as the National Security Council and the judicial system and the President of the Republic, and the former presidents of the republic. The elected Senators are chosen for eight year terms in a bi-nominal election system that favors the two largest political blocs.
• The Chamber of Deputies has 120 members, all of whom are universally chosen. Deputies serve 4-year terms.

For any law to be passed, it must pass through both chambers and be approved by the president of the republic (who has a limited veto right). The chambers and the president can all propose new laws, but there are certain matters which only the president can initiate. Chile Congress building The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chiles bicameral Congress, as established in the current constitution. ... Congress building The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile (Chiles bicameral Congress. ...

Although there are some known cases of corruption in Chile, there is no rampant abuse of power by public officials. It is considered the least corrupt place in Latin America - ranked during the last decade consistently among the top 30 more transparent countries of the world - and not coincidentally, one with a relatively strong rule of law. The rule of law implies that government authority may only be exercised in accordance with written laws, which were adopted through an established procedure. ...

Regions

Main article: Regions of Chile Chile is divided into thirteen regions, each of which is headed by an intendant (intendente). ...

Chile is divided into 13 regions, each of which is headed by an intendente. Every region is further divided into provinces with a Gobernador Provincial. Finally each province is divided into various Comunas each with its own mayor. Intendentes and gobernadores are appointed by the president, mayors are elected by popular vote. A region can be any area that has some unifying feature. ... Province is a name for a secondary, or subnational entity of government in most countries. ...

Each region is designated by a name and a Roman numeral. Numbers are assigned from north to south. In general the Roman numeral is used, rather than the name. The only exception is the region where Santiago is situated, which is designated RM, that stands for Región Metropolitana, Metropolitan Region. The system of Roman numerals is a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, and was adapted from Etruscan numerals. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Chile Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 756,950 km² land: 748,800 km² water: 8,150 km² note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and...

Map of Chile

A long and narrow coastal region on the west side of the Andes Mountains, Chile stretches over 4,630 km (2,880 miles) north to south, but only 430 km (265 mi) at its widest point east to west. Download high resolution version (325x709, 20 KB)Map of Chile from CIA World Factbook. ... Download high resolution version (325x709, 20 KB)Map of Chile from CIA World Factbook. ... Note that the geology in this article currently reflects views from the first decade of the 20th century. ...

The northern Atacama desert contains great mineral wealth, primarily copper and nitrates. The relatively small Central Valley, which includes Santiago, dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural resources. This area also is the historical center from which Chile expanded in the late 19th century, when it integrated the northern and southern regions. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas, and islands. The Andes Mountains are located on the eastern border. Atacama The Atacama desert of Chile is a virtually rainless plateau made up of salt basins (salares), sand, and lava flows, extending from the Andes mountains to the Pacific Ocean. ... Nitrates are the salts of nitric acid. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... Lake Clearwater, Ontario, Canada A lake is a large body of water, usually fresh water, surrounded by land. ... Lysefjorden in Norway A fjord (pronounced FEE-ord or fyord, SAMPA: [fi:3:d] or [faI3:d]; sometimes written fiord) is a glacially overdeepened valley, usually narrow and steep-sided, extending below sea level and filled with salt water. ... An Inlet is a narrow body of water which usually drains from a larger body of water, such as from an ocean, into a lake. ... Categories: Water-transport stubs | Canals | Water transport ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... A small island in the Adriatic sea An island is any piece of land smaller than a continent and larger than a rock, that is completely surrounded by water. ...

Chile is the longest (N-S) country in the world (over 4,200km), and also claims a large section of Antarctica as part of its territory. World map showing location of Antarctica A satellite composite image of Antarctica For the Kim Stanley Robinson novel see Antarctica (novel) Antarctica (from Greek ἀνταρκτικός, opposite the arctic) is a continent surrounding the Earths South Pole. ...

Chile controls Easter Island, the easternmost island of Polynesia, which it incorporated to its territory in 1888, and Robinson Crusoe Island, some 400 km from the mainland, in the Juan Fernandez archipelago. Easter Island and its location Easter Island (Polynesian: Rapa Nui (Great Rapa), Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is an island in the south Pacific Ocean belonging to Chile. ... Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesi = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ... Robinson Crusoe island, also known as the Juan Fernandez archipelago is situated in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, 674 kilometres from the South American continent. ... Map of Isla Más Afuera / Selkirk Map of Isla Más a Tierra / Crusoe The Juan Fernández archipelago is located 670 km off the coast of Chile, and is composed of the volcanic islands Robinson Crusoe, located closest to the mainland at 33º 13 S, 78º 50 W...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Chile Overview Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. ...

After a decade of impressive growth rates, Chile experienced a moderate recession in 1999 brought on by the global economic slowdown. The economy began to recover in 2000 with 5.4% growth, but slowed to 3.0% in 2001 and 1.9% in 2002. In 2003 and 2004, the Chilean economy showed clear signs of recovery, reaching a 3.7% and 6.1% growth in real GDP, respectively. Most experts expect GDP growth of around 6% in 2005. In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ...

Chile has pursued generally sound economic policies for nearly three decades. The 1973-90 military government sold many state-owned companies, and the three democratic governments since 1990 have continued privatization at a slower pace. The government's role in the economy is mostly limited to regulation, although the state continues to operate copper giant Codelco and a few other enterprises. Chile is strongly committed to free trade and has welcomed large amounts of foreign investment. High domestic savings and investment rates also helped propel Chile's economy to average growth rates of 8% during the 1990s. The privatized national pension system has encouraged domestic investment and contributed to an estimated total domestic savings rate of approximately 21% of GDP in 2003. Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or, especially in India, disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership and/or transferring the management of a service or activity from the government to the private sector. ... Logo Codelco (full name in Spanish: Corporación Nacional del Cobre, Chile) is a Chilean 100 percent state-owned company and the largest copper producer in the world. ... Free trade is an economic concept referring to the selling of products between countries without tariffs or other trade barriers. ... Investment is a term with several closely-related meanings in finance and economics. ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM...

Unemployment has hovered in the 8%-10% range in recent years, well above the 5%-6% average for the 1990s. However, unemployment declined to 8.5% at the end of 2003 due to the sustained reactivation of the economy. Wages have risen faster than inflation as a result of higher productivity, boosting national living standards. The share of Chileans with incomes below the poverty line—defined as twice the cost of satisfying a person's minimal nutritional needs—fell from 46% of the population in 1987 to 18.8% in 2003. Chile's independent Central Bank pursues a policy of maintaining inflation between 2% and 4%. Inflation has not exceeded 5% since 1998. Chile registered an inflation rate of 1.1% in 2003 and is expected to see a 2.6% increase in 2004. Most wage settlements and spending decisions are indexed, reducing inflation's volatility. Under the compulsory private pension system, most formal sector employees pay 10% of their salaries into privately managed funds. Unemployment rates in the United States. ... The Standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people. ... The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A central bank is an entity responsible for monetary policy of its country (or in the case of the EU, group of member countries). ... Inflation rates of five core members of the G8 from 1950 to 1994. ...

Both foreign and domestic investment in Chile has declined since the boom years of the 1990s. Total foreign direct investment fell to $2.5 billion in 2003, down from $5.6 billion in 2001. Sluggish global economic growth and volatility in other Latin American markets have reduced investment flows to Chile, although the Chilean economy has avoided crisis. The Chilean Government committed in early 2002 to undertake a series of microeconomic reforms designed to create new incentives for private investment. The government also has encouraged the use of Chile as an "investment platform" for multinational corporations planning to invest in the region. The FDI figures, however, have been affected in recent years by a greater use of local capital markets by foreign investors encouraged by the high liquidity and dynamism of the financial sector and its historic low interest rates. Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Microeconomics is the study of the economic behaviour of individual consumers, firms, and industries and the distribution of production and income among them. ... An interest rate is the rental price of money. ...

Chile's welcoming attitude toward foreign direct investment is codified in the country's Foreign Investment Law, which gives foreign investors the same treatment as Chileans. Registration is simple and transparent, and foreign investors are guaranteed access to the official foreign exchange market to repatriate their profits and capital. The Central Bank lifted in May 1999 a 1-year residency requirement on foreign capital entering Chile under Central Bank regulations, generally for portfolio investments. A modest capital control mechanism known as the "encaje," which required international investors to place a percentage of portfolio investment in non-interest-bearing accounts for up to 2 years, also has been effectively suspended through reduction to zero of the applicable percentage; the mechanism could be resurrected depending on economic circumstances. The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) imposes some limits on this faculty and offers a number of other investor protections.

Foreign Trade

Chile's economy is highly dependent on international trade. In 2003, exports accounted for about 29% of GDP. Chile has traditionally been dependent upon copper exports; the state-owned firm Codelco is the world's largest copper-producing company. Nontraditional exports have grown faster than those of copper and other minerals. In 1975, non-mineral exports made up just over 30% of total exports, whereas now they account for about 60%. The most important non-mineral exports are forestry and wood products, fresh fruit and processed food, fishmeal and seafood, and wine. The trade balance for 2003 showed a surplus of about $2.9 billion, considerably higher than 2002. Total exports in 2003 were $20.65 billion, a 13.5% increase from $18.2 billion in 2002. Chile's export markets are fairly balanced among Europe (24.4%), Asia (30.8%), Latin America (16.8%), and North America (23.7%). The U.S., the largest national market, takes in 22.6% of Chile's exports. Asia has been the fastest-growing export market in recent years. General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 , 4, d Density, Hardness 8920 kg/m3, 3. ... Forestry (formally known as silviculture) is the art, science, and practice of studying and managing forests and related natural resources. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ...

Chilean imports increased 13.3% in 2003, to $17.9 billion, reflecting a positive change in consumer demand and economic recovery. Capital goods made up about 21% of total imports. The United States represented 13.6 % of Chilean imports in 2003. U.S. market share was down from nearly 20% in 2000. As a bloc, the EU in 2003 supplied 17% of Chile's imports, while Argentina contributed 20.3%. Chile unilaterally lowered its across-the-board import tariff—for all countries with which it does not have a trade agreement—to 6% in early 2003. The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ...

Higher effective tariffs are charged only on imports of wheat, wheat flour, and sugar as a result of a system of import price bands. The price bands were ruled inconsistent with Chile's WTO obligations in 2002 and the government has introduced legislation to modify them. Chile will have to phase out the price bands within 12 years under the terms of the U.S.-Chile FTA. For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ...

Successive Chilean governments have actively pursued liberalizing trade agreements. During the 1990's, Chile signed FTA's with Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Chile also concluded preferential trade agreements with Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. An association agreement with Mercosur—Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—went into effect in October 1996. Chile, a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization, is seeking to boost commercial ties to Asian markets. Continuing its export-oriented development strategy, Chile completed landmark free trade agreements in 2002 with the European Union and South Korea. In December 2002, after two years of talks, the United States and Chile concluded negotiations on an ambitious FTA and signed the agreement in June 2003. The agreement will lead to completely duty free bilateral trade within 12 years. The U.S.-Chile FTA entered into force January 1, 2004 following approval by the U.S and Chilean congresses. Chile has been a strong proponent of pressing ahead on negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Canada is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ... The United Mexican States or Mexico ( Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México; regarding the use of the variant spelling Méjico, see section The name below) is a country located in North America, bordered to the north by the United States of America, to the southeast by Guatemala and Belize, to... Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ... The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela)1 is a country in northern South America. ... The Republic of Colombia is a country in north-western South America. ... The Republic of Ecuador is a country in northwestern South America, bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. ... Flag of Mercosur Mercosur or Mercosul (Spanish: Mercado Común del Sur, Portuguese: Mercado Comum do Sul, English: Southern Common Market) is a trading zone among Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, founded in 1991. ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... The Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked republic in South America. ... The Republic Eastern of the Uruguay (Spanish: República Oriental del Uruguay), is a Spanish speaking country located in southern South America. ... APEC can also stand for Atlantic Provinces Economic Council Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a group of Pacific Rim countries who meet with the purpose of improving economic and political ties. ... The Free Trade Area of the Americas or FTAA (in Spanish: Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas, ALCA; in French: Zone de libre-échange des Amériques, ZLEA; in Portuguese: Área de Livre Comércio das Américas, ALCA) is a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce trade...

Finance

Chile's financial sector has grown faster than other areas of the economy over the last few years; a banking reform law approved in 1997 broadened the scope of permissible foreign activity for Chilean banks. The Chilean Government implemented a further liberalization of capital markets in 2001. Chileans have enjoyed the recent introduction of new financial tools such as home equity loans, currency futures and options, factoring, leasing, and debit cards. The introduction of these new products has been accompanied by increased use of traditional instruments such as loans and credit cards. Chile's private pension system, with assets worth roughly $49 billion in July 2004, has provided an important source of investment capital for the capital market. Chile has maintained one of the best credit ratings (S+P A) in Latin America. In recent years, many Chilean companies have raised capital abroad due to lower interest rates abroad. There are three main ways Chilean firms raise funds abroad: bank loans, issuance of bonds, and the selling of stock on U.S. markets through American Depository Receipts (ADR's). Nearly all of the funds raised go to finance investment. The government is paying down its foreign debt. The combined public and private foreign debt was roughly over 50% of GDP at the end of 2002—low by Latin American standards. In general, liberalization refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions, usually in areas of social or economic policy. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Credit cards A credit card system is a type of retail transaction settlement and credit system, named after the small plastic card issued to users of the system. ... A credit rating agency is a company that rates the ability of a person or company to pay back a loan. ... ). External debt is the part of a countrys debt owed to creditors outside the country. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Chile Demographics of Chile About 85% of Chiles population live in urban centers with 40% living in greater Santiago de Chile. ...

Around 95% of Chileans descend from early Spanish colonists, and although the majority possess Native American ancestry in varying degrees - thus deeming them mestizos - very few Chileans would admit their Native American admixture. People of relatively unmixed Spanish ancestry are not uncommon. Mestizo (Brazil Portuguese. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ...

Native Americans number around 700,000 and are mostly Mapuche that reside in the south-central area of the country. Aymara and Quechua populations live along the northern border with Peru and Bolivia. There are also some people of Polynesian ancestry who are indigenous to the Chilean territory of Easter Island (Rapanui) in the Pacific. The Mapuche are the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Argentina. ... Aymara is the name of a South-American people and of their language. ... Quechua (Quechua, Runa Simi) is an American Indian language native to South America and related to Aymará, both members of the Quechumaran linguistic stock. ... Easter Island and its location Easter Island (Polynesian: Rapa Nui (Great Rapa), Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is an island in the south Pacific Ocean belonging to Chile. ...

Chileans descended from non-Spanish European nationalities are not too numerous, but include a small yet influential number of Irish and English immigrants that arrived in Chile during the Spanish colonial period. Government-sponsored immigration from Germany began in 1848, and in time, changed the cultural makeup of the southern provinces of Valdivia, Llanquihue, and Osorno, which still show a strong German influence. Other historically significant immigrant groups include people of Italian (Valparaíso), Croatian (Antofagasta and Punta Arenas), French, and Middle Eastern backgrounds (actually there is the second largest Palestinian colony outside Middle East). Valdivia is a city in southern Chile, founded by Pedro de Valdivia, located at the confluence of the Calle Calle, Valdivia and Cau Cau rivers, some 15 km east of the coastal town and bay of Corral. ... Missing image Image:Osorno01. ... Valparaíso is one of the main seaports of Chile, on the Pacific Ocean, and the capital of the Valparaíso Region. ... For the copper-mining company named after the region, see Antofagasta plc. ... City of Punta Arenas Punta Arenas is the main city in the Strait of Magellan and the capital of the Región de Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena, Chile. ... The historic Philistines (see note Philistines below) were a people that inhabited the southern coast of Canaan around the time of the arrival of the Israelites, their territory being named Philistia in later contexts. ...

In the last decade there has been an influx of Koreans who settled in small sections of Santiago. In recent years, the difficult economic situation in neighbouring Peru and Argentina has resulted in work-related trans-Andean migration to Chile. The Republic of Peru (Spanish: Perú; Quechua, Aymara: Piruw) is a country in western South America, bordering with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the east, south-east and south, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ... Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ... Note that the geology in this article currently reflects views from the first decade of the 20th century. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Chile Some Chilean people call the country País de Poetas (land of poets). ...

Chile was an important center of culture in the ancient Inca empire, and was afterwards dominated by the Spanish.

The national dance is the cueca (short for zamacueca) and first appeared in 1824. The tonada is another important form of Chilean traditional song, arising from the music imported by Spanish colonists. It is distinguished from the cueca by an intermediate melodic section and a more prominent melody in general; the tonada is also not danced. In the mid-1960s native musical forms were revitalized by the Parra family with the Nueva Canción Chilena, which became associated with political activism and reformers like Chilean socialist Salvador Allende and his Popular Unity government. Violeta Parra, Víctor Jara, Los Jaivas, Inti-Illimani, Illapu and Quilapayún are exhibitors of this music. During the military dictatorship in the 1970s, all forms of public expression were repressed, and music circulated in a clandestine manner. In the late 1980s and after the return of democracy in the 1990s, new musical bands like La Ley, Los Tres and Los Prisioneros, began to appear. See: Music of Chile A performance of the cueca. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... The Parra family is an important part of Chilean culture. ... The Canto Nuevo or Nueva Canción is a form of folk music that developed in South America. ... The color red and particularly the red flag are traditional symbols of Socialism. ... Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908 - September 11, 1973) was president of Chile from 1970 until 1973, when he was overthrown in a military coup détat (see Chilean coup of 1973), during which he died. ... Popular Unity (Spanish: Unidad Popular or UP) was the coalition of Chilean political parties that coalesced behind the successful candidacy of Salvador Allende for the 1970 Chilean presidential election. ... Violeta del Carmen Parra Sandoval (October 14, 1917 - February 5, 1967) was a notable Chilean folklorist. ... Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez ( September 28, 1932 – September 16, 1973) was a Chilean folk singer and activist. ... Los Jaivas is a Chilean folk/rock band consisting of: Eduardo Alquinta, Gato Juanita Parra (replacing Gabriel Parra) Mario Mutis Eduardo Parra and Claudio Parra They appeared in Chilean music in 1963 as a progressive-rock-andino group, mixing rock with South American ancestral music. ... Inti-Illimani is a musical group from Chile, formed in 1967. ... Quilapayún was one of the seminal Chilean artists of the nueva canción. ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM... La Ley (Spanish, The Law) is a Chilean rock band, formed in Santiago by Luciano Andrés Rojas and Luis Alberto Cuevas Olmedo with Archi Frugone, Mauricio Clavera and Andrés Bobe. ... Los Tres was one of the most famous and important bands in the Chilean nineties culture. ... Los Prisioneros is a Rock en español (Rock in Spanish) band from Chile formed in 1984. ... Chile was an important center of culture in ancient Tahuantinsuyu (Inca empire), and was afterwards dominated by the Spanish. ...

Chileans call their country País de Poetas ("land of poets"). The country has produced two Nobel Literature laureates: Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda. Other major poets include: Vicente Huidobro, Pablo de Rokha, Gonzalo Rojas, Jorge Teillier, Enrique Lihn and Nicanor Parra. Isabel Allende, a novelist, has achieved worldwide success with her stories of magic realism in Latin America. Jorge Edwards, José Donoso and Roberto Bolaño are also notable novelists. The Nobel Prize in literature is awarded annually to an author from any country who has produced the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency. The work in this case generally refers to an authors work as a whole, not to any individual work, though individual works are sometimes... Gabriela Mistral Gabriela Mistral was the pseudonym of Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga (April 7, 1889 - January 10, 1957), Chilean poet, educator, diplomat and feminist, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945. ... Pablo Neruda Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973), Chilean poet, considered one of the most important Latin American literary figures of the 20th century. ... Vicente Garcia-Huidobro Fernandez (b. ... A physicist by education, Nicanor Parra, Chilean poet (or antipoet), comes from a family of artists and performers. ... Isabel Allende Isabel Allende (born August 2, 1942) is a Chilean writer, whose books have been translated into many languages. ... Magic Realism (or Magical Realism) is an illustrative or literary technique in which the laws of cause and effect seem not quite to apply in otherwise real world situations. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Roberto Bolaño ( April 28, 1953 - July 15, 2003) was a Chilean novelist and poet, winner of the prestigious Rómulo Gallegos Prize for his novel Los detectives salvajes (The Savage Detectives) in 1999. ...

Local film production in Chile is small, although it has been growing lately. Important filmmakers include: Raul Ruiz (Palomita blanca), Miguel Littin (El chacal de Nahueltoro), Silvio Caiozzi (Julio comienza en julio), Ricardo Larraín (La frontera) and Andrés Wood (Machuca). Categories: Stub | Chilean films ...

National symbols

A red copihue

The national flower is the copihue (Lapageria rosea, Chilean bellflower), which grows in the woods of southern Chile. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Binomial name Lapageria rosea Ruiz & Pav. ...

Chile's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms depicts the two national animals: the condor (Vultur gryphus, a very large bird that lives in the mountains) and the huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus, an endangered white tail deer). It also has the legend Por la razón o la fuerza (By reason or by force).
This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... Species Vultur gryphus Gymnogyps californianus Note that Condor is the NATO reporting name for the Russian/Soviet Antonov An-124 transport aircraft. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Chile
• Transportation in Chile
• Military of Chile
• Foreign relations of Chile
• List of Chileans
• Holidays in Chile
• U.S. intervention in Chile

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,650,000 (2001) Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,900,000(2004) Telephone system: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast... Railways: total: 6,782 km broad gauge: 3,743 km 1. ... Chiles armed forces are subject to civilian control exercised by the president through the Minister of Defense. ... Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. ... This is a list of Chileans who are famous or notable. ... Categories: Chile | Public holidays by country ... The United States on several occasions sought to influence the policies or government of Chile. ...

International rankings

• Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal: 2005  (http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/) Index of Economic Freedom, ranked 11 out of 155 countries (first in Latin America)
• Save the Children: State of the World’s Mothers 2004 (http://www.savethechildren.org/mothers/report_2004/images/pdf/SOWM_2004_final.pdf), ranked 15 out of 119 countries (third in Latin America after Costa Rica and Cuba)
• Transparency International: Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 (http://www.transparency.org/pressreleases_archive/2004/2004.10.20.cpi.en.html), ranked 20 out of 146 countries (first in Latin America)
• World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 - Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking (http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Global+Competitiveness+Programme%5CGlobal+Competitiveness+Report), ranked 22 out of 104 countries (first in Latin America)
• IMD International: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2004 (http://www01.imd.ch/wcy/), ranked 26 out of 60 economies (countries and regions) (first in Latin America)
• The Economist: The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005 (http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3372495&d=2005), ranked 31 out of 111 countries (first in Latin America)
• Reporters without borders: Third annual worldwide press freedom index (2004) (http://www.rsf.fr/article.php3?id_article=11715), ranked 42 out of 167 countries (tied with Japan, Namibia and Uruguay) (fourth in Latin America after El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica)
• UNDP: Human Development Index 2004 (http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/), ranked 43 out of 177 countries (second in Latin America after Argentina)

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank located in Washington, DC, is widely regarded as one of the worlds most influential public policy research institutes. ... The Wall Street Journal is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New York with an average daily circulation of 1,800,607 (2002). ... The Index of Economic Freedom is an annual report published by The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation. ... Save the Children is an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid. ... Transparency International (TI) is an international organization devoted to fighting political corruption. ... The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Geneva-based foundation whose Annual Meeting of chief executives of the worlds richest corporations, some national political leaders (presidents, prime ministers and others), and selected intellectuals and journalists, about 2000 people in all, is usually held in Davos, Switzerland. ... The International Institute for Management Development is a business school located in Switzerland. ... Front cover, February 21, 2004 The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication of The Economist Newspaper Limited in London. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB ( French: Reporters sans frontières, or RSF) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to freedom of the press. ... The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the largest multilateral source of grant technical assistance in the world. ...

External links

• Library of Congress country profile (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cltoc.html)
• Pictures  (http://www.chilephoto.cl/cgi-bin/chilephoto/chilephoto.cgi)
• South America Pictures (http://www.geographicguide.com/south-america.htm)
• South America Map (http://www.geographicguide.com/south-america-map.htm)
• South America Satellite Images (http://www.globe-images.com/south-america.htm)
• The (CIA) World Factbook: Chile (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ci.html)

This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ... The Republic of Bolivia is a landlocked country in central South America. ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... The Republic of Colombia is a country in north-western South America. ... The Republic of Ecuador is a country in northwestern South America, bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. ... The Co-operative Republic of Guyana is a nation along the northern coastline of South America. ... Panama (Spanish: Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. ... The Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked republic in South America. ... The Republic of Peru (Spanish: Perú; Quechua, Aymara: Piruw) is a country in western South America, bordering with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the east, south-east and south, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ... -1... For other uses of the word Trinidad, see Trinidad (disambiguation) The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a nation located in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela. ... The Republic Eastern of the Uruguay (Spanish: República Oriental del Uruguay), is a Spanish speaking country located in southern South America. ... The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela)1 is a country in northern South America. ... The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic consisting of two main islands known as East Falkland and West Falkland and a number of smaller islands. ... French Guiana ( French: Guyane) is an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located on the Caribbean coast of South America. ...