Chile

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Chile
República de Chile
National Flag
Coat of Arms
- Condor - National bird
- Huemul - National animal
- Copihue National flower
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Geography
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Licancabur Volcano- Over 19,000 ft high- One
of the highest altitude lakes in the entire
world- Inactive for at least the past 1,000
years- Incan ruins found at summit
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Licancabur Volcano
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Cordillera del Paine- Summit of about 9,000
feet- Set of three peaks is very well known,
called the Torres del Paine
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Cordillera del Paine
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Torres del Paine
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Climate
Large climate differences between regions
NORTHERNDry, aridCooler at nightLittle
seasonal change
AVERAGES Arica 64 F Antofagasta 61 F Santiago
57 F Puerto Montt 52 F Punta Arenas 43 F
CENTRALClimate is very seasonal warm, dry
summers, cool, wet winters
SOUTHERNCool, humidLots of rain
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People
Population 16,284,741
Spoken Language Spanish Literacy rate
96.2 Education 8 year compulsory, 4 year
secondary
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Government
EXECUTIVE BRANCH Chief of State President 4
year terms, election by popular vote Cabinet
Appointed by the President
JUDICIAL BRANCH Supreme Court 21 members,
appointed by the president, ratified by the
senate president of the court elected by the
members of the court
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH National Congress 49 seats,
38 elected, 1 appointed, 1 given to a former
president Chamber of Deputies 120 members,
elected to 4 year terms
Current president Michelle Bachelet Jeria
(elected March 2006)?
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Economy
GDP 212.671 billion
MAJOR INDUSTRIES Copper, other minerals,
foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood
and wood products, transport equipment, cement,
textiles
EXPORTS Copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp,
chemicals, wine
IMPORTS Consumer goods, chemicals, motor
vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy
industrial machinery, food
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Early History

• Earliest known natives Mapuche
• 1470s Incan conquest conquers northern Chile,
  held off by Mapuche warriors
• 1536 Spanish conquistador Diego de Almagro of
  Peru explores central Chile, recieves control of
  southern portions of Incan territory in Chile
• 1541 Another conquistador, Pedro de Valdivia,
  founds Santiago
• 1546 Mapuche uprising, Santiago destroyed
• Series of Spanish and Mapuche conflicts culminate
  with a Great Uprising of the Mapuche in 1600,
  which results in the destruction of all Spanish
  settlements in Southern and Central Chile.
• Spanish territory in northern Chile continues to
  grow slowly

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Independence

• Spanish king Ferdinand VII overthrown in 1808 by
  Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother), and a new
  governor is established over Chile - Francisco
  García Carrasco.
• Carrasco is a harsh ruler, and his leadership
  begins to stir up a drive towards independence.
• In 1810, a junta is established, creating the
  beginnings of a push towards complete
  independence from Spanish rule.
• Sporadic war breaks out between Chile and Spain.
• In 1817, a famous patriot of Chile, Bernardo
  O'Higgins, assisted by José de San Martín, known
  for his leadership in the Argentinian war for
  independence, march across the Andes and defeat
  the royalists
• On February 12th, 1818, Chile is declared an
  independent republic

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Expansion

• Near the end of the 19th century, Chile begins a
  strong push southward into Mapuche territory,
  bringing their border far to the south.
• From 1879 through 1883 Chile fights the War of
  the Pacific with the joint forces of Bolivia and
  Peru, over the territory of the Atacama desert,
  which was full of extensive mineral resources.
• The War of the Pacific results in Chile pushing
  its borders almost one third again to the north.
• In 1881 Chile signed a treaty with Argentina
  which gave them full sovereignty over the
  territory surrounding the Strait of Magellan.

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Civil War

• President José Manuel Balmaceda is elected in
  1886, and begins to go against the constitution,
  moving slowly towards a dictatorship.
• Congress attempts to depose Balmaceda, but he
  refuses to step down.
• In 1891, tension between the parties supporting
  Congress and parties supporting the president
  developed into an armed conflict, resulting in
  the defeat of the presidential supporters.
• President Balmaceda commits suicide when he
  learns of the defeat of his supporting forces.
• Jorge Montt, a strong supporter of the
  Congressional party during the civil war, is
  elected the next president of Chile.

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The 20th century

• A military coup in 1924, led by General Luis
  Altamirano brings great instability to Chile, and
  a series of 10 seperate governments rise and fall
  between then and 1932.
• A constitution is re-established in 1932,
  bringing some semblance of stability back into
  the government.
• In 1967, a depression began to hit Chile, coming
  to a head in 1970.
• Inflation becomes a huge problem in 1973,
  escalating wildly, and throwing the government
  into enough disarray to open the door for
  political overthrow.
• Military coup takes control of the government on
  September 11, 1973, led by General Augusto
  Pinochet Ugarte.

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20th Century to Present

• Less than a month after General Pinochet comes to
  power, he begins to execute and torture people
  who oppose his leadership.
• Over the first six months, over 1,000 people are
  executed over 2,000 over the course of the next
  15 years
• Tens of thousands are forced to flee the country
  nearly as many are captured and submitted to
  torture.
• Pinochet remains in power for almost 17 years,
  and introduces several large changes to the
  Chilean government, including a large scale shift
  to a free market economy.
• A new constitution is established, making
  Pinochet president with an 8 year term, in 1980.
• Pinochet is not re-elected in 1988 - Patricio
  Aylwin becomes the new president.
• Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Chile's current
  president, is elected in January 2006, becoming
  Chile's first woman president