Portal:Chile

The Chile Portal

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, extending along a narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. According to the 2024 census, Chile had an enumerated population of 18.5 million. The country covers a territorial area of 756,102 square kilometers (291,933 sq mi), sharing borders with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south. It also administers several Pacific islands, including Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island, and claims about 1,250,000 square kilometers (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica as the Chilean Antarctic Territory. The capital and largest city is Santiago, and the official and national language is Spanish.

Spain conquered and colonized the region in the mid-16th century, replacing Inca rule; however, they failed to conquer the autonomous tribal Mapuche people who inhabited what is now south-central Chile. Chile emerged as a relatively stable authoritarian republic in the 1830s after its 1818 declaration of independence from Spain. During the 19th century, Chile experienced significant economic and territorial growth, putting an end to Mapuche resistance in the 1880s and gaining its current northern territory in the War of the Pacific (1879–83) by defeating Peru and Bolivia.

In the 20th century, until the 1970s, Chile underwent a process of democratization and experienced rapid population growth and urbanization, while relying increasingly on exports from copper mining to support its economy. During the 1960s and 1970s, the country was marked by severe left-right political polarization and turmoil, which culminated in the 11 September 1973 coup d'état that overthrew Salvador Allende's democratically elected left-wing government, with support from the United States. This was followed by a 16-and-a-half-year right-wing military dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet, during which the 1980 Constitution was enacted, along with numerous political and economic reforms, and which was marked by widespread human rights violations, including more than 3,000 deaths and disappearances. The regime ended in 1990, following a referendum in 1988, and was succeeded by a center-left coalition, which ruled until 2010. (Full article...)

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The conical summit to the right is named Pico El Laco. The black zones to the left of it are Cerro Laco Sur and Cerro Laco Norte. The image shows only about half of the volcanic complex.

El Laco is a volcanic complex in the Antofagasta Region of Chile. It is directly south of the Cordón de Puntas Negras volcanic chain. Part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes, it is a group of seven stratovolcanoes and a caldera. It is about two million years old. The main summit of the volcano is a lava dome called Pico Laco, which is variously reported to be 5,325 metres (17,470 ft) or 5,472 metres (17,953 ft) high. The edifice has been affected by glaciation, and some reports indicate that it is still fumarolically active.

The volcano is known for its magnetite-containing lava flows of enigmatic origin. In total, there are four lava flows and two dykes, as well as a formation of uncertain nature. In addition to lava flow structures, pyroclastics containing iron oxide are also found within the complex. The magmas formed within a magma chamber with a volume of about 30 cubic kilometres (7.2 cu mi); whether the iron-rich lavas are native magnetite lavas or were formed by hydrothermal processes acting on regular rock is under debate. After their discovery in 1958, these iron deposits have been mined. The latest mining activity have been carried out by Compañía Minera del Pacífico from 1988 to 1996. Mining ended in 1996 as consequence of low price of iron in addition to the stop of purchases from Altos Hornos Zapla of Fabricaciones Militares in Argentina. (Full article...)

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Bust of Lautaro

Lautaro (Anglicized as 'Levtaru') (Mapudungun: Lef-Traru "swift hawk") (Spanish pronunciation: [lawˈtaɾo]; c. 1534 – April 29, 1557) was a young Mapuche toqui known for leading the indigenous resistance against Spanish conquest in Chile and developing the tactics that would continue to be employed by the Mapuche during the long-running Arauco War. Levtaru was captured by Spanish forces in his early youth, and he spent his teenage years as a personal servant of chief conquistador Pedro de Valdivia. He graduated from servant to stableman; in this job he saw that their horses were not godlike creatures like his people thought (the biggest animal they knew was the llama). He escaped in 1551 and told his people that the conquistadores and their horses were just mortals and they could defeat them. Back among his people he was declared Toqui and led Mapuche warriors into a series of victories against the Spaniards, culminating in the Battle of Tucapel in December 1553, where Pedro of Valdivia was killed. The outbreak of a typhus plague, a drought and a famine prevented the Mapuche from taking further actions to expel the Spaniards in 1554 and 1555. Between 1556 and 1557, a small group of Mapuche commanded by Levtaru attempted to reach Santiago to liberate the whole of Central Chile from Spanish rule. Levtaru's attempts ended in 1557 when he was killed in an ambush by the Spaniards.

Today, Levtaru is revered among Mapuche and non-Mapuche Chileans for his resistance against foreign conquest, servitude and cruelty. (Full article...)

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Concerns about human rights in Chile include discrimination against indigenous populations; societal violence and discrimination against women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people; child labor; and harsh prison conditions and treatment. Additional human rights concerns in the country include use of excessive force and abuse by security forces, isolated reports of government corruption, and antisemitism. Authorities generally maintain effective control over the security forces. However, security forces occasionally commit human rights abuses. The government generally takes steps to prosecute officials who commit abuses. Nevertheless, many human rights organizations contend that security officials accused of committing abuses have impunity.

Human rights violations by the military and security forces in Chile were widespread during the rule of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). Estimates of the number killed and "disappeared" during the Pinochet regime range as high as 17,000. (Full article...)

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General images

Image 1Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral (from Culture of Chile)
Image 2The Arauco War. The painting depicts a woman being kidnapped during a malón (from History of Chile)
Image 3The Mapuche were the original inhabitants of central and southern Chile (from History of Chile)
Image 4Los Jaivas, performing "Alturas de Machu Picchu", a version of a part of Pablo Neruda´s Canto General live at Machu Picchu (from Culture of Chile)
Image 5José Manuel Balmaceda (from History of Chile)
Image 6Paila marina (from Culture of Chile)
Image 7Arturo Alessandri Palma (from History of Chile)
Image 8Chilean huaso singing (from Culture of Chile)
Image 9Diego Portales (from History of Chile)
Image 10Picture of the 1915 presidential election in Chile (from History of Chile)
Image 11Five presidents of Chile since Transition to democracy (1990–2022), celebrating the Bicentennial of Chile (from History of Chile)
Image 12Fiestas Patrias of Chile, 1854 (from History of Chile)
Image 13Marchers for Salvador Allende (from History of Chile)
Image 14Estadio Nacional de Chile (from Culture of Chile)
Image 15Map showing changes of territory due to the War of the Pacific (from History of Chile)
Image 16Picture "The young Lautaro" of Pedro Subercaseaux that show to genius military and hero of the Arauco war after the arrival of the Spanish to Chilean territory (from History of Chile)
Image 17Territorial losses of the Republic of Chile de jure (by law) according to Chilean historiography. (from History of Chile)
Image 18Chilean patriots, by Johann Moritz Rugendas (from History of Chile)
Image 19"No" supporters celebrate their victory in the 1988 referendum (from History of Chile)

Did you know (auto generated)

... that singer Tati Penna was considered one of the first feminists on Chilean television?
... that anti-Pinochet dissident Luis Corvalán had his appearance surgically altered by Soviet doctors before returning to Chile?
... that Angelito de Canal 13, the mascot of the Chilean television network Canal 13, was inspired by its creator's son?
... that, while in exile in Paris, the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis worked with the Chilean ambassador and poet Pablo Neruda on Canto General?
... that the Swedish broadcaster organising the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 refused to allow the contest to be shown in Chile, as a protest against the country's military dictatorship?
... that Rincón Chileno was nicknamed the "second Chilean consulate" by the Chilean immigrant community in Los Angeles?

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360-degree Panorama of the Southern Sky edit
A 360 degree panorama of a unique cloudscape over La Silla
American kestrel (Falco sparverius cinnamominus) male Leona Amarga
Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus) Santiago
Chiloe wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix) male Tricao 3
Chimango caracara (Daptrius chimango temucoensis) female Puerto Varas
Culpeo MC
FCAB EMD GT22CU-3 San Pedro - Ascotan
Gauchowheat edit2
Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) Leona Amarga 2
Géiseres del Tatio, Atacama, Chile, 2016-02-01, DD 03-05 HDR
Laguna Miñiques, Chile, 2016-02-08, DD 33-38 PAN
Laser Towards Milky Ways Centre
Lesser rhea (Rhea pennata pennata) Torres del Paine
Miscanti Lagoon near San Pedro de Atacama Chile Luca Galuzzi 2006
Moai Rano raraku
Puma (Puma concolor concolor) female Leona Amarga
SQM GE 289A Boxcab Carmelita - Reverso
The European Extremely Large Telescope
Volcanos Lascar left and Aguas Calientes right
Volcán Aucanquilcha, Chile, 2016-02-10, DD 11
Volcán San Pedro, Chile, 2016-02-09, DD 18
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