Chile

che'la, a republic of South America. It lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. It extends along the coast from Peru to Cape Horn for 2,629 miles, equal to the distance from Maine to California. Punta Arenas in Chilian waters is the most southerly town in the world. The northern end of the country lies in the belt of eastern winds, and the Andes rob these winds of all moisture. This part of Chile is therefore a dusty, rainless region, scorched by a tropic sun. It is a parched, plantless desert, but it abounds in deposits of nitrates of soda and in mines of iron and precious ores. Busy towns with electric lights and street railways are built up on the nitrate industry. The extreme southern region is rainy, cold, rocky, and barren, the home of a few rookeries of seals, penguins, and sea fowl. Between these extremes of torrid and of antarctic barrenness is a large extent of fertile soil with the productions and prosperity of the temperate zone. This region shades off, of course, into the other two. Wheat and other small grains, grapes, small fruits, and orchard fruits are cultivated in profusion. Cattle raising, mining, and lumbering are the leading industries. The population of the country is about 4,000,000; nearly half of the people live in towns. This includes many of those engaged in mining and fishing. Santiago, the chief city and capital, is situated in the uplands, about 2,000 feet above the sea. It is well built, with public buildings and educational facilities, parks, street railways, and electric lights. Valparaiso, half as large, is the seaport. Together they have a population of half a million, between that of Baltimore and San Francisco.

The prevailing religion of the country is Roman Catholic, with tolerance for all sects. Schools are free, but the common people are still illiterate. The official language is Spanish. The foreign commerce amounts to about $35,000,000 in imports, and $90,000,000 of exports. Great Britain gets nearly half the business; Germany nearly a third; and the United States a sixth. The chief exports are nitrate, copper, iodine, wheat, silver, leather, gold, hides, and wool. The merchants of Chile buy cloth, paper, oil, chemicals, and machinery abroad. There are 2,800 miles of railway; half belongs to the state. There are 11,000 miles of telegraph lines, largely owned by the state.

Chile is calling for settlers. The Japanese are encouraged to come over, not only as laborers, but as homesteaders. Chilean agents at Tokio (1907) offered forty acres of good land for every immigrant, twenty acres more for each son of 18 years and over, a yoke of oxen, a set of agricultural implements, and a sum of money equivalent to $15 per month the first year of residence. Already a considerable number of Japanese farmers have given up their diminutive holdings in Japan to make new homes on the rich, unoccupied lands of Chile.

Chile was formerly a Spanish province, but threw off the Spanish yoke in 1818. The present government is modeled on that of the United States. The president is chosen for five years and is not eligible for reelection.

STATISTICS.

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