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Overview
The Mapuche resisted Inca and then Spanish conquest for centuries. Independence came in 1818 under O'Higgins and San Martín; the 1973 coup ushered in the Pinochet dictatorship, ending in 1990.
Basic Information
CapitalSantiago
Population20 million
Area756,102 km²
CurrencyChilean peso (CLP)
LanguagesSpanish
RegionSouth America
History Timeline
- 1541Santiago founded by Valdivia
- 1818Independence
- 1879 – 1884War of the Pacific
- 1973 – 1990Pinochet dictatorship
Ancient Peoples
- Mapuche
- Aymara
- Rapa Nui
Ancient Kingdoms
Empires
- Inca Empire (partial)
- Spanish Empire
Religions
- Roman Catholicism
- Evangelical Christianity
Culture
Neruda and Mistral poetry (both Nobel), Rapa Nui heritage, wine.
Language
Chilean Spanish.
Important Battles
- Battle of Maipú1818
Sealed independence
Historical Figures
Bernardo O'Higgins
1778 – 1842
Independence leader
Salvador Allende
1970 – 1973
Socialist president
Archaeological Sites
- Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
- Monte Verde
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Rapa Nui NP
- Valparaíso
- Sewell mining town
- Humberstone
Dynasties
Colonial Period
Spanish colony until 1818.
Modern History
Unitary presidential republic.