CHILI, a republic of Spanish origin, in South America, is the most southerly state on the w. side of that continent. It lies wholly between the water-shed of the Andes and the shores of the Pacific, stretching coastwise from Bolivia to Patagonia, in lat. 25° 30' to 43° 20' s., and in long. 69' to 74' w. having an extreme length of about 1240 m., and an average breadth of fully 120. Arithin these limits, however, lies the virtually independent Araucania (q.v.), comprising most of the mainland to the left of the Bio bio ; while the southern portion is confined chiefly to Chiloe (q.v.) and its archipelago. C. is divided into 16 provinces, of which the aggregate area is officially stated at nearly 130,000 sq.m.; and the pop., in 1875, at 2,068.447. This pop. and area exclude certain regions in Patagonia, over which C. has a merely nominal sway. The capital is Santiago, situated pretty nearly in the heart of the country, and connected with Valparaiso, the principal port, by a railway of 115 ni. In length, Mid alto by telegraphic wires. The other towns are on or near the ocean; and, to arrange them according to the relative amounts of their trade, they are Valparaiso, Copiapo and Caldera, Coquimbo, Talca huano and Concepcion, Huasco, Constituciou, and Valdivia. In 1876, the total imports of C. were valued at £7,058,220, and the exports at £7,554,208; in 1874, at R7,683,600 and £7,308,200 respectively, The foreign commerce of C. is carried on mainly with Great Britain. The staple article of export to this country is copper, the value of which, in 1874, was £2,812,013. The articles of export next in importance are, in order of value, wheat, to the value of £1,180,278; silver ore, to the value, in the same year, of £225,988; and wool, £100,037. The principal articles of British produce. imported into C. are cotton and wooleu manufactures and iron. In 1874, the value of the total imports of cotton fabrics was £1,023,753; that of woolens, £258,288: and that of iron, wrought and unwrought, £405,500. Among the other imports were hardwares and cutlery, val ued at £128,550. The national income amounted in 1878 to £4,088,800, while the expen
diture was £4,275,000. In 1879, the public debt was close on £11,000,000, of which above £7,000,000 was held outside the country. The army, as mobilized and increased on account of the war that had then broken out between C. and Peru allied with Bolivia, comprised in 1879 as much as 20,000 nien, besides a national guard raised to 30,000 men. The navy, which took an important part in the war, consisted in 1879 of 10 small steamers, and two large and powerful iron-clads.
Roman Catholicism is the prevailing religion, but other beliefs are protected by a law of 1875. In its political constitution, C. appears to be the least democratic republic in the new world. The legislature is composed of two houses. The deputies sit for three years; and the senators are chosen for nine, retiring in thirds at the end of every third year. The voters for a deputy—to say nothing of the still more select voters for a senator—must possess either £100 in real property, or £200 in personal effects, or £20 of income; a pecuniary qualification which is exceptionally doubled for the wealthier localities of Valparaiso and Santiago. In 1848, attempts were made, but in vain, to abolish or modify these restrictions on the suffrage. Under this form of government, C. has maintained a degree of peace and prosperity utterly unknown to the other trans atlantic commonwealths of kindred race. In this respect, however, the character of the people has doubtless co-operated with the tendency of the institutions. As con trasted with Spanish America in general, C. contains an unusually large proportion of European blood.
Immediately after the conquest of Peru, C. was seized by Almagro, a companion of Pizarro, subsequently becoming the seat of a captain-generalship, which held sway as far as cape Horn. In 1810, commenced the war of independence, which, at the close of eight years, was decided against Spain by the victory of Maypo.