Chile

HISTORY

While the ancient Egyptians may be the best-known mummy makers, they were far from the first. A very sophisticated fishing tribe called the Chinchoros, who lived on the north coast of what is now Chile, were embalming their dead as early as 5000 BC.

The Mapuche Indians of Chile played an early form of hockey, using hard balls of stone or heavy wood, which eventually they covered with hide.

On February 12, 1541, Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago, today the capital of Chile, as Santiago del Nuevo Extremo. It was named in honor of St. James, patron saint of Spain. (The name Santiago is the local Galician evolution of Vulgar Latin Sanctu Iacobu, "Saint James".)

1541 founding of Santiago. Painting by Pedro Lira

In 1808, Napoleon's enthronement of his brother Joseph as the Spanish King precipitated Chile's drive for independence from Spain. A national junta was formed on September 18, 1810 proclaiming Chile an autonomous republic within the Spanish monarchy. The first step towards independence from Spain, in memory of this Chile celebrates its National Day on September 18th each year.

Chileans must hang the national flag from every building in the country on September 18 and 19. The flag must be in perfect condition and hung from a white pole on the front of the building.

Opening session of the First Junta

Intermittent warfare continued until 1817. On January 19, 1817 a patriotic army of 5,423 soldiers, led by General José de San Martín, crossed the Andes from Argentina. From there they triumphed at the Battle of Chacabuco and the Battle of Maipú, thus liberating Chile from royalist rule.

On the first anniversary of its victory in the Battle of Chacabuco, Chile formally declared its independence from Spain.

Until the start of the 20th century, the English spelt the country's name as Chili.

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake of May 22, 1960 was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating a magnitude of 9.5. The epicenter was near Lumaco, Chile, south of Santiago, with Valdivia being the most affected city.

In 1970 Salvador Allende was the first Marxist to be democratically elected to President of Chile after a close three-way race

On September 11, 1973, Salvador Allende was overthrown in a CIA-backed military coup; a 17 year-long US-backed military junta led by Augusto Pinochet followed, in which thousands of dissidents were persecuted.

FUN CHILE FACTS

The driest place on earth is the The Atacama Desert in Chile, west of the Andes mountains. It is the driest desert in the world, as well as the only true desert to receive less precipitation than the polar deserts. In some parts, it has never been known to rain.

The town of Calama, in the Atacama Desert is believed to be the second sunniest place in the world, with only Yuma, Arizona in the United States being sunnier.

There are about 500 active volcanoes in Chile. Indonesia is the only country with more.

Chile is objectively the world's least round country (excluding scattered archipelagos). Sierra Leone is the world's roundest country.

Chile is so long that it would stretch from the northernmost point of Norway all the way south to Morocco.

The Chilean hamlet of Puerto Toro is the southernmost permanent community in the world (excluding research stations in Antarctica). It has just 36 inhabitants - mostly fishermen and their families.

Most peaches that are imported to the United States during winter months come from Chile.

Source Daily Express