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September 1995, September 1996, November 1997
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Chile has emerged from the rubble of a failed socialist experiment and 16 years of military rule to become one of the most affluent and democratic countries in Latin America. However, underneath this veneer of new found prosperity is a history as varied and complex as the land itself.
When the first Spanish conquistadors arrived in 1536, the north of he country, which includes some of the driest deserts on earth, was inhabited by Quechua tribes, the descendents of the ancient Incas. The central and southern part of the country was inhabited by Araucanian tribes. One of these - the Mapuche - were a warlike tribe who quickly learned the use of horses and succeeded in holding off the European advance for nearly four centuries.
The capital of Santiago was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1541, and the area comprising modern Chile was put under the control of the Viceroyalty of Peru and governed from Lima. A series of natural disasters, the lack of gold or other precious metals, and guerrilla warfare with the Mapuche meant that European settlement during the colonial period was limited to a rather small group of large estate owners in the area around Santiago.
In 1810 a group of Chilean patriots, including Bernardo O'Higgins - the illegitimate son of a Hispano-Irish father and a Chilean mother - revolted against Spanish rule. After seven years of war, they succeeded in achieving national independence 1818 after General José de San Martín crossed the Andes and won a decisive victory. O'Higgins became Chile's first president and is still regarded as the father of the Chilean nation.
Despite an almost never-ending struggle between on the one hand conservatives - represented by the landowning aristocracy - and the mass of liberal peasants, Chile was able to make some progress economically as it exploited its mineral and agricultural potential. In the 1870s, disputes arose with both Peru and Bolivia over northern desert areas rich in nitrate. This led to the War of the Pacific (1879-83), in which Chile annexed the most southerly of Peru's provinces and captured Bolivia's only outlet to the sea. The nitrate fields thus captured yielded immense wealth until the advent of artificial fertilizer in the 1920s.
Although a middle class had begun to emerge
during this period, wealth was distributed very unequally. A liberal
constitution was signed in 1891, and although left wing parties became more
influential from this time, actual power was still yielded by the right.
During the presidency of Eduardo
Frei (1964-70) hopes were raised for a more equitable distribution of power;
however, fragmentation of political allowed a Marxist coalition under Salvador
Allende to gain power in the 1970 elections. Following
nationalization of the mines, key industries, and public services, the economy
collapsed and public order deteriorated. 
Following nationalization of the mines, key industries, and public services, the economy collapsed and public order deteriorated. With broad popular support, the army staged a coup de etat and overthrew the Allende government on September 11, 1973. Allende was killed in La Moneda palace (left), and executive power was assumed by a four man junta headed by General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte.
Despite economic recovery, the authoritarianism of the junta grew increasingly unpopular. It is estimated that upwards of 80,000 people were tortured or murdered during the period of military rule. In 1988, Chileans voted in a plebiscite against continued military rule, and a coalition of centrist and center-left parties won [residential elections held in 1989. Democracy was restored shortly thereafter. Following a decade of deepening democratic reform, 1999 saw the election of a socialist candidate to the presidency and the return of General Pinochet following his release from a lengthy house arrest in the U.K. for alleged human rights abuses. Chile continues to grapple with the legacy of his authoritarian rule, which although it laid the foundation for current prosperity, was paid for with the sacrifice of democracy and human rights.
Chile
comprises everything from the parched Atacama desert in the north to temperate
rain forests in the south which are among the wettest places on earth. The
central portion of the country around Santiago enjoys a mild climate not unlike
the Mediterranean, Southern California, or South Africa. This great
geographic and climatic diversity has allowed it to aggressively expand its agro
industrial potential in areas such fruit, wines, and timber production.
Chile has in turn succeeded in reducing its traditional reliance on export of
minerals - chiefly copper - and it was thus better able than many other
developing countries to withstand the volatility in global commodity and
financial markets during the 1990s.
My travels to Chile have taken me to nearly most areas of the country, including Arica, La Serena, Valparaíso, Santiago, Valdivia, Chiloe, Osorno and the nearby Lake District, Puerto Montt, and as far south as Punta Arenas. I have included here some of my favorite photos from these journeys. It is definitely worth the journey from wherever you are - and it's more than likely to be a long one - to get to know this wonderful country!
Map courtesy of Lonely Planet
