CHILE
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific forms the country's entire western border, with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage at the country's southernmost tip. Chile claims 1,250,000 sq km (482,628 sq mi) of territory in Antarctica.
MISSIONARIES:
Arias, Neil & Rhonda
Cruthers, Alan & Kathy
Ray, Jody
HISTORY:
Following Ferdinand Magellan in 1520, the next Europeans to reach Chile were Diego de Almagro and his band of Spanish conquistadors, who came from Peru in 1535. The conquest of Chile began in earnest in 1540 and was carried out by Pedro de Valdivia, one of Francisco Pizarro's lieutenants, who founded the city of Santiago on February 12, 1541.
The drive for independence from Spain was precipitated by usurpation of the Spanish throne in 1808. A national junta was formed on September 18, 1810 which proclaimed Chile an autonomous republic within the Spanish monarchy. On February 12, 1818, Chile was proclaimed an independent republic. The 19th century Chilean society preserved the essence of the stratified colonial social structure, which was greatly influenced by family politics and the Roman Catholic Church.
In January 2006 Chileans elected their first woman president, Michelle Bachelet Jeria, of the Socialist Party. She was sworn in on March 11, 2006.
RELIGION:
Chile is a traditionally Catholic nation, with an estimated 70% of Chileans belonging to that church. According to Census data other declared denominations or groupings include: Protestant or evangelical (15.1%), Jehovah's Witnesses (1%), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (0.9%), Jewish (0.1%), Atheist or Agnostic (8.3%), and other (4.4%). Less than 0.1% are either Orthodox or Muslim.
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