7U6

CHILE

of the capitals of departments is organised and regulated by the President of the Republic at the charge of the national treasury.

Area and Population.

The Republic is divided into 23 provinces, subdivided into 78 depart- ments, and 1 territory. Departments and territories are subdivided into 865 sub-delegations and 3,068 districts.

In 1884 the provinces of Tarapaca and Tacna were ceded to Chils by Peru. The cession of Tacna was originally for ten years, at the end of which period a plebiscite of the province would decide to which country it should belong. The provinces, however, are still occupied by Chile.

Area and population of the provinces at the end of 1910 : —

Provinces

Area : Sq. Miles

Popula- tion 1910

Pop. 1 per Sq. Mile

Proviiices Nuble .

Area : Sq. Miles

3,406

Popula- tion 1910

Pop.

per sq

Mile

Tacua

9,248

42,925

3-1

109,858

48-8

Tarapaca .

18,125

115,940

6-1 i

Ooncepcion .

3,560

225,054

66-7

Antofagasta

46,597

118,718

2-6 ,

Arauco

2,446

62,259

25-2

Atacama .

30,720

65,118

2-1 ■'

Biobio .

5,245

100,495

18-7

Coquimbo.

13,457

178,731

13-0

Malleco

2,973

113,020

36-8

Aconcagua

5,485

132,730

23-9 1

Cautin.

5,830

161,935

23-1

Valparaiso

1,953

299,466

144-3

Valdivia

8,352

131,751

13-7

Santiago .

5,663

546,599

91-4

Llanquihue .

35.390

113,285

2-9

O'Higgins

2,289

94,257

40-3

Chiloe .

8,580

91,657

10-4

Colchagua

3,855

159,421

41-3 i

Magallanes

Curico

2,978

108,120

36-0 1

ter. .

66,174

23,650

0-2

Talca

3,839 3,941

132,730 111,773

33-9 ;

27-7 !

Linares .

Maule

2,474

115,568

44-6

Total

292,580

3,415,060

11-1

Many islands to the north, west, and south, belong to Chile. The coast line is about 2,485 miles in length.

In 1885 the population numbered 2,527,320; in 1895, 2,712,145; in 1905, 3,399,928. In 1907, 3,249,279 (1,624,221 males and 1,625,058 females).

The population of the principal towns in 1910 was : — Santiago, 332,724 ; Valparaiso, 179,815 ; Concepcion, 55,554 ; Iquique, 44,171 ; Talca, 38,040; Chilian, 42,500; Antofagasta, 32,496; Vina del Mar, 26,262; Curico, 18,313; Temuco, 16,037 ; la Serena, 24,425 ; Talcahuano, 16,261 ; Valdivia, 17,681. The great majority of the population is of European origin. The indigenous inhabitants are of three branches, the Fuegians, mostly nomadic, living in or near Tieira del Fuego ; the Araucans (101,118) in the valleys or on the western slopes of the Andes ; the Changos, who inhabit the northern coast region and work as labourers.

Births, marriages, and deaths, exclusive of still-births : —

Year

1 Births

Marriages

Deaths

Surplus of Births

1906 1907 1908 1909 1910

117,032 126,104 129,733 129,333 130,052

18,507 21,286 21,483 19,637 19,326

104,890 96,534 104,226 104,707 106,073

12,142 29,570 25,507 24,626

23,979