Chile is a state located in the southwestern part of South America. The length of the country from north to south is about 4 thousand kilometers, while the greatest width is about 200 kilometers. One of the interesting features associated with the number of residents of Chile: the country's population is characterized by the smallest increase in the territory of the American continent.
Colonization
According to demographic studies, during the colonial period, according to various sources, from 50 to 75 thousand Europeans arrived in the country. Most of them were mostly Basque and Spaniards. In the mid-nineteenth century, about 20 thousand Germans landed here. In the twentieth century, more than 100 thousand representatives of Europe immigrated to Chile. The population of the country during its colonization increased by 250 thousand foreigners. This is significantly less in comparison with similar indicators of neighboring South American states. Thus, now there is every reason to argue that the local ethnic group is mainly the result of a mixture of Aboriginal and Spanish immigrants.
National composition
If we talk about the national composition, it is generally accepted that the population of Chile consists of three main groups. The first of these are indigenous peoples. They account for about 7% of the total number of residents living in the state. The most famous aborigines here are Araucans, which number more than one million people. Other nations are not so numerous. Moreover, some of them are on the verge of extinction.
The second ethnic group is Hispanic Chileans, who are descendants of the country's first colonialists. Their mixing with the indigenous population has led to the fact that they currently account for about 92% of the country's population.
The third group is European immigrants. As mentioned above, most of them were Spaniards and Basques. At the beginning of the twentieth century, numerous immigrants from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Croatia immigrated to Chile. As of today, the diaspora of each of these countries has about half a million people.
It is impossible not to mention the inhabitants of Easter Island, belonging to Chile. They are represented mainly by the Polynesians. In addition, quite influential communities of Swiss, Jews, Dutch and Greeks live on the territory of the state.
Demographic features
The population of Chile, whose population as of today amounts to just over 17 million people, is usually divided into three age categories. About a quarter of the country's inhabitants are young people, and only 8% are among older people. The average life expectancy of women is 80 years, while that of men is 73.3 years. As noted above, the state is characterized by a very low average annual increase in the number of inhabitants, which, starting from the eighties of the twentieth century, did not rise above the 1.7% mark. At the same time, one cannot fail to mention a significant reduction in the recent rate of child mortality.
Resettlement
The rather uneven distribution of residents is another feature of Chile. The country's population is concentrated mainly in the central regions of the state. About 67% of people live in them. If the average population density in the country is 22 people per square kilometer, then in its capital Santiago, it reaches the mark of 355 citizens. This is the maximum figure for Chile. In the northern regions, on average, up to three people per square kilometer, and in the southern - no more than one. Aborigines live mainly in the south. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the tendency towards the gradual migration of Indians to urban areas.
Language
The state language in the country is Spanish. This is not surprising, since for most Chileans he is native. The indigenous population of Chile was able to largely preserve many varieties of dialects of their ancestors. Along with this, Spanish is used for teaching in schools, as well as by most of the Aboriginal representatives for communication among themselves.
Religion
Most locals profess Catholicism. About 70% of all believing Chileans fall on them. About 15% of local residents identify with various Protestant movements (usually Pentecostals). The Indians basically remain faithful to traditions, therefore they practice their religions. It should be noted that the Roman Catholic Church plays an important role not only in the social, but also in the political life of the country. In particular, she actively participates in various reforms in the state.
Urbanization and employment
In general, the state is considered one of the most urbanized in all of South America. The urban population of Chile accounts for about 86% of the country's inhabitants, a significant part of which is concentrated in such two central regions as Santiago and Valparaiso. The largest cities of the country were founded in the colonial era, and therefore the ethnic composition of their inhabitants is not surprising. They are mainly descendants of the Spanish conquerors and local Aborigines. The rural population of the country mainly lives in resorts and in small towns.
The main occupations of the population of Chile are services, industry and agriculture. Each of these sectors accounts for 63, 23, and 40 percent of the total number of able-bodied citizens, respectively. As for the unemployment rate in the state, it is at around 8.5%.