Chile

Chile, a Spanish-speaking country winding down the Pacific Coast of South America, is a multiethnic society. More than half of its population of 17 million are people of European origin, and most of the rest are mestizos (people of mixed ancestry), with a small percentage (less than 5%) primarily of indigenous Indian ethnicity. In Chile, the church and the state are officially separate. The constitution allows for religious freedom. In 1999, a law was passed that forbade religious discrimination and granted other religions the same rights that the Catholic Church has.

About 70% of Chileans are Catholic, which is the religious tradition of the early Spanish colonial settlers. Protestants arrived in Chile in the 19th century with American missionary David Trumbull; currently, about 15% of the population of Chile is Protestant. The Chilean Jewish community in the country has approximately 30,000 members and accounts for less than 1% of the population.

Chile also has religious representation from Islam and Baha'i. There are 3,196 Muslims and [Page 194]6,000 Baha'is in Chile. The first Islamic institution, The Society of Muslim Union in Chile, was founded on September 25, 1926. In 2002, the Baha'i community constructed a temple in Chile, the first Baha'i temple to be built in South America.

Other religious denominations in Chile include the following: 3.3% Mormons, 1% Jehovah's Witnesses, and 4.4% “other;” 8.3% are atheists.

Approximately 65% of the indigenous population in Chile identify themselves as Catholic. Another 29% are evangelical Protestant Christians, many of whom are Pentecostals, and 6% are in the category of “other.”

Before the Spanish arrived in the 16th century in search of gold, Chile was ruled by the Incas. Under Inca rule, the Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. In 1520, the explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered a navigable sea route at the southern tip of the South American continent, subsequently named the Strait of Magellan in his honor. The colonial period of Spanish control in Chile began with the conquistadors led by Diego de Almagro. Catholicism was introduced to Chile by the Spanish. On February 12, 1818, Chile declared its independence from Spain.

The role of religion as a vehicle of state power and of protest emerged during the Pinochet period. In 1973, a military coup overthrew the regime of president Salvador Allende, installing General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte into power. His government ruled with an iron hand, and thousands were killed, imprisoned, and tortured. In 1980, a new constitution was approved by referendum and General Pinochet became president of Chile for an 8-year term. In the late 1980s, Chile moved toward a free-market economy, and the government gradually allowed greater freedom of expression and assembly. On October 5, 1988, President Pinochet was denied a second term as president. On December 14, 1989, Chileans elected a new president as well as a new majority in parliament. Since then, Chile has flourished as a democratic society and as a developing economic power.

Chile is a founding member of the United Nations and the Union of South American Nations. In the 21st century, it is regarded as one of the most stable Latin American countries—one that has made considerable advances in the areas of human development, globalization, and economic freedom.

...