RELIGION
735
which period a plebiscite of the province would decide to which country it should belong As the plebiscite has not yet been taken, the provinces are still occupied by Chile.
Area and population of the provinces on January 1, 1919 : —
Provinces
Area : 8q. Miles
Popula- tion 1919
Pop.
persq.
Kile
Province*
Nuble .
Ap . Sq. Milts
3,498
Popula- tion 1919
Pop.
j . r ,q. Mile
Tacna
8,999
40,630
4 51
57-91
Tarapaca .
16,689
137,050
8-21
Concepcion .
3,313
S3 ?/.
Antofagasta
46,408
235,506
5-07
Arauco
2,189
76,785
35-07
Atacama .
30,711
64,019
•J Of
Biobio .
5,363
107.407
20-06
Coquimbo.
14,098
1S-C7
Malleeo
3,803
139,166
42 13
Aconcagua
5,406
24 44
Cautin.
6,381
i .:.-:
Valparaiso
1,775
355,356
200-20
Valdivia
8,991
196,289
21-83
Santiago .
5,895
940,067
108 61
Llanqnihue . Cbiloe .
156,246
4-49
O'Higgins
2,168
1S9.M9
59-95
6,979
100,161
14 35
Colchagua
3,851
MMU
Magallanes
Curico
3,045
116,465
38 24
territory .
65,355
34,752
0-53
Talca
3,864 2,811
131,106 110,465
33-93 39-2b
Maule
Linares
MM
129,851
32-71
Total .
289,829
«,M8,1M
13-93
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 1907 (last census), 3,249,279 (1,624,221 males and 1,625,058 females).
The estimated population of the principal towns in 1919 was : — Santiago. 424,993 ; Valparaiso, 218,465 ; Concepcion, 74,808 ; Iquique, 47,677 ; Talca, 43,044; Chilian, 40,278; Antofagasta, 69,175; Vina del Mar, 35,320; Curico, 23,707 ; Temuco, 33,860 ; La Serena, 16,191 ; Talcahuano, 24,857 ; Valdivia, 27,513. 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 Tierra del Fuego ; the Araucans (101,118) in the valleys or on the western slopes of the Andes ; the Changes, who inhabit the northern coast region and work as labourers.
Births, marriages, and deaths, exclusive of stillbirths : —
Tear
Total Births
Illegitimate Births
Marriages
Deaths
Surplus of Births
1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
136,597 144,193 149,161 145,871 144,980
50,365 54,987 58,334 55,832 55,706
19,150 20,121 21,379 21,614 21,471
96,716
99,856
107,199
108,667
137,538
39,881 44,337 41,962 37,204 7,442
Illegitimate births in 1919 were 384, and legitimate births 616 per thousand of the population. Immigration is small, but is encouraged by the Government.
Religion.
The Roman Catholic religion is maintained by the State, but according to the Constitution all religions are respected and protected. There is one archbishop (Santiago), three bishops, and four vicars apostolic. There were in 1919, 349 parishes in the Republic, 664 churches, and 729 chapels.
