Immigration to Chile

Over the centuries, Chile has received a number of immigrants mainly from Europe followed by the Americas and Asia . Today, millions of their descendants still live in the country and are found in all areas of the community. Much of the immigration to Chile occurred during the 19th and 20th centuries, from various foreign communities. Today, the main immigrant groups are those originating in neighboring countries, due to the interaction of its relations with Chile. The largest immigrant group is from Argentina , followed by Peru . One of the main factors that have led this migration has been the country's relatively stable political history, compared with the rest of Latin America and, more recently, the significant growth of the Chilean economy in recent decades. Similarly, immigration from other Latin American countries beyond its borders has also been of great importance. Copper and nitrate mines in the Atacama depend on Bolivian contract workers from neighboring Bolivia. In addition to migration from other former Spanish colonies during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, a number of settlers from Europe came from Spain , Italy , France , Croatia , Austria , Germany , Great Britain and Ireland , and refugees from the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Maritime commerce prompted the creation of British, French, Italian, Dutch , Greek , Portuguese and Scandinavian settlements. The Syrians and Lebanese arrived in large number in the 1920s. Ethnic groups immigrating from Eastern Europe include the Jews , the Roma people and a large Armenian community. Even North American and Australian immigrants are present in the national immigration records. Today, the principle immigrant groups correspond to the countries bordering Chile. The largest colony is the Argentine, followed the Peruvian. One of the principle factors producing this immigration has been the important growth of the Chilean economy during the past decades. Immigration from other Latin American countries has also been important.

Immigration to Chile has contributed to the demographics and the history of this South American nation. Chile is a country whose inhabitants are mainly of Iberian (mostly of Andalusian and Basque origin) and Native American (mostly descended from Mapadungun-speaking peoples such as Picunche and Mapuche / Araucanians ) descent ) There are also small populations of Aymara, Quechua, Atacameño, Kolla, Diaguita, Yaghan, Rapa Nui, and Kawaskhar in other parts of the country. Small numbers of European immigrants settled in Chile during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, mainly Spanish, as well as German, British, French, Italian and Southern Slavs (mostly Croats and Montenegrins) whom have made additional contributions to the racial complex of Chile. However, this immigration was never in a large scale, contrasting with mass migrations that characterized Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, and therefore, anthropologically, its impact with lesser consequence. Between 1880 and 1940, an estimated 43,000 immigrants arrived from Spain and became part of Chilean society. Approximately 2500 were from Andalusia (Spain). Descendants of different European ethnic groups often intermarried in Chile, diluting the cultures and separate identities of the home countries and fusing them with the descendants of the original Basque-Castilian aristocracy of the colonial period. At the same time some separate cultural aspects, such as British afternoon tea, German cakes, and Italian pasta, were preserved. This intermarriage and mixture of cultures and races have shaped the present society and culture of the Chilean middle and upper classes, who, however, frequently deprecate Chilean folk culture, an offshoot of the culture of the Spaniards who settled the country in the colonial period. This fusion is also visible in the architecture of Chilean cities. Most of the immigrants to Chile during the 19th and 20th centuries came from abroad. Settlers from Europe came from Spain, Italy, France, Croatia (may include Dalmatians and ethnic Romanians from former Yugoslavia) , Austria, Germany, Great Britain and Ireland. Refugees from the Spanish Civil War came in the 1930s. Today, most immigrants come from neighboring countries. The largest immigrant group comes from Peru followed by Colombia and Venezuela . One of the main factors that has driven this migration has been the country's relatively stable political history, compared with the rest of Latin America and, more recently, the significant growth of the Chilean economy in recent decades. Immigrants from other Latin American countries have made important contributions to Chile. Today, copper and nitrate mines in the Atacama depend on contract workers from neighboring Bolivia . Maritime commerce resulted in the creation of British, French, Italian, Dutch , Greek , Portuguese and Scandinavian settlements. The Palestinians , Syrians and Lebanese arrived in large number in the 1920s. En verdad, muchas de estas características se reconocen en el presenta nativo de Chile, ya que dicha población araucana básica se complementó con aventureros y colonos vascos y andaluces que se casaron con las indias. El proceso de mezcla racial conocido como mestizaje ocurrió en época temprana y en forma bastante compleja, y en esta forma dio lugar al tipo racial chileno casi homogéneo de nuestros días. Al practicar un corte en la estructura social no resulta difícil reconocer en la masa de la población perteneciente a todos los estratos sociales al mestizo típico, verdadero representante de esa común herencia racial araucano-española. La población europea recibió su mayor incremento durante el siglo XVIII, cuando una inmigración abundante de las provincias vascas del norte de España se unió al elemento hasta ese entonces casi exclusivamente castellano, principalmente andaluces, que se habían establecido en Chile. Los inmigrantes vascos eran robustos, vigorosos y habilidosos. Como provenían de un territorio muy similar a Chile en topografía y clima, realizaron una contribución extremadamente valiosa al progreso del país. Las familias que ellos establecieron llegaron a adquirir considerable influencia debido a su riqueza y cultura, como lo atestigua el gran número de apellidos vascos que se encuentra hoy entre los más prominentes dirigentes políticos e intelectuales de Chile. Pequeños números de otros inmigrantes europeos, principalmente suizos, alemanes, italianos, franceses, británicos y yugoeslavos, establecidos de preferencia en las regiones pioneras durante los siglos XIX y XX, efectuaron contribuciones adicionales al complejo racial de Chile. Esta inmigración, empero, nunca se practicó a gran escala, lo cual contrasta con las migraciones masivas que caracterizaron el desarrollo de la Argentina, Uruguay y Brasil, y por lo tanto, antropológicamente, su impacto careció de consecuencias. A pesar de este hecho, merece consideración la influencia que dichos grupos extranjeros han ejercido en todos los aspectos de la vida nacional, especialmente en las regiones del sur donde su predominio es desproporcionado a su número efectivo. En la actualidad, el número de extranjeros es insignificante. De acuerdo al censo de 1952, existen 7.936 chilenos naturalizados y 96.511 extranjeros residentes (1,5% de la població total). Al contrario de la creencia corriente, la mayoría vive en la provincia de Santiago (58,9%), en Valparaíso (12,3%) y en Antofagasta (5,1%). El mayor contingente de extranjeros proviene de España (22.366), seguido de Alemania (13.044), Italia (11.607) y la Argentina (9.537). Santiago de Chile: Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas .

Overview of immigration to Chile Immigration to Chile has contributed to the demographics and the history of this South American nation. Chile is a country whose inhabitants are mainly of Iberian , mostly of Andalusian and Basque origin, and Native American , mostly descended from Mapuche peoples . A moderate numbers of European immigrants settled in Chile during the 19th and 20th centuries, mainly Spanish , as well as Germans , British , French , Southern Slavs , and Italians who have made additional contributions to the racial complex of Chile. However, this immigration was never in a large scale, contrasting with mass migrations that characterized Argentina , Uruguay and southern Brazil , and therefore, anthropologically, its impact with lesser consequence. At the same time, some separate cultural aspects, such as German cakes, British afternoon tea, and Italian pasta, were preserved. The fusion is also visible in the architecture of Chilean cities. This intermarriage and mixture of cultures and races have shaped the present society and culture of Chile. Most of the immigrants to Chile during the 19th and 20th centuries came from abroad. Settlers from Europe came from France , Great Britain , Italy , Germany , and Croatia , among others. Although significant numbers of Palestinians , Syrians , and Lebanese also arrived. Today, most immigrants come from other American countries . The largest immigrant group comes from Venezuela , followed by Peru , Haiti , and Colombia . One of the main factors that has driven this migration has been the country's relatively stable political history, compared with the rest of Latin America and the significant growth of the Chilean economy in recent decades. Pedro Oyanguren (2000): De los vascos en Chile y sus instituciones .

Immigration to Chile has contributed to the demographics and the history of this South American nation. Chile is a country whose inhabitants are mainly of Iberian , mostly of Andalusian and Basque origin, and Native American , mostly descended from Mapuche peoples . A moderate numbers of European immigrants settled in Chile during the 19th and 20th centuries, mainly Spanish , as well as Germans , British , French , Southern Slavs , and Italians who have made additional contributions to the racial complex of Chile. However, this immigration was never in a large scale, contrasting with mass migrations that characterized Argentina , Uruguay and southern Brazil , and therefore, anthropologically, its impact with lesser consequence. At the same time, some separate cultural aspects, such as German cakes, British afternoon tea, and Italian pasta, were preserved. The fusion is also visible in the architecture of Chilean cities. This intermarriage and mixture of cultures and races have shaped the present society and culture of Chile. Settlers from Europe came from France , Great Britain , Italy , Germany , and Croatia , among others. Although significant numbers of Palestinians , Syrians , and Lebanese also arrived. Today, most immigrants come from other American countries . The largest immigrant group comes from Venezuela , followed by Peru , Haiti , Colombia and most recently Nicaragua . One of the main factors that has driven this migration has been the country's relatively stable political history, compared with the rest of Latin America and the significant growth of the Chilean economy in recent decades. Pedro Oyanguren (2000): De los vascos en Chile y sus instituciones . Británicos y Anglosajones en Chile durante el siglo XIX" .