Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/787
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:Sq. Miles | Population 1919 | Pop. per sq. Mile |
| Tacna | 8,999 | 40,630 | 4.51 |
| Tarapacá | 16,689 | 137,050 | 8.21 |
| Antofagasta | 46,408 | 235,506 | 5.07 |
| Atacama | 30,711 | 64,019 | 2.08 |
| Coquimbo | 14,098 | 192,750 | 13.67 |
| Aconcagua | 5,406 | 182,165 | 24.44 |
| Valparaiso | 1,775 | 355,356 | 200.20 |
| Santiago | 5,893 | 640,087 | 108.61 |
| O'Higgins | 2,168 | 129,992 | 59.95 |
| Colchagua | 8,851 | 163,848 | 42.54 |
| Curicó | 8,045 | 116,465 | 38.24 |
| Talca | 3,864 | 131,106 | 33.98 |
| Maule | 2,812 | 110,465 | 39.28 |
| Linares | 3,969 | 129,851 | 32.71 |
| Ñuble | 3,498 | 202,594 | 57.91 |
| Concepción | 3,318 | 277,799 | 83.86 |
| Arauco | 189 | 76,785 | 35.07 |
| Biobío | 5,353 | 107,407 | 20.06 |
| Malleco | 3,803 | 139,166 | 42.13 |
| Cautin | 6,881 | 167,567 | 26.26 |
| Valdivia | 8,991 | 196,283 | 21.83 |
| Llanquihué | 34,778 | 156,246 | 4.49 |
| Chiloé | 6,979 | 100,161 | 14.85 |
| Magallanes territory. | 65,855 | 34,752 | 0.53 |
| Total | 289,829 | 4,088,050 | 13.95 |
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 : —
| Year | Total Births | Illegitimate Births | Marriages | Deaths | Surplus of Births |
| 1915 | 136,597 | 50,365 | 19,150 | 96,716 | 39,881 |
| 1916 | 144,193 | 54,987 | 20,121 | 99,856 | 44,337 |
| 1917 | 149,161 | 58,334 | 21,379 | 107,199 | 41,962 |
| 1918 | 145,871 | 55,832 | 21,614 | 108,667 | 37,204 |
| 1919 | 144,980 | 55,706 | 21,471 | 137,538 | 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.