THE LAND QUESTION AND COLONISATION , III 



The tracts best suited for agriculture are found in the plains and slopes 

 of the middle zone, and the more northern part of the southern. 



The middle and southern zones are watered by numerous torrents from 

 the Andes, which are utilised for purposes of irrigation. On account of 

 their short course and the great changes in the level of their beds, they 

 often overflow after abmidant rains and cause inundations. The middle 

 zone is the best irrigated, for here we find the rivers Maipo, Mapocho, 

 Maule and Bio-Bio. The two last bring down respectively 10,000 and 

 16,000 feet of water per second ; the Bio-Bio is navigable for 

 smaU craft. 



On the coast are numerous ports ; the more important, from south 

 to north, are Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, Talcahnano, Antofagasta and 

 Iquique. 



2. Population. — This is chiefly of European origin. The original race 

 of Indians or Araucans, who are still in a backward state of civiUsation, 

 have become few, and will probably soon disappar altogether. According 

 to the census of 1907, there were 101,000 of them all told, concentrated in 

 a little tract in the south called Araucania. 



The population of Chile has not increased very rapidly ; in 1835 it 

 amounted to 1,010,000 ; in 1910 it was calculated at 3,500,000 (i). The 

 census of 1907 showed an increase of. 1.52% as compared with the figures 

 given by the last held in 1895. This increase was due almost entirely to 

 births, for there is little immigration and it is even decreasing : (in 1908 

 there were 5,584 immigrants ; in 1910, 2,543 ; in 1913, 622 ; in 1912, 1,599). 



The distribution of the population is much influenced by the geograph- 

 ical and physical conditions ; in the northern zone, warm and above all 

 rich in mines, and in the southern zone, cold and pastoral, the density is 

 very low (from i to 1.2 per square km.) ; in the middle zone, temperate 

 and agricultural, the density is highest (from 35 to 55 per sq. km.) Here are 

 found the most populous cities, Santiago (350,000 inhabitants), Valparaiso 

 (175,000 inhabitants), Concepcion (60,000 inhabitants). 



There is a marked tendency towards concentration in cities ; according 

 to the census of 1885, the rtiral population was double the urban, v/hile, 

 according to the census of 1895 and that of 1907, the urban population was 

 respectively 39 % and 43 % of the total. 



The number of strangers, computed at 135,000, form only 4 % of the 

 population, and are chiefly Bolivians and Peruvians (in all about 50,000): 

 Other nationalities most largely represented are Spanish, Italian, English 

 and Erench. According to the census of 1895, the total number of foreigners 

 was only 79,000. 



The working population is calculated at 1,250,000 individuals thus 

 divided : 



(i) It is thought the figures given by the census fall short of tlie truth. In fact the popul- 

 ation of Chili is calculated at 4,000,000 at least. 



