The French in Chile ( French: Français du Chili ) are an ethnic group of citizens of Chile, historically or ethnically related to France . Between 1840 and 1940, between 20,000 and 25,000 French immigrated to Chile. The country ranked fourth in the number of French immigrants in South America after Argentina (239,000), Brazil (40,000) and Uruguay (more than 25,000).
| French in Chile | |
|---|---|
| Total: 520,000 | |
| Tongue | Spanish , French , Basque |
| Religion | Catholicism |
| Related peoples | French , French Canadians , French Argentines, French Uruguayans |
Content
History
The French appeared in Chile in the 18th century, arriving in Concepcion as merchants, and in the mid-19th century to cultivate viticulture in the Longitudinal Valley , which became the birthplace of the world-famous Chilean wine. The region of Araucania also plays an important role in the life of the French diaspora, since French settlers arrived here in the second half of the 19th century, becoming farmers and merchants. Thanks to a kindred Latin culture, French immigrants quickly assimilated into Chilean society.
80% of French emigrants who emigrated to Chile from 1840 to 1940 came from southwestern France, especially from the Atlantic Pyrenees ( Basque Country and Bearn ), Gironde , Charente and Charente Maritime , as well as from the area between the departments of Jer and Dordogne .
Most French immigrants settled in the country between 1875 and 1895. Between October 1882 and December 1897, 8413 Frenchmen settled in Chile, accounting for 23% of all immigrants of that period (second only to the Spaniards). In 1863, 2,650 French citizens were registered in Chile. At the end of the century, there were already almost 30,000. According to the census of 1865, out of 83,220 foreigners living in Chile, 6,483 were French, second only to the Germans and the British. In 1875, the diaspora grew to 3 thousand, which amounted to 12% of the nearly 85 thousand foreigners in the country. It was estimated that 10 thousand French people living in Chile in 1912, accounted for 7% of the 149,400 French people living in Latin America.
During World War II, a group of more than 10,000 Chileans of French descent joined the Free French Forces and fought for the liberation of France.
Today, it is estimated that more than half a million Chileans are of French descent, among them former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet and former dictator Augusto Pinochet . A large number of politicians, businessmen and artists in the country also have French roots.
Famous Franco-Chileans
- Andres Allamand, politician, Minister of Defense (2011-2012)
- Alberto Bachelet, Air Force General
- Michelle Bachelet , ex-president of Chile (2006—2010)
- Bartolome Blanchet, Army General and Interim President of Chile (1932)
- Cesar Kaye, actor
- Alberto Fuyu , former footballer and sports commentator
- Alberto Fuguet , writer
- Augusto d'Almar, writer
- Orlando Letellier , economist and diplomat , Minister of Foreign and Internal Affairs in the Allende Government,
- Rene Letelier , chess player
- Fernando Martel, soccer player
- Cecilia Morel, current first lady of Chile (2010 -)
- Magdalena Petit, writer
- Augusto Pinochet , Army General and Military Dictator (1973-1990)
- Lucia Pinochet, politician
- Jaime Ravinet , Minister of Defense of Chile, Mayor of Santiago
- Renee Schneider Chereau , Army General
- Luis Suberkasiouks , diplomat and athlete
- Gabriel Valdes Subercaso , politician