Chile

The oldest archaeological remains in Chile have been located in Monte Verde ( Los Lagos region ), circa 12800 BC. C., at the end of the Upper Paleolithic, making it the first known human settlement in America. In this period the Chinchorro culture stood out, developed in the north of the country between 5000 and 1700 BC. C., the first in the world to artificially mummify its dead.

The population of pre-Hispanic Chile increased from a few thousand Paleo - Indians in the 7th millennium BC. To 1,200,000 indigenous people in the 16th century. At that time, the current country was inhabited by various aboriginal cultures located in longitudinal strips, which even crossed the Andes mountain range and reached the Atlantic Ocean.

In the north of the country, the Aymara , Atacameños and Diaguitas established agricultural cultures strongly influenced by the Inca Empire as of the 11th century ; From the late 15th century, this empire dominated the northern half of present-day Chile up to the Maule River and established two wamanis or provinces: " Elki " and " Chili . On the coasts of the north and central areas, the chango people lived . South of the Aconcagua River , the different Mapuche groups settled, farmers and ranchers, who are the main indigenous group in the country. In the Patagonian channels, the Chonos , Kawésqar and Yaganes canoe nomads lived ; and in the Patagonian steppe, the terrestrial nomads Aónikenk and Selknam . On Easter Island, the Polynesian culture developed rapanui almost became extinct in the middle of the nineteenth century