Scottish Chilean

Scottish Chilean

Scottish Chileans are Chileans of Scottish descent who came from Scotland and in some cases, Scots-Irish people from Northern Ireland. A large proportion of Scottish Chileans are sheep farmers in the Magallanes region of the far south of the country, and the city of Punta Arenas has a large Scottish foundation dating back to the 18th century.

A famous Scot, Thomas, Lord Cochrane (later 10th Earl of Dundonald) formed the Chilean Navy to help liberate Chile from Spain in the independence period. Chile has developed a strong diplomatic relationship with Great Britain and to further invite more British settlers to the country in the 19th century.

The beach resort city Pichilemu, was developed by Agustín Ross Edwards of the Edwards family, a financially powerful family of Scottish and English descent prominent in Chilean society. In part of the region's Scottish settlement and leanings to British culture, Pichilemu was sometimes called Pequena Edinburgo or "Little Edinburgh" after Scotland's capital city.

The Chilean government land deals invited settlement from Scotland and Wales in its southern provinces in the 1840s and 1850s. The number of Scottish Chileans is still higher in Patagonia and Magallanes regions.

The Mackay School, in Viña del Mar is an example of a school set up by Scottish Chileans. The Scottish and other British Chileans are primarily found in higher education as well in economic management and the country's cultural life.