Neptune's Needle

City, (cap.) Valparaiso comuna (1992 pop. 276,737), prov. and Valparaiso region, central Chile; 33º02'S 71º36'W. It is the chief port of Chile and the terminus of a transandean RR. An important industrial center; mfg. (textiles, shoes and leather goods, paint, and chemicals). From a narrow waterfront terrace, steep hills rise to make Valparaiso an amphitheater, with wharves and business quarters at the base and residential sects. above. So steep is the ascent that funicular RRs are used. The city faces a wide bay, which, although partly protected by breakwaters, often carries severe N gales in winter. However, Valparaiso’s climate is generally mild, and thousands of tourists visit the region, particularly nearby Vila del Mar. It has several museums, a Catholic univ., a technical school, and a naval acad. Valparaiso was founded in 1536 by the Span. conquistador Juan de Saavedra but was not permanently est. here until 1544 by Pedro de Valdivia. It was frequently raided by Eng. and Du. pirates throughout the 16th and 17th cents. Relatively unimportant in colonial times, the city grew in the late 19th cent.

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Peter Richards