Harman Patil (Editor)

Metrication in Chile

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Chile adopted the metric system in 1848. Previously, the Spanish system of measures was used.

Contents

History

Since colonization, Chile had always used a unit system based on the Spanish customary units. In 1843, a law was passed formalizing it, and defining its fundamental unit, the vara, as a fraction of a metre.

Later, during the presidency of Manuel Bulnes, a law was passed on 29 January 1848 was passed, adopting the Metric System. Finally, Chile signed the Metre Convention in 1908.

Exceptions in the 20th century

For a long time, all refrigerators were labeled in cubic feet. This changed around 1990, and since then they have since been labeled in litres.

Current exceptions

  • Lumber and pipes are sold in metric length, but their width, thickness and diameter are measured in inches.
  • Nails are measured in inches, but weighed by the kilogram.
  • Yarn is normally sold in yards.
  • Paint cans are usually sold in American gallons and fractions of it.
  • Television sets and displays of any kind have their diagonal measures stated in inches.
  • Tire pressure is measured in psi.
  • The most common paper size is letter (carta). A4 paper is seldomly used.
  • The price of copper, Chile's main export, is usually quoted in dollars per pound.
  • In the Chiloé islands, the almud (a Spanish unit) is used as a volume measurement for "drys" (between six or eight litres).

    • References

    Metrication in Chile Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA