1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south
Coastline
6,435 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Disputes
short section of the southern boundary with Argentina is indefinite; Bolivia has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Bolivia over Rio Lauca water rights; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine claim
Environment
subject to severe earthquakes, active volcanism, tsunami; Atacama Desert one of world's driest regions; desertification
Land boundaries
6,171 km total; Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Land use
arable land 7%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 16%; forest and woodland 21%; other 56%; includes irrigated 2%
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm; Continental shelf: 200 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum
Note
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)
Terrain
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Total area
756,950 km2; land area: 748,800 km2; includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez
People and Society
Birth rate
21 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
European and European-Indian 95%, Indian 3%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate
18 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
3,840,000; services 38.6% (includes government 12%) 38.6%; industry and commerce 31.3%; agriculture, forestry, and fishing 15.9%; mining 8.7%; construction 4.4% (1985)
Language
Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
70 years male, 77 years female (1991)
Literacy
93% (male 94%, female 93%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun--Chilean(s); adjective--Chilean
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
11% of labor force (1990)
Population
13,286,620 (July 1991), growth rate 1.5% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, and small Jewish population
Total fertility rate
2.5 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
13 regions (regiones, singular--region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso; note--the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Capital
Santiago
Communists
The PCCh is currently in the process of regaining legal party status and has less than 60,000 members
Constitution
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Patricio SILVA Echenique; Chancery at 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 785-1746; there are Chilean Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco; US--Ambassador Charles A. GILLESPIE, Jr.; Embassy at Codina Building, 1343 Agustinas, Santiago (mailing address is APO Miami 34033); telephone [56] (2) 710133 or 710190, 710326, 710375
Elections
President--last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993 or January 1994); results--Patricio AYLWIN (PDC) 55.2%, Hernan BUCHI 29.4%, other 15.4%; Senate--last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993 or January 1994); seats--(46 total, 38 elected) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 22 (PDC 13, PPD 5, PR 2, PSD 1, PRSD 1), RN 6, UDI 2, independents 8; Chamber of Deputies--last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993 or January 1994); seats--(120 total) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 72 (PDC 38, PPD 17, PR 5, other 12), RN 29, UDI 11, right-wing independents 8
Executive branch
president, Cabinet
Flag
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag
Independence
18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Patricio AYLWIN (since 11 March 1990)
Legal system
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of an upper house or Senate (Senado) and a lower house or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
Long-form name
Republic of Chile
Member of
CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Other political or pressure groups
revitalized university student federations at all major universities dominated by opposition political groups; labor--United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five-largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church
Political parties and leaders
Concertation of Parties for Democracy now consists mainly of six parties--Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Andres ZALDIVAR; Party for Democracy (PPD), Erich SCHNAKE; Radical Party (PR), Mario ASTORGA; Democratic Socialist Radical Party (PRSD), Jorge IBANEZ; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Rene ABELIUK; and Socialist Party, Jorge ARRATE; National Renovation (RN), Andres ALLAMAND; Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Joaquin LAVIN; Communist Party of Chile (PCCh), Volodia TEITELBOIM; Movement of Revolutionary Left (MIR) is splintered, no single leader
Suffrage
universal and compulsory at age 18
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about 8% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); major exporter of fruit, fish, and timber products; major crops--wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, deciduous fruit; livestock products--beef, poultry, wool; self-sufficient in most foods; 1986 fish catch of 5.6 million metric tons net agricultural importer
Budget
revenues $6.6 billion; expenditures $7.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $575 million (1990 est.)
Currency
Chilean peso (plural--pesos); 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $521 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.4 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $386 million
Electricity
4,138,000 kW capacity; 17,784 million kWh produced, 1,360 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1--337.24 (January 1991), 305.06 (1990), 267.16 (1989), 245.05 (1988), 219.54 (1987), 193.02 (1986), 161.08 (1985)
Exports
$8.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--copper 48%, industrial products 33%, molybdenum, iron ore, wood pulp, fishmeal, fruits; partners--EC 34%, US 22%, Japan 10%, Brazil 7%
External debt
$18.4 billion (February 1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$26 billion, per capita $2,000; real growth rate 2.0% (1990)
Imports
$7.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--petroleum, wheat, capital goods, spare parts, raw materials; partners--EC 23%, US 20%, Japan 10%, Brazil 9%
Industrial production
growth rate 0% (1990); accounts for 30% of GDP
Industries
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
27.3% (1990)
Overview
In 1990 economic growth slowed from an average of 6.2% for the previous six years to about 1.5% as a result of tight monetary policy aimed at reducing inflation. Monetary policy was not successful at slowing price increases until the end of the year, however, and inflation, stimulated by higher world oil prices, increased to 27.3% in 1990 from 21.4% in 1989. Copper prices held strong in 1990, helping to maintain a balance-of-payments surplus and increase international reserves. Most observers expect that inflationary pressures have run their course and price increases will slow during 1991, contributing to growth of 4-5%.
Unemployment rate
5.6% (1990)
Communications
Airports
392 total, 353 usable; 50 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 55 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
22 major transport aircraft
Highways
79,025 km total; 9,913 km paved, 33,140 km gravel, 35,972 km improved and unimproved earth (1984)
Inland waterways
725 km
Merchant marine
35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 485,935 GRT/800,969 DWT; includes 14 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 3 combination ore/oil, 9 bulk; note--in addition, 2 naval tanker and 2 military transport are sometimes used commercially
Pipelines
crude oil, 755 km; refined products, 785 km; natural gas, 320 km
Ports
Antofagasta, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, San Antonio, Talcahuano, Arica
Railroads
8,613 km total; 4,257 km 1.676-meter gauge, 135 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 4,221 km 1.000-meter gauge; electrification, 1,865 km 1.676-meter gauge, 80 km 1.000-meter gauge
Telecommunications
modern telephone system based on extensive radio relay facilities; 768,000 telephones; stations--159 AM, no FM, 131 TV, 11 shortwave; satellite stations--2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic
Military and Security
Branches
Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile (National Police)
Defense expenditures
$737 million, 3% of GNP (1991 est.) _%_
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 3,544,962; 2,647,148 fit for military service; 119,511 reach military age (19) annually