1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

30 00 S, 71 00 W -- Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

land area

748,800 sq km

note

includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez

total area

756,950 sq km

Climate

temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south

Coastline

6,435 km

Environment

current issues

air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification

international agreements

party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Geographic coordinates

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Geographic note

strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

International 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 and British claims

Irrigated land

12,650 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

total

6,171 km

Land use

arable land

7%

forest and woodland

21%

meadows and pastures

16%

other

56%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

Map references

South America

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

Terrain

low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

highest point

Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 29% (male 2,071,816; female 2,041,417) 15-64 years: 65% (male 4,599,173; female 4,651,030) 65 years and over: 6% (male 403,019; female 566,803) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

18.09 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.68 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

European and European-Indian 95%, Indian 3%, other 2%

Infant mortality rate

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.72 years (1996 est.)

male

71.26 years

total population

74.49 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

95%

male

95.4%

total population

95.2%

Nationality

adjective

Chilean

noun

Chilean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

14,333,258 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.24% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.23 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997); results - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 53.95% (PDC 27.16%, PS 12.01%, PPD 11.82%, PR 2.96%), Union for the Progress of Chile 30.57% (RN 15.25%, UDI 12.13%, UCC 3.19%); seats - (120 total) Coalition of Parties for Democracy 70 (PDC 37, PPD 15, PR 2, PS 15, left-wing independent 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 47 (RN 30, UDI 15, UCC 2), right-wing independents 3

Constitution

11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989

Data code

CI

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador John BIEHL del Rio

telephone

[1] (202) 785-1746

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994) elected for a four-year term by popular vote; election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997); results - Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%, other 17.6%

FAX

[1] (202) 887-5579

[56] (2) 330-3710

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

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)

International organization participation

APEC, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate member), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are appointed by the president, the president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 17-member court

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; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Chile

conventional short form

Chile

local long form

Republica de Chile

local short form

Chile

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Other political or pressure groups

revitalized university student federations at all major universities; labor - United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church

Political parties and leaders

Coalition of Parties for Democracy (CPD) consists mainly of: Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Alejandro FOXLEY; Socialist Party (PS), Camilo ESCALONA; Party for Democracy (PPD), Jorge SCHAULSOHN, Radical Party (PR); Union for the

Progress of Chile (UPP) consists mainly of three parties

National Renewal (RN), Andres ALLAMAND; Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jovino NOVOA; Center Center Union (UCCP), Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ

Senate (Senado)

election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total, 38 elected) Coalition of Parties for Democracy 21 (PDC 13, PS 4, PPD 3, PR 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 15 (RN 11, UDI 3, UCC 1), right-wing independents 10

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Gabriel GUERRA-MONDRAGON

embassy

Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Santiago

mailing address

use street address

telephone

[56] (2) 232-2600

Agriculture

wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; timber; 1991 fish catch of 6.6 million metric tons

Budget

expenditures

$17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

revenues

$17 billion

Currency

1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $62 million (1993)

Economic overview

Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market economy, with the degree of government intervention varying according to the philosophy of the different regimes. Under the center-left government of President AYLWIN, which took power in March 1990, spending on social welfare rose steadily. At the same time business investment, exports, and consumer spending also grew substantially. The new president, FREI, who took office in March 1994, has emphasized social spending even more. Growth in real GDP in 1991-95 has averaged more than 6.5% annually, with an estimated one million Chileans having moved out of poverty in the last four years. Copper remains vital to the health of the economy; Chile is the world's largest producer and exporter of copper. Success in meeting the government's goal of sustained annual economic growth of 5% depends on world copper prices, the level of confidence of foreign investors and creditors, and the government's own ability to maintain a conservative fiscal stance.

Electricity

capacity

4,810,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,499 kWh (1993)

production

22 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 408.64 (December 1995), 396.78 (1995), 420.08 (1994), 404.35 (1993), 362.59 (1992), 349.37 (1991)

Exports

$15.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

copper 41%, other metals and minerals 8.7%, wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1991)

partners

EU 25%, US 15%, Asia 34%, Latin America 20% (1995 est.)

External debt

$21.1 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $113.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

7.4%

industry

36.4%

services

56.2% (1985)

GDP per capita

$8,000 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

8.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

a minor transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe; booming economy has made it more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits

Imports

$14.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7%

partners

EU 18%, US 25%, Asia 16%, Latin America 26% (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

4.3% (1993 est.)

Industries

copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.1% (1995 est.)

Labor force

4.728 million

by occupation

services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%, construction 6.4% (1990)

Unemployment rate

5.4% (1995 est.)

Branches

Army of the Nation, National Navy (includes Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigations Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $970 million, 2.0% of GDP (1994 est.)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

3,808,655

males fit for military service

2,832,198

males reach military age (19) annually

123,443 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 159, FM 0, shortwave 11

Radios

NA

Telephone system

modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities

domestic

extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

1.5 million (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

131

Televisions

2.85 million (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

344

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

17

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

5

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

16

with paved runways over 3 047 m

5

with paved runways under 914 m

220

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

10

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

68 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

10,984 km

total

79,593 km

unpaved

68,609 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 11, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 2, container 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, vehicle carrier 2 (1995 est.)

total

37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 529,512 GRT/925,364 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320 km

Ports

Antofagasta, Arica, Chanarol, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso

Railways

broad gauge

3,743 km 1.676-m gauge (1,653 km electrified)

narrow gauge

116 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,923 km 1.000-m gauge (40 km electrified) (1995)

total

6,782 km

Waterways

725 km