2008 Edition

Background

Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

Area

total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km water: 8,150 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Climate

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

Coastline

6,435 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Environment - current issues

widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%) per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Geography - 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

Irrigated land

19,000 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 6,339 km border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km

Land use

arable land: 2.62% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.95% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Natural resources

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

922 cu km (2000)

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,987,962/female 1,899,489) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 5,556,867/female 5,563,666) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 602,789/female 843,370) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

14.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups

white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

26,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.15 years male: 73.88 years female: 80.59 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 95.8% female: 95.6% (2002 census)

Median age

total: 31.1 years male: 30.1 years female: 32.1 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

16,454,143 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.905% (2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Capital

name: Santiago geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March

Constitution

11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Paul E. SIMONS embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746

Executive branch

chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

FAX

[1] (202) 887-5579 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

[56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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 representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence note: design was influenced by the US flag

Government type

republic

Independence

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

International organization participation

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

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; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8), independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI 34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate - seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD 57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20), independent 10.

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC (including National Renewal or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy (Concertacion) or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Soledad ALVEAR], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA Medina], Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER]; Humanist Party [Marilen CABRERA Olmos]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Budget

revenues: $44.96 billion expenditures: $30.51 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8.67% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code

CLP

Current account balance

$7.2 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$57.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

54.9 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$0 (2006)

Economy - overview

Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Between 2000 and 2007 growth ranged between 2%-6%. Throughout these years Chile maintained a low rate of inflation with GDP growth coming from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and growing domestic consumption. President BACHELET in 2006 established an Economic and Social Stabilization Fund to hold excess copper revenues so that social spending can be maintained during periods of copper shortfalls. This fund probably surpassed $20 billion at the end of 2007. Chile continues to attract foreign direct investment, but most foreign investment goes into gas, water, electricity and mining. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the past two years, dropping to 7.8% and 7.0% at the end of 2006 and 2007, respectively. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico.

Electricity - consumption

45.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

50.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)

Exchange rates

Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003)

Exports

$67.64 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

Exports - partners

China 14.8%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.5%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea 5.7%, Italy 5.1%, Brazil 5% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4.8% industry: 51.2% services: 44% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,300 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.1% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$163.8 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$232.8 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 45% (2003)

Imports

$43.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas

Imports - partners

US 16.7%, China 11.2%, Brazil 10.3%, Argentina 9.9% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

11.1% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

7.167 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$174.6 billion (2006)

Natural gas - consumption

4.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

1.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

253,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

32,500 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - production

11,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

150 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

18.2% (2005)

Public debt

4.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$16.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$24.68 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$91.49 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$127.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$16.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$80.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

7% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.cl

Internet hosts

847,215 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

7 (2000)

Internet users

5.57 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 180 (8 inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (1 inactive) (1998)

Radios

5.18 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching a level of 85 telephones per 100 persons domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

3.379 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

13.955 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

3.15 million (1997)

Airports

358 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 79 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 19 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 279 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 216 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 44 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 7, chemical tanker 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3 registered in other countries: 40 (Argentina 7, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Isle of Man 6, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 2, Panama 12, Singapore 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 2,550 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,002 km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Coronel, Huasco, Lirquen, Puerto Ventanas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Valparaiso

Railways

total: 6,585 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 80,505 km paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways) unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 4,242,912 females age 16-49: 4,182,509 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 3,542,448 females age 16-49: 3,500,059 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 147,518 female: 141,139 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes naval air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh), Carabineros Corps (Cuerpo de Carabineros) (2008)

Military expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained; service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2008)

Disputes - international

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reinvigorated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile has offered instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and other commodities; Chile rejects Peru's unilateral legislation to change its latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis favoring Peru, in October 2007, Peru took its maritime complaint with Chile to the ICJ; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a recent anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008