2023 Edition

Background

Indigenous groups inhabited central and southern Chile for several thousands of years, living in mixed pastoralist and settled communities, ending with the Inca ruling the north of the country for nearly a century prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. The Captaincy General of Chile was founded by the Spanish in 1541, lasting until Chile declared its independence in 1810. The subsequent struggle became tied to other South American independence conflicts, with a decisive victory over the Spanish not being achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its current northernmost regions. By the 1880s, the Chilean central government cemented its control over the central and southern regions inhabited by Mapuche Indigenous peoples. Between 1891 and 1973, a series of elected governments succeeded each other until the three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Economic reforms, maintained consistently since the 1980s, contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and 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

land

743,812 sq km

note

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

total

756,102 sq km

water

12,290 sq km

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

highest point

Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,893 m (highest volcano in the world)

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

1,871 m

Geographic coordinates

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: the longest north-south trending country in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude; strategic location relative to sea lanes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage) note 2: Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: the Atacama Desert - the driest desert in the world - spreads across the northern part of the country; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere - its small crater lake (at 6,390 m) is the world's highest lake

Irrigated land

11,100 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Argentina 6,691 km; Bolivia 942 km; Peru 168 km

total

7,801 km

Land use

agricultural land

21.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)

forest

21.9% (2018 est.)

other

57% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago General Carrera (shared with Argentina) - 2,240 sq km; Lago O'Higgins (shared with Argentina) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Llanquihue - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Argentina) - 590 sq km

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200/350 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamisvolcanism: significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

19.34% (male 1,829,801/female 1,758,137)

15-64 years

67.56% (male 6,259,566/female 6,273,074)

65 years and over

13.09% (2023 est.) (male 1,024,692/female 1,404,187)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.5% (2014)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

76.3% (2015/16)

Current health expenditure

9.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Chile is in the advanced stages of demographic transition and is becoming an aging society—with fertility below replacement level, low mortality rates, and life expectancy on par with developed countries. The share of older, those 65 and early, people may exceed 65% by 2065. Nevertheless, with its dependency ratio nearing its low point, Chile could benefit from its favorable age structure. It will need to keep its large working-age population productively employed, while preparing to provide for the needs of its growing proportion of elderly people, especially as women—the traditional caregivers—increasingly enter the workforce. Over the last two decades, Chile has made great strides in reducing its poverty rate, but income inequality remains persistent in large part because a lack of a lack of access to quality education. Chile has been both a country of emigration and immigration. After becoming independent in 1810, Chile began seeking out immigrants from Europe to establish factories and to populate the southern part of the country.  Following the two World Wars, fears of an influx of refugees prompted Chile to stop encouraging European immigration. However, Arab immigration increased between 1907 and 1940.  During the Pinochet dictatorship that began in 1973, hundreds of thousands of Chileans emigrated, adding to the thousands who had left in the 1950s.  At the same time, the repressiveness of the Pinochet regime discouraged the arrival of new immigrants.  With the return of democracy and improving economic stability in 1990, some emigrants returned and new immigrants arrived from other South American countries experiencing deteriorating economic and political conditions. Immigration became more diverse starting in the 2010s, with the arrival of Haitians and Colombians of African descent.  However, the largest group of recent immigrants are Venezuelans fleeing their country’s socio-economic and political crisis.  As of 2020, almost one-third of Chile’s immigrant population are Venezuelan, while other top source countries continue to be Peru, Haiti, and Colombia.  Nearly 1.5 million immigrants account for almost 9% of Chile’s total population, as of 2020.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

18.4

potential support ratio

5.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.2

youth dependency ratio

26.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Ethnic groups

White and non-Indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other Indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.86 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, Indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2012 est.)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.1 years

male

77 years

total population

80 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97% (2021)

male

97.1%

total population

97%

Major urban areas - population

6.903 million SANTIAGO (capital), 1.009 million Valparaiso, 912,000 Concepcion (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

15 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

37.8 years

male

35.4 years

total

36.6 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Chilean

noun

Chilean(s)

Net migration rate

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28% (2016)

Physicians density

2.84 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

18,549,457 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

Population growth rate

0.63% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 60%, Evangelical 18%, atheist or agnostic 4%, none 17% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

16 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

26.8% (2020 est.)

male

31.6% (2020 est.)

total

29.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.75 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

88% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

16 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aysen, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica), Maule, Nuble, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso

note

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in August; ends second Sunday in May; note - Punta Arenas observes DST throughout the year

etymology

Santiago is named after the biblical figure Saint James (ca. A.D. 3-44), patron saint of Spain, but especially revered in Galicia; "Santiago" derives from the local Galician evolution of the Vulgar Latin "Sanctu Iacobu"; Valparaiso derives from the Spanish "Valle Paraiso" meaning "Paradise Valley"

geographic coordinates

33 27 S, 70 40 W

name

Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature

time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Magallanes region, which does not use daylight savings time and remains at UTC-3 for the summer months; and Easter Island at UTC-5

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by members of either house of the National Congress or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of the membership in both houses and approval by the president; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, the Constitutional Tribunal, electoral justice, the Council of National Security, or the constitutional amendment process, requires at least two-third majority vote by both houses of Congress and approval by the president; the president can opt to hold a referendum when Congress and the president disagree on an amendment; amended many times, last in 2020

history

many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; a referendum held on 4 September 2022 to implement a new constitution was defeated by nearly 62% of voters; a second 50-member constitutional council  elected in early May 2023 is charged with producing another draft constitution for submission to a national referendum by 17 December 2023

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Chile

conventional short form

Chile

etymology

derivation of the name is unclear, but it may come from the Mapuche word "chilli" meaning "limit of the earth" or from the Quechua "chiri" meaning "cold"

local long form

República de Chile

local short form

Chile

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Bernadette M. MEEHAN (since 30 September 2022)

email address and website

SantiagoUSA@state.govhttps://cl.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago

FAX

[56] (2) 2330-3710

mailing address

3460 Santiago Place, Washington DC  20521-3460

telephone

[56] (2) 2330-3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Juan Gabriel VALDES Soublette (since 7 June 2022)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

echile.eeuu@minrel.gob.clhttps://chile.gob.cl/estados-unidos/en/

FAX

[1] (202) 887-5579

telephone

[1] (202) 785-1746

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

2021: Gabriel BORIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Antonio KAST (FSC) 27.9%; Gabriel BORIC (AD) 25.8%; Franco PARISI (PDG) 12.8%; Sebastian SICHEL (ChP+) 12.8%; Yasna PROVOSTE (New Social Pact) 11.6%; other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Gabriel BORIC 55.9%; Jose Antonio KAST 44.1%2017: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique (independent) 36.6%; Alejandro GUILLIER (independent) 22.7%; Beatriz SANCHEZ (independent) 20.3%; Jose Antonio KAST (independent) 7.9%; Carolina GOIC (PDC) 5.9%; Marco ENRIQUEZ-OMINAMI (PRO) 5.7%; other 0.9%; percent of vote in second round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 54.6%, Alejandro GUILLIER 45.4%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 21 November 2021 with a runoff held on 19 December 2021 (next to be held on 23 November 2025 with runoff if needed on 20 December)

head of government

President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022)

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

note: design influenced by the US flag

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of a court president and 20 members or ministros); Constitutional Court (consists of 10 members and is independent of the rest of the judiciary); Elections Qualifying Court (consists of 5 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president and judges (ministers) appointed by the president of the republic and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 by the Supreme Court, 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the Chamber of Deputies, and 2 by the Senate; members serve 9-year terms with partial membership replacement every 3 years (the court reviews constitutionality of legislation); Elections Qualifying Court members appointed by lottery - 1 by the former president or vice president of the Senate and 1 by the former president or vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Appellate Court of Valparaiso; members appointed for 4-year terms

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; oral criminal tribunals; military tribunals; local police courts; specialized tribunals and courts in matters such as family, labor, customs, taxes, and electoral affairs

Legal system

civil law system influenced by several West European civil legal systems; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Tribunal

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Senate or Senado (50 seats); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 8-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 4 years)Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (155 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ChP+ 12 (RN 5, UDI 5, EVOPOLI 2), NPS 8 (PS 4, PPD 2, PDC 2), PLR 1, AD 4 (PCCh 2, FREVS 2) independent 2; note - total composition of the Senate as of 1 May 2022: seats by party - ChP+ 24 (RN 12, UDI 9, EVOPOLI 3), NPS 18 (PS 7, PPD 6, PDC 5), AD 6 (PCCh 2, FREVS 2, RD 2), PLR 1, independent 1; composition - men 38, women 12, percent of women 24%Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ChP+ 53 (RN 25, UDI 23, EVOPOLI 4, PRI 1), AD 37 (PCCh 12, CS 9, RD 8, Commons 6, FREVS 2), NPS 37 (PS 13, PDC 8, PPD 7, PL 4, PRSD 4, CIU 1), FSC 15 (PLR 14, PCC 1), PDG 6, PH 3, PEV 2, IU 1, independent 1; composition - men 100, women 55, percent of women 35.5%; note - overall National Congress percent of women 32.7%

elections

Senate - last held on 21 November 2021 (next to be held on 23 November 2025)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 21 November 2021 (next to be held on 23 November 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle

name

"Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile)

note

note: music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET's military rule, a verse glorifying the army was added; however, as a protest, some citizens refused to sing this verse; it was removed when democracy was restored in 1990

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Rapa Nui National Park; Churches of Chiloe; Historic Valparaiso; Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works; Sewell Mining Town; Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System; Chinchorro archeological sites

total World Heritage Sites

7 (all cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

National symbol(s)

huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor; national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

Approve Dignity (Apruebo Dignidad) coalition or AD (includes PC, FA, and FREVS) [Gabriel BORIC]Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, CS, and Comunes) [Gonzalo WINTER]Broad Social Movement of Leftist Citizens (includes former MAS and Izquierda Ciudadana) [Fernando ZAMORANO]Chile We Can Do More or ChP+ [Sebastian SICHEL] (coalition includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI)Christian Conservative Party or PCC [Antaris VARELA]Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Carmen FREI Ruiz-Tagle]Christian Social Front or FSC [Jose Antonio KAST] (includes PCC, PLR)Citizens or CIU [María Ignacia GOMEZ Martinez]Commons (Comunes) [Jorge RAMIREZ] Communist Party of Chile or PCCh [Guillermo TEILLIER del Valle]Democratic Revolution or RD [Margarita PORTUGUEZ]Green Ecological Party or PEV [Felix GONZALEZ] (dissolved 7 February 2022)Humanist Party or PH [Octavio GONZALEZ]Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Javier MACAYA]Independent Regionalist Democratic Party or PRI [Hugo ORTIZ de Filippi]Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL [Patricio MORALES]National Renewal or RN [Francisco CHAHUAN]New Social Pact or NPS [Yasna PROVOSTE] (includes PDC, PL, PPD, PRSD, PS)Party for Democracy or PPD [Natalia PERGIENTILI Domenech]Party of the People or PDG [Franco Aldo PARISI Fernandez]Political Evolution or EVOPOLI [Luz POBLETE Coddou]Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Carlos MALDONADO Curti]Republican Party or PLR [Rojo EDWARDS]Social Convergence or CS [Alondra ARELLANO Hernandez]Social Green Regionalist Federation or FREVS [Flavia TORREALBA Diaz]Socialist Party or PS [Alvaro Antonio ELIZALDE Soto]United Independents or IU [Cristian Alejandro CONTRERAS Radovic]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

grapes, apples, wheat, sugar beet, milk, potatoes, tomatoes, maize, poultry, pork

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

16% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$73.176 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$55.16 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

A- (2020)

Moody's rating

A1 (2018)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

A+ (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$14.505 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$4.283 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$20.307 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$181.089 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$193.298 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

export-driven economy; leading copper producer; though hit by COVID-19, fairly quick rebound from increased liquidity and rapid vaccine rollouts; decreasing poverty but still lingering inequality; public debt rising but still manageable; recent political violence has had negative economic consequences

Exchange rates

Currency

Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

648.834 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

641.277 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

702.897 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

792.727 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

758.955 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$77.255 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$79.733 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$100.634 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

copper, fish fillets, wood pulp, pitted fruits, wine (2021)

Exports - partners

China 32%, United States 14%, Japan 9%, South Korea 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

28.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14% (2017 est.)

household consumption

62.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-27% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

4.2% (2017 est.)

industry

32.8% (2017 est.)

services

63% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$282.655 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

44.9 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

41.5% (2013 est.)

lowest 10%

1.7%

Imports

Imports 2019

$82.324 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$68.118 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$102.086 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)

Imports - partners

China 24%, United States 20%, Brazil 8%, Germany 5%, Argentina 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

5.06% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.56% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.05% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.52% (2021 est.)

Labor force

8.684 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.6% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

21% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

23.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$472.495 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$444.249 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$496.085 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

0.77% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-5.98% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

11.67% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$24,800 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$23,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$25,400 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$40.656 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$39.166 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$51.252 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.24% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

7.29% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

11.18% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

9.13% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

22.8%

male

20.4%

total

21.4% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

24.217 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

12.888 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

51.228 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

88.333 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

10.573 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

134,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

10.607 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

542,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

1.181 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

75.302 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

29.808 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.62 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

5.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

51.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

26% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

9.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

6.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

81.953 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

6,558,312,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

4,602,471,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

1,109,962,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

97.976 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

172,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

150 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

361,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

11,900 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

7,359 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

166,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

216,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2020 est.)

total

3,763,826 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

national and local terrestrial TV channels, coupled with extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising revenues and is not under direct government control; large number of privately owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations

Internet country code

.cl

Internet users

percent of population

90% (2021 est.)

total

17.1 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

number of fixed-line connections 13 per 100, mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching 136 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

the market for fixed and mobile telephony is highly competitive and rapidly evolving; the mobile rate is among the highest in South America; LTE infrastructure is extensive and 5G spectrum auctions which took place in February 2021 are expected to prompt the deployment of 5G networks by the end of the year, following extensive trials held by the MNOs; fixed broadband is relatively high for the region, with services among the fastest and least expensive in Latin America; government initiatives such as the National Fiber Optic project and Fibra Óptica Austral are providing high-capacity connectivity across the country and will further increase fixed-line broadband; there is a strong focus on fiber broadband, with the number of fiber subscribers having increased 61.7% in 2020, year-on-year; technological improvements have allowed operators to provide a variety of services via their networks, giving rise to a number of bundled packages at competitive prices, including access to video on demand services which in turn is increasing fixed-line broadband; traditional fixed-line teledensity continues to fall as consumers switch to mobile networks and to fixed broadband for voice and data connectivity; more than 8,300 schools receive free broadband as part of the ‘Connectivity for Education 2030’ project (2021)

international

country code - 56; landing points for the Pan-Am, Prat, SAm-1, American Movil-Telxius West Coast Cable, FOS Quellon-Chacabuco, Fibra Optical Austral, SAC and Curie submarine cables providing links to the US, Caribbean and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

2,510,972 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

136 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

26,571,823 (2021 est.)

Airports

481 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

90

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

391

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CC

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 4, container ship 5, general cargo 64, oil tanker 14, other 152

total

239 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,226,440,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

19,517,185 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

173

number of registered air carriers

9 (2020)

Pipelines

3,160 km gas, 781 km liquid petroleum gas, 985 km oil, 722 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

San Antonio (1,840,458), Valparaiso (793,118) (2021)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Mejillones, Quintero

major seaport(s)

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

Railways

broad gauge

3,428 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge (1,691 km electrified)

narrow gauge

3,853.5 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

7,281.5 km (2014)

Roadways

total

77,801 km (2016)

Transportation - note

Chile operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreaker for operations in Antarctica and the Southern Oceannote - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel: PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm); PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Military - note

the Chilean military is a professional volunteer force that is regarded as one of the top militaries in the region; it is responsible for territorial defense and ensuring the country’s sovereignty; the military also assists with disaster and humanitarian relief and some internal security duties such as border security or maintaining public order if required; a key focus in recent years has been securing the border area with Bolivia and Peru; it trains regularly and participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, as well as international peacekeeping operations the Chilean Army was founded in 1810, but traces its origins back to the Army of the Kingdom of Chile, which was established by the Spanish Crown in the early 1600s; the current Army has 6 divisions, an aviation brigade, and a special operations command; the divisions are comprised of a mix of armored, light infantry, mechanized infantry, motorized infantry, and mountain infantry brigades, regiments, and detachments; Chile's military aviation was inaugurated in 1913 with the creation of a military aviation school; the modern Air Force has about 200 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, including about 50 US-made fightersthe Navy traces its origins to 1817; it was first led by a British officer and its first ships were largely crewed by American, British, and Irish sailors; by the 1880s, the Chilean Navy was one of the most powerful in the Americas, and included the world’s first protected cruiser (a ship with an armored deck to protect vital machine spaces); today, its principle warships are 8 frigates, 4 offshore patrol ships, a landing platform dock (LPD) amphibious assault ship, 4 attack submarines, and a few missile attack craft, supported by dozens of coastal patrol boats; the Navy also has marine amphibious infantry brigade and an aviation force with maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraftChile and Argentina have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of two battalions, one from each country, a command and service company, an air component (a squadron of Argentine and Chilean helicopters), a naval component, and a combined logistics support unit (2023)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes marine units and coast guard or Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh) (2023)

note

note: the National Police Force (Carabineros de Chile) are responsible to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 75,000 active armed forces personnel (45,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Chilean military inventory is comprised of a wide mix of mostly Western equipment and some domestically produced systems; in recent years, it has received military hardware from a variety of countries, including Australia, the UK, and the US; Chile's defense industry has capabilities in military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; selective compulsory service (there are usually enough volunteers to make compulsory service unnecessary); service obligation is a minimum of 12 months for Army and 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2023)

note

note: as of 2021, women comprised approximately 18% of the armed forces

Disputes - international

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated 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 natural gas; 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 Southern Patagonian Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; some money laundering activity, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

457,324 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)

Space agency/agencies

the Chilean Space Agency was established in 2001 and dissolved in 2014, at which time the space program became part of the Ministry of Defense; the Ministry of Science also participates in Chile’s space program (2023)

Space program overview

has a space program with a considerable history and largely focused on the acquisition and operation of satellites; operates foreign-built satellites and satellite ground stations; building small remote sensing (RS) satellites; researching and developing additional capabilities and technologies associated with the production of satellites and satellite sub-systems; is a world leader in astronomy and astrophysics (Chile’s Atacama Desert, where the skies are exceptionally clear and dry for more than 300 days a year, is home to more than a dozen astronomical observatories including the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the Las Campanas Observatory, and the European Southern Observatory); Chile is also home to several astronomy institutes; has established relations with space agencies and industries of Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Mexico, Russia, the UK, and the US (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

85.82 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

15.97 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

20.49 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; noise pollution; improper garbage disposal; soil degradation; widespread deforestation and mining threaten the environment; wildlife conservation

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

21.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.8% (2018 est.)

forest

21.9% (2018 est.)

other

57% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago General Carrera (shared with Argentina) - 2,240 sq km; Lago O'Higgins (shared with Argentina) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Llanquihue - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Argentina) - 590 sq km

Revenue from coal

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.49% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

923.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

29.42 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

1.66 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

1.29 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

88% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

6.517 million tons (2009 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

24,113 tons (2009 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

0.4% (2009 est.)