Definition Field Listing Rank
Order
Background: |
A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown
in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime 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 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.
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Location: |
Southern
South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina
and Peru |
Geographic coordinates: |
30 00 S, 71
00 W |
Map references: |
South
America |
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 |
Land boundaries: |
total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina
5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km |
Coastline: |
6,435 km
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental
shelf: 200/350 nm |
Climate: |
temperate;
desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in
south |
Terrain: |
low coastal
mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east |
Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Ojos
del Salado 6,880 m |
Natural resources: |
copper,
timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
|
Land use: |
arable
land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.42% other:
96.93% (2001) |
Irrigated land: |
18,000 sq km
(1998 est.) |
Natural hazards: |
severe
earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis |
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 |
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 Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
Population: |
15,823,957
(July 2004 est.) |
Age structure: |
0-14
years: 25.8% (male 2,090,165; female 1,996,972) 15-64
years: 66.3% (male 5,235,061; female 5,261,820) 65 years
and over: 7.8% (male 515,698; female 724,241) (2004 est.) |
Median age: |
total: 29.8 years male: 28.9 years
female: 30.7 years (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate: |
1.01% (2004
est.) |
Birth rate: |
15.77
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Death rate: |
5.71
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Net migration rate: |
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Infant mortality rate: |
total:
9.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.81 deaths/1,000
live births female: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.) |
Life expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 76.38 years male: 73.09 years
female: 79.82 years (2004 est.) |
Total fertility rate: |
2.06 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.3% (2003
est.) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
26,000 (2003
est.) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
1,400 (2003
est.) |
Nationality: |
noun:
Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean |
Ethnic groups: |
white and
white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% |
Religions: |
Roman
Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish negligible |
Languages: |
Spanish
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2% male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile local long
form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile
|
Government type: |
republic
|
Capital: |
Santiago
|
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 (Santiago), Tarapaca,
Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to
Antarctica |
Independence: |
18 September
1810 (from Spain) |
National holiday: |
Independence
Day, 18 September (1810) |
Constitution: |
11 September
1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997
|
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: Chile is in the process of
completely overhauling its criminal justice system; a new, US-style
adversarial system is being gradually implemented throughout the
country with the final stage of implementation in the Santiago
metropolitan region expected in June 2005 |
Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal and compulsory |
Executive branch: |
chief of
state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS
Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet
appointed by the president elections: president elected
by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December
1999, with runoff election held 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA
December 2005) election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar
elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%,
Joaquin LAVIN 48.68% |
Legislative branch: |
bicameral
National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or
Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated members,
and 1 former president who has served a full six-year term and is
senator for life); elected members 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 16
December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005); Chamber of
Deputies - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party
- NA; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9,
RN 7), independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6),
UDI 35, RN 22, independent 1 |
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 by the
21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal |
Political parties and leaders: |
Alliance for
Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI; Christian
Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition of Parties for
Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS, PPD, PRSD;
Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; Independent Democratic Union
or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN [Sebastian PINERA];
Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO]; Radical Social
Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS]; Socialist Party or PS
[Gonzalo MARTNER] |
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
revitalized
university student federations at all major universities; Roman
Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade
unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations
|
International organization participation: |
APEC, BIS,
FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI chancery: 1732
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone:
[1] (202) 785-1746 FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto
Rico) |
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy:
Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing
address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710 |
Flag 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
representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky,
white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the blood
spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the US
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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. By the end of 1999, exports
and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth rebounded to
4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1% in 2002,
largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation of the
Argentine peso, but recovered to 3.2% in 2003. Unemployment,
although declining over the past year, remains stubbornly high,
putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. One
bright spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US,
which took effect on 1 January 2004. In 2004, GDP growth is set to
accelerate to more than 4% as copper prices rise, export earnings
grow, and foreign direct investment picks up. |
GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $154.7 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate: |
3.3% (2003
est.) |
GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $9,900 (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 6.4% industry: 38.6%
services: 55.1% (2003 est.) |
Investment (gross fixed): |
21.2% of GDP
(2003) |
Population below poverty line: |
20.6% (2000
est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest
10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 41% (2000) |
Distribution of family income - Gini
index: |
56.7 (2000)
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2.8% (2003
est.) |
Labor force: |
6 million
(2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate: |
8.5% (2003
est.) |
Budget: |
revenues: $15.44 billion expenditures: $16.02
billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.) |
Public debt: |
14.8% of GDP
(2003) |
Agriculture - products: |
grapes,
apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,
asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber |
Industries: |
copper,
other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood
and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles |
Industrial production growth rate: |
1.5% (2003
est.) |
Electricity - production: |
41.66 billion
kWh (2001) |
Electricity - consumption: |
40.13 billion
kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2001)
|
Electricity - imports: |
1.386
billion kWh (2001) |
Oil - production: |
13,640
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
Oil - consumption: |
241,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
Oil - exports: |
NA (2001)
|
Oil - imports: |
NA (2001)
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
81.05 million
bbl (1 January 2002) |
Natural gas - production: |
1.2 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption: |
6.47 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
Natural gas - imports: |
5.27 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
67.78 billion
cu m (1 January 2002) |
Current account balance: |
$-594 million
(2003) |
Exports: |
$20.44
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
Exports - commodities: |
copper,
fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine |
Exports - partners: |
US 16.2%,
Japan 10.5%, China 8.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Mexico 4.3%, Italy 4.2%
(2003 est.) |
Imports: |
$17.4 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
Imports - commodities: |
consumer
goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy
industrial machinery, food |
Imports - partners: |
Argentina
19.4%, US 13%, Brazil 10.4%, China 6.6% (2003 est.) |
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: |
$15.84
billion (2003) |
Debt - external: |
$43.15
billion (2003) |
Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA, $40
million (2001 est.) |
Currency: |
Chilean peso
(CLP) |
Currency code: |
CLP |
Exchange rates: |
Chilean
pesos per US dollar - 691.433 (2003), 688.936 (2002), 634.938
(2001), 535.466 (2000), 508.777 (1999) |
Fiscal year: |
calendar
year Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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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 (2003)
|
Highways: |
total:
79,814 km paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of
expressways) unpaved: 64,330 km (2000) |
Pipelines: |
gas 2,267
km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 531 km; oil
983 km; refined products 545 km (2003) |
Ports and harbors: |
Antofagasta,
Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San
Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso |
Merchant marine: |
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519
DWT by type: bulk 10, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9,
container 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Argentina 1 registered in other
countries: 28 (2003 est.) |
Airports: |
363 (2003
est.) |
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 71 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to
3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523
m: 23 under 914 m: 15 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 292 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to
3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523
m: 60 under 914 m: 216 (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
Military branches: |
Army of the
Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marine
Corps), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros (National
Police) |
Military manpower - military age: |
19 years of
age (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 4,207,066 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military
service: |
males age
15-49: 3,107,454 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age
annually: |
males: 131,283 (2004 est.) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure: |
$2,839.6
million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
4% (2003)
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