|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Southern South
America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina
and Peru |
|
Map references:
|
South
America |
|
Area:
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total:
756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla
Sala y Gomez
water: 8,150 sq km |
|
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 |
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Coastline:
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6,435 km |
|
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and
Definitions):
|
territorial
sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200/350 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate; desert
in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in
south |
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Terrain:
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low coastal
mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m |
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Natural resources:
|
copper, timber,
iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42%
other: 96.93% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
|
18,000 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
|
severe
earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis |
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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 |
|
Population:
|
15,823,957 (July
2004 est.) |
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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.) |
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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.) |
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Death rate:
|
5.71 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
|
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 76.38 years
male: 73.09 years
female: 79.82 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.3% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
20,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
220 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
white and
white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL% |
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Languages:
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Spanish |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.) |
|
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:
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Santiago |
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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 |
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Independence:
|
18 September 1810
(from Spain) |
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National holiday:
|
Independence Day,
18 September (1810) |
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Constitution:
|
11 September
1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and
1997 |
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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 |
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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
election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected
president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%,
Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%
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) |
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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)
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
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) |
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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 |
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20036
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746 |
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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 |
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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. |
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GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $154.6 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
3.2% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $9,900 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
6.4%
industry: 38.8%
services: 54.8% (2003 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
|
20.6% (2000 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.1% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
|
5.68 million
(2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture
13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
|
8.5% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
|
revenues:
$14.7 billion
expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2003 est.) |
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Industries:
|
copper, other
minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood
and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
3.5% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
|
41.66 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
47%
hydro: 51.5%
other: 1.4% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
|
40.13 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
1.386 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
|
13,640 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
|
241,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
|
1.2 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
|
6.47 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
|
grapes, apples,
pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus,
beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber |
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Exports:
|
$20.44 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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copper, fish,
fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine |
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Exports - partners:
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US 19.1%, Japan
10.5%, China 6.7%, Mexico 5%, Italy 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2002) |
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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:
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Argentina 18%, US
14.9%, Brazil 9.5%, China 6.5%, Germany 4.3% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
|
$42.5 billion
(2003) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
|
ODA, $40 million
(2001 est.) |
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Currency:
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Chilean peso (CLP) |
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Currency code:
|
CLP |
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Exchange rates:
|
Chilean pesos per
US dollar - 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002), 634.94 (2001),
535.47 (2000), 508.78 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
|
3.467 million
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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6,445,700 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links;
domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 180 (eight
inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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63 (plus 121
repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
|
.cl |
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Internet hosts:
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135,155 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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3.575 million
(2002) |
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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) |
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Highways:
|
total:
79,814 km
paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)
unpaved: 64,330 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
|
725 km |
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Pipelines:
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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.) |
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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) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Bolivia has
reactivated its claim to the Atacama corridor ceded to Chile
in 1884 to secure sovereign maritime access for Bolivian
natural gas; dispute with Peru over the economic zone
delimited by the maritime boundary; Beagle Channel islands
dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed
incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial claim
in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps
Argentine and British claims |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
important
transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the
US; 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
new anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported
precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption
is rising |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|