Map of Chile | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET which ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship led to unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government.


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

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 756,950 km²
Land: 748,800 km²
Water: 8,150 km²
Note: includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries
Total: 6,171 km
Border countries: (3) Argentina 5,150 km; , Bolivia 861 km; , Peru 160 km

Coastline: 6,435 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum

Land use
Arable land: 5%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 18%
Forests and woodland: 22%
Other: 55% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,650 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

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


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Population: 14,508,158 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 1.18% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Chilean(s)
Adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Languages: Spanish

Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 28% (male 2,057,633; female 2,031,588)
15-64 years: 65% (male 4,684,158; female 4,734,170)
65 years and over: 7% (male 416,047; female 584,562) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.18% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 17.53 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.68 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 13.2 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.73 years
Male: 71.5 years
Female: 77.95 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.2%
Male: 95.4%
Female: 95% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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, Tarapaca, Valparaiso
Note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Dependent areas

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

Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994); 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 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1999)
Election results: Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle elected president; percent of vote - Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%, other 17.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (46 seats, 38 elected by popular vote; 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 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 21 (PDC 13, PS 4, PPD 3, PR 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 15 (RN 11, UDI 3, UCC 1), right-wing independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 53.95% (PDC 27.16%, PS 12.01%, PPD 11.82%, PR 2.96%), Union for the Progress of Chile 30.57% (RN 15.25%, UDI 12.13%, UCC 3.19%); seats by party - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 70 (PDC 37, PPD 15, PR 2, PS 15, left-wing independent 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 47 (RN 30, UDI 15, UCC 2), right-wing independents 3; note - subsequent to the election, the Radical Party (PR) became the Radical Social Democratic Party (PRSD)

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador John BIEHL Del Rios
In the us chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 887-5,579
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Gabriel GUERRA-MONDRAGON
From the us embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2,800, Santiago
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,033
From the us telephone: [56] (2) 232-2,600
From the us FAX: [56] (2) 330-3,710

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; design was based on the US flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market economy. Civilian governments - which took over from the military in March 1990 - have continued to reduce the government's role in the economy while shifting the emphasis of public spending toward social programs. Growth in real GDP averaged more than 6.5% in 1991-1996, and inflation is nearing a 40-year low. Chile's currency and foreign reserves also are strong, as sustained foreign capital inflows - driven in part by state privatizations - have more than offset occasional current account deficits and public debt buybacks. President FREI, who took office in March 1994, has placed improving Chile's education system and developing foreign export markets at the top of his economic agenda. Despite this progress, the Chilean economy remains largely dependent on a few sectors - particularly copper mining, fishing, and forestry. Success in meeting the government's goal of sustained annual economic growth of 5% depends largely on world prices for these commodities, continued foreign investor confidence, and the government's ability to maintain a conservative fiscal stance. In 1996, Chile became an associate member of Mercosur and concluded a Free Trade Agreement with Canada.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 6.5% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8%
Industry: 33%
Services: 59% (1995 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (1995)

Labor force
Total: 5.5 million (1996 est.)
By occupation services: 38.3% (includes government 12%)
By occupation industry and commerce: 33.8%
By occupation agriculture forestry and fishing: 19.2%
By occupation mining: 2.3%
By occupation construction: 6.4% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (1996 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $17 billion
Expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1996 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Total value: $15.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: copper 37%, other metals and minerals 8.2%, wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1994)
Partners: EU 25%, US 15%, Asia 34%, Latin America 20% (1995 est.)

Imports
Total value: $16.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% (1994)
Partners: EU 18%, US 25%, Asia 16%, Latin America 26% (1995 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $22.3 billion (1995 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 423.79 (January 1997), 412.27(1996), 396.78 (1995), 420.08 (1994), 404.35 (1993), 362.59 (1992)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 27.908 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 1,662 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities
Domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $2.8 billion (1997; note - includes earnings from CODELCO Company; may exclude costs of pensions and internal security
Percent of gdp: 3.5% (1997)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 343 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 259
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 18
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With paved runways under 914 m: 214 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 84
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 71 (1996 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 259
Over 3047 m: 5
2438 to 3047 m: 5
15-24 to 2437 m: 18
914 to 1523 m: 17
Under 914 m: 214 (1996 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 84
2438 to 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2437 m: 10
914 to 1523 m: 71 (1996 est.)

Heliports

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

Railways
Total: 6,782 km
Broad gauge: 3,743 km 1.676-m gauge (1,653 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 116 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,923 km 1.000-m gauge (40 km electrified) (1995)

Roadways

Waterways: 725 km

Merchant marine
Total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 520,710 GRT/865,867 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 4, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, vehicle carrier 2 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of the southern boundary with Argentina is indefinite; Bolivia has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Bolivia over Rio Lauca water rights; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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