Map of Chile | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century the Inca ruled northern Chile while the Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810 decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83) Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche were brought under central government control. After a series of elected governments 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 freely elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Sound economic policies 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. In January 2014 Chile assumed a two-year nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council.


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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 reference: South America

Area
Total: 756,102 km²
Land: 743,812 km²
Water: 12,290 km²
Note: includes Easter Island and Isla Sala y Gomez
Rank: 38
Comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries
Total: 7,801 km
Border countries: (3) Argentina 6,691 km; Bolivia 942 km; Peru 168 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
Extremes highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 21.1%
Forest: 21.9%
Other: 57%

Irrigated land: 11,990 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 922 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Volcanism: significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar which last erupted in 2007 is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (elev. 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

Geography
Note: the longest north-south trending country in the world extending across 38 degrees of latitude; strategic location relative to sea lanes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan Beagle Channel Drake Passage); Atacama Desert - the driest desert in the world - spreads across the northern part of the country; the crater lake of Ojos del Salado is the world's highest lake (at 6,390 m)


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Population: 17,508,260 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 65
Growth rate: 0.82% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 131
Below poverty line: 15.1% (2009 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Chilean
Adjective: Chilean

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.)

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 66.7% Evangelical or Protestant 16.4% Jehovah's Witnesses 1% other 3.4% none 11.5% unspecified 1.1% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile:

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.46%
15-24 years: 15.88%
25-54 years: 43.21%
55-64 years: 10.24%
65 years and over: 10.22% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 29.3%
Elderly dependency ratio: 16%
Potential support ratio: 6.3%

Median age
Total: 33.3 years
Male: 32.2 years
Female: 34.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.82% (2015 est.)
Rank: 131

Birth rate: 13.83 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 140

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 169

Net migration rate: 0.34 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 74

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 89.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.09% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: SANTIAGO (capital) 6.507 million; Valparaiso 907,000; Concepcion 816,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male/female
Total population: 0.97 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.86 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 7.34 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.36 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 161

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.61 years
Male: 75.58 years
Female: 81.76 years
Rank: 52

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 150

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 64.2%
Note: percent of women aged 15-44

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.02 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.33% (2013 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 82
People living with hivaids: 37,900 (2013 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 63
Deaths: 700 (2013 est.)
Deaths rank: 77

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 28.5% (2014)
Rank: 30

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.5% (2013)
Rank: 137

Education expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 90

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.5%
Male: 97.6%
Female: 97.4%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years

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
Name: Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature
Geographic coordinates: 33 27 S 70 40 W
Time difference: UTC-3

Administrative divisions: 15 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 Maule Region Metropolitana (Santiago) 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: many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980 effective 11 March 1981; amended many times last in 2011 (2011)

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 17 November 2013 with a runoff held on 15 December 2013
Election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 62.2%; Evelyn Rose MATTHEI Fornet (UDI) 37.8%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - in both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies the party winning at least two-thirds of the votes is entitled to 2 seats in the constituency; if it obtains less than two-thirds of the votes it is entitled to one seat with the remaining seat awarded to the next highest winning party
Elections: Senate - last held on 17 November 2013 ; Chamber of Deputies - last held on 17 November 2013 (next to be held on 15 November 2017)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - New Majority Coalition 19 (PDC 6 PS 6 PPD 6 MAS 1) Coalition for Change (formerly known as the Alianza coalition) 15 (RN 6 UDI 8 Amplitude Party 1) independents 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - New Majority 67 (PDC 21 PS 16 PPD 15 PC 6 PRSD 6 Citizen Left 1 independents 2) Coalition for Change 49 (UDI 29 RN 15 independents 4) Liberal Party 1 independents 4
Note: In January 2015 the Chilean Congress voted to end the binomial system that was put in place under Gen. Augusto PINOCHET; the Congress also voted to expand its size and establish rules to ensure that there is equitable gender representation; the new electoral system will be put in place in 2017

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema ; Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members); Electoral Court (consists of 5 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president 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 1 by the president of the republic 2 by the National Security Council and 1 by the Senate; members serve 8-year terms with partial membership replacement every 4 years ; Electoral Court member appointments - 4 by the Supreme Court and 1 a former president or vice-president of the Senate or Chamber of Deputies selected by the Supreme Court; member term NA
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

Political parties and leaders:

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 SICA (observer) UN UN Security Council (temporary) UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNFICYP UNHCR UNIDO Union Latina UNMOGIP UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Gabriel VALDES Soublette
In the us chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] 785-1746
In the us FAX: [1] 887-5,579
In the us consulate general: Chicago Houston Los Angeles Miami New York San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael HAMMER
From the us embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2,800 Las Condes Santiago
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,033
From the us telephone: [56] 2,330-3,000
From the us FAX: [56] 2,330-3,710 2,330-3,160

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky white is for the snow-covered Andes and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence
Note: design was influenced by the US flag

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

National anthem
Name: 'Himno Nacional de Chile'
Lyrics and music: Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle
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


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Economy overview: Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports of goods and services account for approximately one-third of GDP with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports. Copper alone provides 19% of government revenue. From 2003 through 2013 real growth averaged almost 5% per year despite the slight contraction in 2009 that resulted from the global financial crisis. Growth slowed to 4.2% in 2014. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile has 22 trade agreements covering 60 countries including agreements with the European Union Mercosur China India South Korea and Mexico. Chile has joined the United States and 10 other countries in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. The Chilean Government has generally followed a countercyclical fiscal policy accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth and generally allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of 31 December 2012 those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $20.9 billion. Chile used these funds to finance fiscal stimulus packages during the 2009 economic downturn. In May 2010 Chile signed the OECD Convention becoming the first South American country to join the OECD. In 2014 President Michelle BACHELET introduced tax reforms aimed at delivering her campaign promise to fight inequality and to provide access to education and health care. The reforms are expected to generate additional tax revenues equal to 3% of Chile’s GDP mostly by increasing corporate tax rates to OECD averages.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 44

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 151

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 76

Gross national saving:
Rank: 78

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 65.4%
Government consumption: 13.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.1%
Investment in inventories: 0.2%
Exports of goods and services: 34.1%
Imports of goods and services: -35%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.5%
Industry: 35.5%
Services: 61.1%

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 114

Labor force: 8.514 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 58
By occupation agriculture: 13.2%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation services: 63.9%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 68

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 15.1% (2009 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.5%
Highest 10: 42.8%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 14

Budget
Revenues: $50.67 billion
Expenditures: $56.32 billion
Surplus or deficit: -2.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 87

Taxes and other revenues: 19.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 172

Public debt:
Rank: 144

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 162

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 105

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 115

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 57

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 46

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 43

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 28

Current account balance:
Rank: 161

Exports:
Rank: 48
Commodities: copper fruit fish products paper and pulp chemicals wine
Partners: China 24.9% US 12.8% Japan 9.9% Brazil 5.8% South Korea 5.5% (2013)

Imports:
Rank: 43
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products chemicals electrical and telecommunications equipment industrial machinery vehicles natural gas
Partners: US 20.3% China 19.7% Brazil 6.5% Argentina 5% Germany 4% (2013)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 46

Debt external:
Rank: 42

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 29

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 32

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 61.85 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 45
Consumption: 57.89 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 44
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 121
Imports: 700 million kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 73
Installed generating capacity: 17.95 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 43
Generation sources fossil fuels: 60.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 133
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 65
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 33.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 67
Generation sources other renewable sources: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 47

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 10,640 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 83
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 94
Crude oil imports: 163,200 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 36
Crude oil proven reserves: 150 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 67

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 198,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 55
Products consumption: 341,200 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 39
Products exports: 13,040 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 81
Products imports: 138,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 39

Natural gas
Production: 947 million m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 64
Consumption: 4.705 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 62
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 76
Imports: 3.779 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 36
Proven reserves: 97.97 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 53

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 81.51 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 47

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3.4 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20
Fixed lines rank: 44
Mobile cellular total: 23.7 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 136
Mobile cellular rank: 49

Telephone system
General assessment: privatization began in 1988; most advanced telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
Domestic: number of fixed-line connections have stagnated in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase reaching 130 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 56; landing points for the Pan American South America-1 and South American Crossing/Latin America Nautilus submarine cables providing links to the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2011)

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 (2007)

Internet
Country code: .cl
Users total: 11.4 million
Users percent of population: 65.8%
Users rank: 43

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 38

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service although the right to compulsory recruitment of males 18-45 is retained; service obligation is 12 months for Army and 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2015)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 481 (2013)
Rank: 15
With paved runways total: 90
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 23
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 31
With paved runways under 914 m: 24
With unpaved runways total: 391
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 56
With unpaved runways: 319 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

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

Railways
Total: 7,282 km
Broad gauge: 3,428 km 1.676-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 3,854 km 1.000-m gauge
Rank: 28

Roadways
Total: 77,764 km
Paved: 18,119 km
Unpaved: 59,645 km
Rank: 61

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 42
By type: bulk carrier 13 cargo 5 chemical tanker 7 container 2 liquefied gas 1 passenger 3 passenger/cargo 2 petroleum tanker 8 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 1
Registered in other countries: 52 (2010)
Rank: 74

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Coronel Huasco Lirquen Puerto Ventanas San Antonio San Vicente Valparaiso
LNG terminal: Mejillones Quintero


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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 Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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 (2008)