Background: Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) 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 Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup 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 reduced poverty rates by over half 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.

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 Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries
Total: 6,339 km
Border countries: (3) Argentina 5,308 km; , Bolivia 860 km; , Peru 171 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
Arable land: 2.62%
Permanent crops: 0.43%
Other: 96.95% (2005)

Irrigated land: 19,000 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 922 km³ (2000)

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

Population: 16,454,143 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.905% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Chilean
Adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95.4% Mapuche 4% other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)

Languages: Spanish (official) Mapudungun German English

Religions: Roman Catholic 70% Evangelical 15.1% Jehovah's Witness 1.1% other Christian 1% other 4.6% none 8.3% (2002 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,987,962/female 1,899,489)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 5,556,867/female 5,563,666)
65 years and over: 8.8% (male 602,789/female 843,370) (2008 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.1 years
Male: 30.1 years
Female: 32.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.905% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 14.82 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 5.77 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: NA (2008 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.9 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 8.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.06 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.15 years
Male: 73.88 years
Female: 80.59 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 26,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 1400 (2003 est.)

Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2006)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.7%
Male: 95.8%
Female: 95.6% (2002 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2006)

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
Geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March

Administrative divisions
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 1989 1991 1997 1999 2000 2003 and 2005

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 - in June 2005 Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a new US-style adversarial system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009)
Election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique 46.5%

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8), independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI 34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate - seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD 57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20), independent 10.

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 every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC (including National Renewal or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy (Concertacion) or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Soledad ALVEAR] Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA Medina] Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra] Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER]; Humanist Party [Marilen CABRERA Olmos]

International organization participation: APEC BIS CAN (associate) FAO G-15 G-77 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt (signatory) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC LAES LAIA Mercosur (associate) MIGA MINUSTAH NAM OAS OPANAL OPCW PCA RG UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO Union Latina UNMOGIP UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ
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: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Paul E. SIMONS
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, 330-3,160

Flag description
Note: design was influenced by the US flag

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. Between 2000 and 2007 growth ranged between 2%-6%. Throughout these years Chile maintained a low rate of inflation with GDP growth coming from high copper prices solid export earnings (particularly forestry fishing and mining) and growing domestic consumption. President BACHELET in 2006 established an Economic and Social Stabilization Fund to hold excess copper revenues so that social spending can be maintained during periods of copper shortfalls. This fund probably surpassed $20 billion at the end of 2007. Chile continues to attract foreign direct investment but most foreign investment goes into gas water electricity and mining. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the past two years dropping to 7.8% and 7.0% at the end of 2006 and 2007 respectively. 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 claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements) including with the European Union Mercosur China India South Korea and Mexico.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $232.8 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 5.1% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $14,300 (2007 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.8%
Industry: 51.2%
Services: 44% (2007 est.)

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: 11.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 7.167 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 13.6%
By occupation industry: 23.4%
By occupation services: 63% (2003)

Unemployment rate: 7% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.4%
Highest 10: 45% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index: 54.9 (2003)

Budget
Revenues: $44.96 billion
Expenditures: $30.51 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 4.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.67% (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit: $127.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $174.6 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $7.2 billion (2007 est.)

Exports: $67.64 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: copper fruit fish products paper and pulp chemicals wine
Partners: China 14.8% US 12.5% Japan 10.5% Netherlands 5.8% South Korea 5.7% Italy 5.1% Brazil 5% (2007)

Imports: $43.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products chemicals electrical and telecommunications equipment industrial machinery vehicles natural gas
Partners: US 16.7% China 11.2% Brazil 10.3% Argentina 9.9% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $57.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $91.49 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $24.68 billion (2007 est.)

Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 526.25 (2007) 530.29 (2006) 560.09 (2005) 609.37 (2004) 691.43 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 50.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Consumption: 45.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 1.8 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 4.2 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 2.4 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 97.97 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3.379 million (2007)
Mobile cellular: 13.955 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching a level of 85 telephones per 100 persons
Domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
International: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Internet
Country code: .cl
Hosts: 847,215 (2008)
Users: 5.57 million (2007)

Military expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained; service obligation - 12 months for Army 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2008)

Airports: 358 (2007)
With paved runways total: 79
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 22
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 25
With paved runways under 914 m: 19 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 279
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 49
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 216 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 2,550 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1002 km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2007)

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 (2006)

Roadways
Total: 80,505 km
Paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 44
By type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 7, chemical tanker 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3
Registered in other countries: 40 (Argentina 7, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Isle of Man 6, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 2, Panama 12, Singapore 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Coronel Huasco Lirquen Puerto Ventanas San Antonio San Vicente Valparaiso

Disputes international: Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reinvigorated 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 gas and other commodities; 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)

Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; 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 recent anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine