Legend:
Definition of Term
 Arranged
by Countries Field Listing
| 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, 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.
|
| 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
references: |
South America |
| Area: |
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 |
| Coastline: |
6,435 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200/350 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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% (1998 est.) |
| 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Nuclear Test Ban |
| 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: |
15,498,930 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 2,127,696; female 2,033,201)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 5,070,476; female 5,103,490)
65 years and over: 7.5% (male 482,846; female 681,221)
(2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.09% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
16.46 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 76.14 years
female: 79.62 years (2002 est.)
male: 72.83 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.13 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.19% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
15,000 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
1,000 (1999 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 NEGL% |
| Languages: |
Spanish |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 95.4%
female: 95% (1995 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: |
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 |
| 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
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) |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
the Senate or Senado (49 seats, 38 elected by popular vote,
9 designated members, and 2 former presidents who serve six-year
terms and are senators 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), UDI 9, RN
7, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - CPD 63 (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) |
| 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: |
Center-Center Union Party or UCCP [Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ];
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Patricia ALYWIN]; Coalition
of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including
PDC, PS, PPD, PRSD; Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo
LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN [Alberto CARDEMIL]; Party
for Democracy or PPD [Guido GIRARDI]; Radical Social Democratic
Party or PRSD [Anselmo SULE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ricardo
NUNEZ] |
| 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, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, 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
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 |
| 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; design was based on 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. By the end of 1999, exports and economic activity had
begun to recover, and growth rebounded to 5.4% in 2000. Unemployment
remains stubbornly high, however, putting pressure on President
LAGOS to improve living standards. The Argentine financial meltdown
has put pressure on the Chilean peso and is slowing the country's
economic growth. Meanwhile, Chile and the US are conducting
negotiations for a free trade agreement. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $153 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.1% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 8%
industry: 38%
services: 54% (2000) (2000) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
22% (1998 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 41% (1998) (1998) |
| Distribution
of family income - Gini index: |
58 (1996) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.5% (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
5.9 million (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 14%, industry 27%, services 59% (1997 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
10.1% (2001) (2001) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $17 billion
expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA |
| Industries: |
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement,
textiles |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
2.5% (2001 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
39.577 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 51%
hydro: 46%
other: 2% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
37.897 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
1.09 billion kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef,
poultry, wool; fish; timber |
| Exports: |
$18.5 billion f.o.b. (2001) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 17%, Japan 14%, UK 6%, Brazil 5%, China 5% (2000) |
| Imports: |
$18 billion f.o.b. (2001) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical
machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 19%, Argentina 16%, Brazil 7%, China 6%, Japan 4% (2000)
|
| Debt
- external: |
$39.6 billion (2001) (2001) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
ODA, $40 million (2001 est.) |
| Currency: |
Chilean peso (CLP) |
| Currency
code: |
CLP |
| Exchange
rates: |
Chilean pesos per US dollar - 651.90 (January 2002), 618.70
(2001), 535.47 (2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998), 419.30
(1997) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Railways: |
total: 6,702 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 117 km 1.067-m gauge (28 km electrified);
3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (37 km electrified) (2000 est.) |
| Highways: |
total: 79,800 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 68,788 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
725 km |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320
km |
| 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) totaling 669,670
GRT/931,647 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 4, chemical tanker 10,
container 5, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker
4, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 3, includes a foreign-owned
ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Netherlands 1
(2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
363 (2001) |
| 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 (2002) |
| 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 (2002)
|
| Military
branches: |
Army of the Nation, National Navy (including naval air, coast
guard, and marines), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros
(National Police), Investigations Police |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49: 4,104,197 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 3,034,912 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 136,830 (2002 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$2.5 billion (FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.1% (FY99)
|
|
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