|
Home
World
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua Barbuda
Arctic Ocean
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ashmore Cartier Isle
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Baker Island
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bassas da India
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burma
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Rep
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Clipperton Island
Cocos
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo Republic
Cook Islands
Coral Sea Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Europa Island
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Antarctic Lands
Gabon
Gambia
Gaza Strip
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard McDonald Isle
Honduras
Hong Kong
Howland Island
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jarvis Island
Jersey
Johnston Atoll
Jordan
Juan de Nova Island
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingman Reef
Kiribati
Jan Mayen
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Midway Islands
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
N Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pacific Ocean
Pakistan
Palau
Palmyra Atoll
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
St Helena
St Kitts Nevis
St Lucia
St Pierre Miquelon
St Vincent Grenadines
Samoa
Sandwich Islands
San Marino
Sao Tome Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
S Ocean
Spain
Spratly Islands
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad Tobago
Tromelin Island
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands
Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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. Growth slowed in 1998-99, but recovered strongly in 2000. |
| 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
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala
y Gomez |
| 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 |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
continental shelf: 200/350 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 55% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
12,650 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
severe earthquakes; active
volcanism; tsunamis |
| Environment
- current issues: |
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: |
15,328,467 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
27.25% (male 2,135,755; female 2,041,552)
15-64 years: 65.39% (male 4,993,416; female 5,029,739)
65 years and over: 7.36% (male 467,477; female 660,528)
(2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.13% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
16.8 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.55 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2001 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 (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
9.36 deaths/1,000 live births
(2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
75.94 years
male: 72.63 years
female: 79.42 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.16 children born/woman
(2001 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% |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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
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)
election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president;
percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral National Congress
or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38
elected by popular vote and 10 appointed (all former presidents who
served 6 years are senators for life); 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 1997 (next to be
held NA December 2001); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 1997
(next to be held NA December 2001)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CPD (PDC 14, PS 4, PPD 2), RN 7, UDI 10, UCCP 1,
independents 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CPD
50.55% (PDC 22.98%, PS 11.10%, PPD 12.55%, PRSD 3.13%), RN 16.78%, UDI
14.43%; seats by party - CPD 70 (PDC 39, PPD 16, PRSD 4, PS 11), RN 24,
UDI 21, Socialist Party 1, right-wing independents 4 |
| 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
[Ricardo HORMAZABAL]; 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-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, 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: 1140 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John O'LEARY
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
FAX: [56] (2) 339-3710 |
| 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 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 5.5% in 2000.
Unemployment remains stubbornly high, however, putting pressure on
President LAGOS to improve living standards. Meanwhile, Chile has
launched free trade negotiations with the US. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$153.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5.5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$10,100 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 8%
industry: 38%
services: 54% (2000) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
22% (1998 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 41.3% (1998) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
4.5% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
5.8 million (1999 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 14%, industry
27%, services 59% (1997 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
9% (December 2000) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $16
billion
expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
copper, other minerals,
foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products,
transport equipment, cement, textiles |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
6% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
38.092 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 61%
hydro: 35%
nuclear: 0%
other: 4% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
35.426 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, corn, grapes, beans,
sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber |
| Exports: |
$18 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
copper, fish, fruits, paper
and pulp, chemicals |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 27%, US 16%, Japan 14%,
Brazil 6%, Argentina 5% (1998) |
| Imports: |
$17 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
consumer goods, chemicals,
motor vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy industrial machinery,
food |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 24%, EU 23%, Argentina
11%, Brazil 6%, Japan 6%, Mexico 5% (1998) |
| Debt
- external: |
$39 billion (2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
ODA, $40 million (2001 est.) |
| Currency: |
Chilean peso (CLP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Chilean pesos per US dollar -
571.12 (January 2001), 535.47 (2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998),
419.30 (1997), 412.27 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
2.603 million (1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
944,225 (1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 180 (eight inactive), FM
64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998) |
| Radios: |
5.18 million (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
63 (plus 121 repeaters)
(1997) |
| Televisions: |
3.15 million (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.cl |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
7 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
625,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total: 6,701 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 117 km 1.067-m gauge (28 km electrified);
3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (37 km electrified) (2000) |
| Highways: |
total: 79,800 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 68,788 km (1996) |
| 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: 44 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 606,506 GRT/884,023 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 7, chemical tanker 8,
container 4, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll
on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
366 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 14 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 297
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 219 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy (includes Naval
Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force, Carabineros of Chile
(National Police), Investigations Police
note: Carabineros and Investigations Police are normally
administered by the Ministry of Interior, but in times of national
emergency, they are considered part of the military |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
4,057,466 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
3,003,134 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 136,830
(2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$2.5 billion (FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.1% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
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 |
| Illicit
drugs: |
a growing transshipment
country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe; economic prosperity
has made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug
profits; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine
consumption is rising |
|
