Chile

Republic of ChileRepublica de Chile

republicIndependence 18 September 1810 (from Spain)

Chile as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSantiago

Area756,950 km2

LocationWestern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Argentina

Populationas each edition published it

13.74 million July 1993 est. · 13.08m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.54% 1993 est. · 0.46% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 29.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.15 years 1993 est. · 80.3 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.51 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

15.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 18 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,550 1992 · $30,200 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

10.4% 1992 · 2.6% in 2025

Geography

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Argentina | and Peru

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Land useshare of 756,950 km2

arable land 7%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 16%forest and woodland 21%other 56%irrigated 12,650 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

756,950km2

land area: 748,800 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montananote: includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Coastline

6,435km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

6,171km

total · Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Location

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Argentina and Peru

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

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

Climate

temperate;
desert in north;
cool and damp in south

Terrain

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

Natural resources

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum

Environment

subject to severe earthquakes, active volcanism, tsunami;
Atacama Desert one of world's driest regions;
desertification

Note

strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

People

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Population

13,739,759

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.54% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

20.9Death

5.55Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years74.15

71.16 · 77.29

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy93%

94% · 93%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

European and European-Indian 95%Indian 3%other 2%

Labor force

4.728million

by occupation: services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%, construction 6.4% (1990)

Infant mortality rate

15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Chilean(s)
adjective:: Chilean

Religions

Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish

Government

Republic

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

55.2%

Patricio AYLWIN (PDC) 55.2%Hernan BUCHI 29.4%other 15.4%

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Chile
conventional short form:: Chile
local long form:: Republica de Chile
local short form:: Chile

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

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;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders

Concertation of Parties for Democracy consists mainly of four parties: PDC, PPD, PR, PS;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle;
Party for Democracy (PPD), Sergio BITAR;
Radical Party (PR), Carlos GONZALEZ Marquez;
Sociaistl Party (PS), German CORREA;
Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jovino NOVOA;
National Renovation (RN), Andree ALLAMAND;
Center-Center Union (UCC), Francisco Juner ERRAZURIZ;
Communist Party of Chile (PCCh), Volodia TEITELBOIM;
Allende Leftist Democratic Movement (MIDA), Mario PALESTRO

Other political or pressure groups

revitalized university student federations at all major universities dominated by opposition political groups;
labor - United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations;
Roman Catholic Church

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Elections

Chamber of Deputies:: last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (120 total) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 71 (PDC 38, PPD 17, PR 5, other 11), RN 29, UDI 11, right-wing independents 9
President:: last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993); results - Patricio AYLWIN (PDC) 55.2%, Hernan BUCHI 29.4%, other 15.4%
Senate:: last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (46 total, 38 elected) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 22 (PDC 13, PPD 5, PR 2, PSD 1, PRSD 1), RN 6, UDI 2, right-wing independents 8

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of an upper house or Senate (Senado) and a lower house or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Patricio AYLWIN Azocar (since 11 March 1990)

CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Patricio SILVA Echenique
chancery:: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:: (202) 785-1746
consulates general:: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Curtis W. KAMMAN
embassy:: Codina Building, 1343 Agustinas, Santiago
mailing address:: APO AA 34033
telephone:: [56] (2) 671-0133
FAX:: [56] (2) 699-1141

Flag

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

The government of President AYLWIN, which took power in 1990, retained the | economic policies of PINOCHET, although the share of spending for social | welfare has risen steadily.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$2,550

(1992)

Real growth rate

10.4%

(1992)industrial production growth: growth rate 14.56% (1992); accounts for 34% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

12.7%

(1992)

Unemployment rate

4.9%

(1992)

Budget

Revenues

$10.9 billionExpenditures

$10.9 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $1.2 billion (1993)

Overview

The government of President AYLWIN, which took power in 1990, retained the economic policies of PINOCHET, although the share of spending for social welfare has risen steadily. In 1991 growth in GDP recovered to 6% (led by consumer spending) after only 2% growth in 1990. The pace accelerated in 1992 as the result of strong investment and export growth, and GDP rose 10.4%. Nonetheless, inflation fell further, to 12.7%, compared with 27.3% in 1990 and 18.7% in 1991.

The buoyant economy spurred a 25% growth in imports, and the trade surplus fell in 1992, although international reserves increased. Inflationary pressures are not expected to ease much in 1993, and economic growth is likely to approach 7%.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $34.7 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$10 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: copper 41%, other metals and minerals 8.7%, wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1991)
partners:: EC 32%, US 18%, Japan 18%, Brazil 5% (1991)

Imports

$9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7%
partners:: US 21%, EC 18%, Brazil 9%, Japan 8% (1991)

External debt

$16.9 billion (year end 1991)

Electricity

5,769,000 kW capacity; 22,010 million kWh produced, 1,630 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for about 9% of GDP (including fishing and forestry);
major exporter of fruit, fish, and timber products;
major crops - wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, deciduous fruit;
livestock products - beef, poultry, wool;
self-sufficient in most foods;
1991 fish catch of 6.6 million metric tons;
net agricultural importer

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $521 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.6 billion;
Communist countries (1970-89), $386 million

Currency

1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 384.04 (January 1993), 362.59 (1992), 349.37 (1991), 305.06 (1990), 267.16 (1989), 245.05 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

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Networkskm

Highways

79,025 (1984)Railroads

7,766Inland waterways

725

Highways: ; 9,913 km paved, 33,140 km gravel, 35,972 km improved and unimproved earth · Railroads: ; 3,974 km 1.676-meter gauge, 150 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 3,642 km 1.000-meter gauge; 1,865 km 1.676-meter gauge and 80 km 1.000-meter gauge electrified

Railroads

7,766 km total;
3,974 km 1.676-meter gauge, 150 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 3,642 km 1.000-meter gauge;
1,865 km 1.676-meter gauge and 80 km 1.000-meter gauge electrified

Highways

79,025 km total; 9,913 km paved, 33,140 km gravel, 35,972 km improved and unimproved earth (1984)

Pipelines

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

Ports

Antofagasta, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, San Antonio, Talcahuano, Arica

Merchant marine

31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 445,330 GRT/756,018 DWT;
includes 8 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 oil tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 8 bulk;
note - in addition, 1 naval tanker and 1 military transport are sometimes used commercially

Airports

total:: 396
usable:: 351
with permanent-surface runways:: 48
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 13
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 57

Telecommunications

modern telephone system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities;
768,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 159 AM, no FM, 131 TV, 11 shortwave;
satellite ground stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic

Defense Forces

Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and | Marines), Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), | Investigative Police

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Branches

Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigative Police