Chile

Republic of ChileRepublica de Chile

republicIndependence 18 September 1810 (from Spain)

Chile as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 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
Position30 00 S, 71 00 W
Area756,950 sq km
LocationSouthern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean
1997

Every edition of Chile

Populationas each edition published it
14.51 million July 1997 est. · 13.08m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.18% 1997 est. · 1.54% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 29.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
74.73 years 1997 est. · 74.15 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.17 children per woman 1997 est. · 2.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
13.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 18 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$8,400 1996 est. · $2,550 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6.5% 1996 est. · 10.4% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 756,950 sq km

arable land 5%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 18%forests and woodland 22%other 55% (1993 est.)irrigated 12,650 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
756,950sq km
land: 748,800 sq kmwater: 8,150 sq kmnote: includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomezslightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Coastline
6,435km
contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
6,962m
Cerro Aconcagualowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
6,171km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

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

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

Natural hazards

  • severe earthquakes;
  • active volcanism;
  • tsunamis

Environment - current issues

  • air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;
  • water pollution from raw sewage;
  • deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity;
  • soil erosion;
  • desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Desertification, Law of the Sea

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

People

15 fields
Population
14,508,158
(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.18% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth
17.53Death
5.68Net migration
0

Ethnic groups

white and white-Amerindian 95%Amerindian 3%other 2%
Literacy
95.2%
definition : age 15 and over can read and writemale : 95.4%female: 95% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:
28% (male 2,057,633; female 2,031,588)
15-64 years:
65% (male 4,684,158; female 4,734,170)
65 years and over:
7% (male 416,047; female 584,562) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.71 male(s)/female
total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
74.73 years
male:
71.5 years
female:
77.95 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Chilean(s)
adjective:
Chilean

Religions

Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish

Languages

Spanish

Government

Republic; President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

58%
Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%other 17.6%election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1999)

Senate, 120 seatsone dot, one seat

Coalition of Parties for Democracy (PDC 37, PPD 15, PR 2, PS 15, left-wing independent 1) 70Union for the Progress of Chile (RN 30, UDI 15, UCC 2) 47right-wing independents 3

Country name

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government :
President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994); 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 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1999)
election results:
Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle elected president; percent of vote - Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%, other 17.6%

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (46 seats, 38 elected by popular vote; 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 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1997)
election results:
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 21 (PDC 13, PS 4, PPD 3, PR 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 15 (RN 11, UDI 3, UCC 1), right-wing independents 2;
  • Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 53.95% (PDC 27.16%, PS 12.01%, PPD 11.82%, PR 2.96%), Union for the Progress of Chile 30.57% (RN 15.25%, UDI 12.13%, UCC 3.19%);
  • seats by party - Coalition of Parties for Democracy 70 (PDC 37, PPD 15, PR 2, PS 15, left-wing independent 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 47 (RN 30, UDI 15, UCC 2), right-wing independents 3;
  • note - subsequent to the election, the Radical Party (PR) became the Radical Social Democratic Party (PRSD)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are appointed by the president, the president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 17-member court

Political parties and leaders

Coalition of Parties for Democracy or

CPD consists mainly of

  • Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Enrique KRAUSS];
  • Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA];
  • Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR];
  • Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Anselmo SULE];
  • Union for the Progress of Chile or UPP consists mainly
of three parties:
  • National Renewal or RN [Alberto ESPINA];
  • Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Jovino NOVOA];
  • Center Center Union or UCC [Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • revitalized university student federations at all major universities;
  • labor - United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations;
  • Roman Catholic Church

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, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador John BIEHL Del Rios
chancery:
1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 785-1746

FAX

[1] (202) 887-5579; consulate(s) general : Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Gabriel GUERRA-MONDRAGON
embassy:
Avenida Andres Bello 2800, 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

Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market | economy.

22 fields
Real growth rate
6.5%
(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 4.8% (1995)
Unemployment rate
6.5%
(1996 est.)
Labor force
5.5million
(1996 est.)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)

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 8%industry 33%services 59% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$17 billionExpenditures
$17 billion (1996 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market economy. Civilian governments - which took over from the military in March 1990 - have continued to reduce the government's role in the economy while shifting the emphasis of public spending toward social programs. Growth in real GDP averaged more than 6.5% in 1991-1996, and inflation is nearing a 40-year low.

Chile's currency and foreign reserves also are strong, as sustained foreign capital inflows - driven in part by state privatizations - have more than offset occasional current account deficits and public debt buybacks. President FREI, who took office in March 1994, has placed improving Chile's education system and developing foreign export markets at the top of his economic agenda.

Despite this progress, the Chilean economy remains largely dependent on a few sectors - particularly copper mining, fishing, and forestry. Success in meeting the government's goal of sustained annual economic growth of 5% depends largely on world prices for these commodities, continued foreign investor confidence, and the government's ability to maintain a conservative fiscal stance. In 1996, Chile became an associate member of Mercosur and concluded a Free Trade Agreement with Canada.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $120.6 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,400 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

5.964 million kW (1995)

Electricity - production

27.908 billion kWh (1995)

Agriculture - products

  • wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit;
  • beef, poultry, wool;
  • timber;
  • 1991 fish catch of 6.6 million metric tons

Exports

total value:
$15.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:
copper 37%, other metals and minerals 8.2%, wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1994)
partners:
EU 25%, US 15%, Asia 34%, Latin America 20% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value :
$16.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:
capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% (1994)
partners:
EU 18%, US 25%, Asia 16%, Latin America 26% (1995 est.)

Debt - external

$22.3 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $50.3 million (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 423.79 (January 1997), 412.27(1996), 396.78 (1995), 420.08 (1994), 404.35 (1993), 362.59 (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
1.5 million
(1994 est.)

Telephone system

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 179, FM 614, shortwave 11

Televisions

2.85 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 38 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1996 est.)

bulk 11cargo 8chemical tanker 4combination ore/oil 1container 2liquefied gas tanker 2oil tanker 4passenger 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 3vehicle carrier 2

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

total
259under 914 m
214
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m : 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 17

Networkskm

Railways
6,782Waterways
725
Railways: broad gauge: 3,743 km 1.676-m gauge (1,653 km electrified) · narrow gauge: 116 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,923 km 1.000-m gauge (40 km electrified) (1995)

Railways

total:
6,782 km
broad gauge:
3,743 km 1.676-m gauge (1,653 km electrified)
narrow gauge:
116 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,923 km 1.000-m gauge (40 km electrified) (1995)

Highways

total :
79,750 km
paved:
11,006 km
unpaved:
68,744 km (1995 est.)

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

Airports

343 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 84 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 71 (1996 est.)

Military

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

7 fields

Military branches

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

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 3,867,676 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

  • $2.8 billion (1997);
  • note - includes earnings from CODELCO Company;
  • may exclude costs of pensions and internal security

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • 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

Illicit drugs

  • a minor transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe;
  • booming economy has made it more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits CHINA (also see separate Taiwan entry)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Chile.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/chile/1997.

How to cite ← 1996 edition 1998 edition →