the more than three-dozen active volcanoes situated within the Andes
Mountains; Lascar (elev. 5,592 m, 18,346 ft), which last erupted in
2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes;
Llaima (elev. 3,125 m, 10,253 ft) in central Chile, which last
erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's
2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically
active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Copahue, Guallatiri,
Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, San Pedro, and Villarrica
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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 ::Chile
Population:
16,746,491 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,966,017/female 1,877,963)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,625,963/female 5,628,146)
65 years and over: 9.1% (male 627,746/female 875,872) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.7 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 32.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.856% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Birth rate:
14.46 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Death rate:
5.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 77
Urbanization:
urban population: 88% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 164
male: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years
country comparison to the world: 56
male: 74.26 years
female: 80.96 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
31,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Nationality:
noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups:
white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous
groups 0.6% (2002 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other
Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
Languages:
Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
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: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 14 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 135
Government ::Chile
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
note: the Chilean Government announced on 4 March 2010 that the end
of DST would be delayed until 4 April 2010 providing respite to
those affected by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake of February 2010
Administrative divisions:
15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos
Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota,
Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins,
Los Lagos, Los Rios, 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 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 US-style adversarial system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sebastian PINERA Echenique (since 11 March
2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Sebastian PINERA Echenique (since 11
March 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year
term; election last held on 13 December 2009 with runoff election
held on 17 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2013)
election results: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president;
percent of vote - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 51.6%; Eduardo FREI
48.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to 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 on 13 December 2009 (next to be held
in December 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 13 December
2009 (next to be held in December 2013)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - CPD 9 (PDC 4, PPD 3, PS 2), APC 9 (RN 6, UDI 3); Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CC 58
(UDI 37, RN 18, other 3), CPD 57 (PDC 19, PPD 18, PS 11, PRSD 5, PC
3, other 1), PRI 3, independent 2
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 (eight-members - two each from the Senate, Chamber of
Deputies, Supreme Court, and National Security Council - review the
constitutionality of laws approved by Congress)
Political parties and leaders:
Broad Social Movement or MAS; Clean Chile Vote Happy or CLVF
(including Broad Social Movement, Country Force, and Regionalist
Party of Independents or PRI); Coalition for Change or CC (formerly
known as the Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC) (including
National Renewal or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena], Independent Democratic
Union or UDI [Juan Antonio COLOMA Correa], and Chile First [Vlado
MIROSEVIC]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy (Concertacion) or
CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Ignacio WALKER],
Party for Democracy or PPD [Carolina TOHA Morales], Radical Social
Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia], and Socialist
Party or PS [Osvaldo ANDRADE]); Partido Ecologista del Sur; Together
We Can Do More (including Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER
del Valle], and Humanist Party or PH [Danilo MONTEVERDE])
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church, particularly conservative groups such as Opus
Dei; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the
country's five largest labor confederations
other: revitalized university student federations at all major
universities
International organization participation:
APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo FERNANDOIS Vohringer
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts 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, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alejandro D. WOLFF
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000
FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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
representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky,
white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood
spilled to achieve independence
note: design was influenced by the US flag
National anthem:
name: "Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile)
lyrics/music: Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y
Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle
note: music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted
lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET"s military rule, a verse
glorifying the army was added; however, as a protest, some citizens
refused to sing this verse; it was removed when democracy was
restored in 1990
Economy ::Chile
Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of
foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and
sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating
in South America. Exports account for more than one-fourth of GDP,
with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports.
Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue. 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 situation 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. In the years since then, growth has averaged 4% per year.
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. Over the past seven years, foreign direct investment inflows
have quadrupled to some $15 billion in 2010, but FDI had dropped to
about $7 billion in 2009 in the face of diminished investment
throughout the world. The Chilean government conducts a rule-based
countercyclical fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign
wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic
growth, and allowing deficit spending only during periods of low
copper prices and growth. As of September 2008, those sovereign
wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from
Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $20 billion. Chile
used $4 billion from this fund to finance a fiscal stimulus package
to fend off recession. In December 2009, the OECD invited Chile to
become a full member, after a two year period of compliance with
organization mandates. The economy started to show signs of a
rebound in the fourth quarter, 2009, and GDP grew more than 5% in
2010. The magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile in February
2010 was one of the top ten strongest earthquakes on record. It
caused considerable damage near the epicenter, located about 70
miles from Concepcion - and about 200 miles southwest of Santiago.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$260 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$246.9 billion (2009 est.)
$250.6 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$199.2 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
-1.5% (2009 est.)
3.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$14,900 (2009 est.)
$15,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.6%
industry: 40.5%
services: 53.9% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
7.58 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13.2%
industry: 23%
services: 63.9% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
8.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
9.6% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
18.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 41.7% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
54.9 (2003)
country comparison to the world: 14
57.1 (2000)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Public debt:
6.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
6.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
1.5% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 52
8.25% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
13.26% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$29.81 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 57
$23.68 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$160.3 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 45
$127.5 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$153.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
$133.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$209.5 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 29
$132.4 billion (31 December 2008)
$212.9 billion (31 December 2007)
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:
3.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - production:
60.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Electricity - consumption:
57.29 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
10,850 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - consumption:
277,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Oil - exports:
49,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Oil - imports:
311,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Oil - proved reserves:
150 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Natural gas - production:
1.65 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - consumption:
2.34 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - imports:
690 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Natural gas - proved reserves:
97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Current account balance:
$1.033 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
$4.217 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$64.28 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
$53.74 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners:
China 16.46%, US 11.31%, Japan 9.06%, South Korea 6.49%, Brazil
4.64%, Mexico 4.09% (2009)
Imports:
$54.23 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$39.75 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and
telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,
natural gas
Imports - partners:
US 21.77%, China 12.76%, Argentina 9.55%, Brazil 6.46%, South Korea
5.35% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.08 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
$25.29 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$84.51 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
$72.76 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$136.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
$121.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$51.15 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
$41.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 525.34 (2010), 560.86 (2009),
509.02 (2008), 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006)
Communications ::Chile
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.575 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 43
Telephones - mobile cellular:
16.45 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 44
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced
telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system
based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; domestic
satellite system with 3 earth stations
domestic: number of fixed-line connections have stagnated in recent
years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching a
level of 100 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 56; landing points for the Pan
American, South America-1, and South American Crossing/Latin America
Nautilius submarine cables providing links to the US and to Central
and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
national and local terrestrial television channels, coupled with
extensive cable TV networks; the state-owned Television Nacional de
Chile (TVN) network is self-financed through commercial advertising
revenues and is not under direct government control; large number of
privately-owned TV stations; about 250 radio stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.cl
Internet hosts:
1.056 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 43
Internet users:
7.009 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 39
Transportation ::Chile
Airports:
366 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 22
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 84
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 24 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 282
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 50
under 914 m: 217 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 2,673 km; liquid petroleum gas 519 km; oil 892 km; refined
products 769 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 5,483 km
country comparison to the world: 34
broad gauge: 1,706 km 1.676-m gauge (850 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,777 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 80,505 km
country comparison to the world: 59
paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways)
unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 48
country comparison to the world: 71
by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 10, chemical tanker 8, container 1,
liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 8,
roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Norway 1)
registered in other countries: 48 (Argentina 6, Belize 1, Brazil 1,
Cyprus 1, Isle of Man 8, Liberia 7, Panama 17, Singapore 7) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Coronel, Huasco, Lirquen, Puerto Ventanas, San Antonio, San Vicente,
Valparaiso
Military ::Chile
Military branches:
Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes Naval
Aviation, Marine Corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine
Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,
FACh), Carabineros Corps (Cuerpo de Carabineros) (2010)
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)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,301,900
females age 16-49: 4,232,956 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,599,328
females age 16-49: 3,544,156 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 143,778
female: 138,058 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 52
Transnational Issues ::Chile
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; some money laundering activity, especially through the
Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia;
domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant
consumer of cocaine (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@China (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::China
Background: