2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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.
Geography
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
Climate
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Coastline
6,435 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
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
Geographic coordinates
30 00 S, 71 00 W
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
Irrigated land
18,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)
Location
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Map references
South America
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200/350 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Natural hazards
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Natural resources
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Terrain
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
16.46 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.19% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
1,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
15,000 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate
9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
79.62 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.2% male: 95.4% female: 95% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
15,498,930 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
1.09% (2002 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%
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.)
Government
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
Capital
Santiago
Constitution
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997
Country name
Republic of Chile conventional short form: Government type: republic
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Philip S. GOLDBERG embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710
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
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)
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
Independence
18 September 1810 (from Spain)
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
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
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
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: 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)
National holiday
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Economy
Agriculture - products
wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Budget
revenues: $17 billion expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Currency
Chilean peso (CLP)
Currency code
CLP
Debt - external
$39.6 billion (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
57.5 (1996)
Economic aid - recipient
ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)
Electricity - consumption
37.897 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
1.09 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
39.577 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 51.17% hydro: 46.36% other: 2.47% (2000) nuclear: 0%
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)
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)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $153 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 8% industry: 38% services: 54% (2000)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.1% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 41.3% (1998)
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)
Industrial production growth rate
2.5% (2001 est.)
Industries
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
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.)
Population below poverty line
22% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate
10.1% (2001)
Communications
Internet country code
.cl
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
7 (2000)
Internet users
1.75 million (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Radios
5.18 million (1997)
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)
Telephones - main lines in use
2.603 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular
944,225 (1998)
Television broadcast stations
63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
3.15 million (1997)
Transportation
Airports
363 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 70 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 16 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 293 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: 217 (2001)
Highways
total: 79,800 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 68,788 km (1996)
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.)
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
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.)
Waterways
725 km
Military and Security
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 expenditures - dollar figure
$2.5 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
3.1% (FY99)
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 - military age
19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 136,830 (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Bolivia continues to demand a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama region was lost to Chile in 1884; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; dispute with Peru over the economic zone delimited by the maritime boundary
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 This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Cayman Islands