Chile

§1. Chile 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.

§2. Chile Geography

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 kmē
  land: 748,800 kmē
  water: 8,150 kmē
  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

Coastline:
  6,435 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 kmē (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

§3. Chile People

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%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.2%
  male: 95.4%
  female: 95% (1995 est.)

§4. Chile Government

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:
  Santiago

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

§5. Chile Economy

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)

Currency code:
  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

§6. Chile Communications

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)

§7. Chile Transportation

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)

Waterways:
  725 km

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.)

§8. Chile Military

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)

§9. Chile Transnational Issues

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
