Chile
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 will likely recover in 2000.
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:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana Land boundaries:
Coastline: 6,435 km Maritime claims:
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:
Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower Land use:
Irrigated land: 12,650 sq km (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:
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
Population: 15,153,797 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 1.17% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 17.19 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL Languages: Spanish Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: CI 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
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 and in 1993 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; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch:
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 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)
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: Chile 2000 - main party is UCCP [Alejandro GARCIA-HUIDBORO]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Gutenberg MARTINEZ]; Coalition of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD [Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle] - including PDC, PS, PPD, PRSD; Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN [Alberto CARDEMIL]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR]; Party of the South or PS [leader NA]; Progressive Center-Center Union or UCCP [Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ]; Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Anselmo SULE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ricardo NUNEZ]; Union for the Progress of Chile ("Alliance for Chile") or UPP [Arturo ALESSANDRI Besa] - including RN and UDI 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, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 - 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 the period 1991-1997, 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 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 a return to strong growth in 2000 is likely. The inauguration of Ricardo LAGOS in March 2000, succeeding Eduardo FREI, will keep the presidency in the hands of the center-left Concertacion coalition that has held office since the return of civilian rule in 1990. GDP: purchasing power parity - $185.1 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: -1% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,400 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: 22% (1998 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (1999 est.) Labor force: 5.8 million (1999 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 14%, industry 27%, services 59% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 9% (1999) Budget:
Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles Industrial production growth rate: -1.3% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 37.49 billion kWh (1999) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 26.665 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber Exports: $15.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999) Exports - commodities: copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals Exports - partners: EU 27%, US 16%, Japan 14%, Brazil 6%, Argentina 5% (1998) Imports: $13.9 billion (c.i.f., 1999) 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 (1999) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $50.3 million (1996 est.) Currency: 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 520.45 (January 2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998), 419.30 (1997), 412.27 (1996), 396.77 (1995) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 2.603 million (1998) Telephones - mobile cellular: 197,300 (1995) Telephone system:
modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities
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 Service Providers (ISPs): 26 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
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:
Airports: 370 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigations Police
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.5 billion (FY99) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY99)
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 |
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