Match 51 DB Rec# - 7,503 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Chile
Text :
Chile
Geography
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific
Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Map references:
South America
Area:
total area:
756,950 sq km
land area:
748,800 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
note:
includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Land boundaries:
total 6,171 km, Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Coastline:
6,435 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
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
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
Land use:
arable land:
7%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
16%
forest and woodland:
21%
other:
56%
Irrigated land:
12,650 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from
raw sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil
erosion; desertification
natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Geography
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, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note:
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
(Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert one of
world's driest regions
People
Population:
14,161,216 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
29% (female 2,014,877; male 2,099,450)
15-64 years:
64% (female 4,574,947; male 4,529,251)
65 years and over:
7% (female 549,385; male 393,306) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.49% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
20.29 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
5.42 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
14.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
74.88 years
male:
71.89 years
female:
78.01 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.49 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Chilean(s)
adjective:
Chilean
Ethnic divisions:
European and European-Indian 95%, Indian 3%, other 2%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1992)
total population:
94%
male:
95%
female:
94%
Labor force:
4.728 million
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)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Chile
conventional short form:
Chile
local long form:
Republica de Chile
local short form:
Chile
Digraph:
CI
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, 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
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 and head of government:
President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994) election last held
11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1999); results - Eduardo FREI
Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%, other 17.6%
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
Senate (Senado):
election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1997); results
- percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total, 38 elected) Concertation
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 10
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados):
election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1997); results
- Concertation 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 - (120 total) Concertation 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
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Government
Political parties and leaders:
Concertation of Parties for Democracy consists mainly of three parties:
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Alejandro FOXLEY; Socialist Party (PS),
Camilo ESCALONA; Party for Democracy (PPD), Jorge SCHAULSOHN; Radical Party
(PR); Union for the Progress of Chile consists mainly of three parties:
National Renewal (RN), Andres ALLAMAND; Independent Democratic Union (UDI),
Jovino NOVOA; Center Center Union (UCC), Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ
Other political or pressure groups:
revitalized university student federations at all major universities; labor
- United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's
five largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church
Member of:
APEC, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Gabriel GUERRA-MONDRAGON
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,
and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Gabriel GUERRA-MONDRAGON
embassy:
Codina Building, 1343 Agustinas, Santiago
mailing address:
Unit 4127, Santiago; APO AA 34033
telephone:
[56] (2) 232-2600
FAX:
[56] (2) 330-3710
Flag:
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 prosperous, essentially free market economy, with the degree of
government intervention varying according to the philosophy of the different
regimes. Under the center-left government of President AYLWIN, which took
power in March 1990, spending on social welfare rose steadily. At the same
time business investment, exports, and consumer spending also grew
substantially. The new president, FREI, who took office in March 1994, has
emphasized social spending even more. Growth in 1991-94 has averaged 6.5%
annually, with an estimated one million Chileans having moved out of poverty
in the last four years. Copper remains vital to the health of the economy;
Chile is the world's largest producer and exporter of copper. Success in
meeting the government's goal of sustained annual growth of 5% depends on
world copper prices, the level of confidence of foreign investors and
creditors, and the government's own ability to maintain a conservative
fiscal stance.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $97.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
4.3% (1994 est.)
National product per capita:
$7,010 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.7% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$10.9 billion
expenditures:
$10.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.2 billion (1993)
Exports:
$11.5 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities:
copper 41%, other metals and minerals 8.7%, wood products 7.1%, fish and
fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1991)
partners:
EC 29%, Japan 17%, US 16%, Argentina 5%, Brazil 5% (1992)
Imports:
$10.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities:
capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%,
foodstuffs 5.7%
partners:
EC 24%, US 21%, Brazil 10%, Japan 10% (1992)
External debt:
$20 billion (1994 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.3% (1993 est.); accounts for 34% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
4,810,000 kW
production:
22 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
1,499 kWh (1993)
Industries:
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood
and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Economy
Agriculture:
accounts for about 7% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); major
exporter of fruit, fish, and timber products; major crops - wheat, corn,
grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, deciduous fruit; livestock products -
beef, poultry, wool; self-sufficient in most foods; 1991 fish catch of 6.6
million metric tons; net agricultural importer
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
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $521 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.6 billion;
Communist countries (1970-89), $386 million
Currency:
1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 408 (January 1995), 420.08 (1994), 404.35
(1993), 362.59 (1992), 349.37 (1991), 305.06 (1990)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railroads:
total:
7,766 km
broad gauge:
3,974 km 1.676-m gauge (1,865 km electrified)
standard gauge:
150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
3,642 km 1.000-m gauge (80 km electrified)
Highways:
total:
79,599 km
paved:
10,984 km
unpaved:
gravel or earth 68,615 km (1990)
Inland waterways:
725 km
Pipelines:
crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320 km
Ports:
Antofagasta, Arica, Chanarol, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas,
San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso
Merchant marine:
total:
36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 510,006 GRT/879,891 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 13, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 2, liquefied gas
tanker 3, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, vehicle carrier 2
Airports:
total:
390
with paved runways over 3,047 m:
5
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
5
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
18
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
17
with paved runways under 914 m:
252
with unpaved runways over 3,047 m:
1
with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
3
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m:
13
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
76
Communications
Telephone system:
768,000 telephones; modern telephone system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
local:
NA
intercity:
extensive microwave radio relay links and 3 domestic satellite stations
international:
2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM 159, FM 0, shortwave 11
radios:
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
131
televisions:
NA
Defense Forces
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
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 3,758,770; males fit for military service 2,796,740; males
reach military age (19) annually 121,831 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1 billion, 3.4% of GDP (1991 est.)
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This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).
The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
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