Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the Inca ruled northern Chile while an indigenous people, the Mapuche, inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, it did not achieve decisive victory over the Spanish until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its present northern regions. In the 1880s, the Chilean central government gained control over the central and southern regions inhabited by the Mapuche. After a series of elected governments, the three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically-elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

30 00 S, 71 00 W

South America

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

6,435 km

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east

highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

arable land 1.7%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 18.8%

11,100 sq km (2012)

90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage

the longest north-south trending country in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude; strategic location relative to sea lanes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert - the driest desert in the world - spreads across the northern part of the country; the small crater lake of Ojos del Salado is the world's highest lake (at 6,390 m)

17,789,267 (July 2017 est.)

white and non-indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.)

Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2%

Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%, unspecified 1.1% (2012 est.)

Chile is in the advanced stages of demographic transition and is becoming an aging society - with fertility below replacement level, low mortality rates, and life expectancy on par with developed countries. Nevertheless, with its dependency ratio nearing its low point, Chile could benefit from its favorable age structure. It will need to keep its large working-age population productively employed, while preparing to provide for the needs of its growing proportion of elderly people, especially as women - the traditional caregivers - increasingly enter the workforce. Over the last two decades, Chile has made great strides in reducing its poverty rate, which is now lower than most Latin American countries. However, its severe income inequality ranks as the worst among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Unequal access to quality education perpetuates this uneven income distribution.

Chile has historically been a country of emigration but has slowly become more attractive to immigrants since transitioning to democracy in 1990 and improving its economic stability (other regional destinations have concurrently experienced deteriorating economic and political conditions). Most of Chile's small but growing foreign-born population consists of transplants from other Latin American countries, especially Peru.

0.77% (2017 est.)

13.6 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

SANTIAGO (capital) 6.507 million; Valparaiso 907,000; Concepcion 816,000 (2015)

22 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

1.8 children born/woman (2017 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2014)

1.03 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

urban: 99.7% of population

rural: 93.3% of population

total: 99% of population

urban: 0.3% of population

rural: 6.7% of population

total: 1% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 90.9% of population

total: 99.1% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 9.1% of population

total: 0.9% of population (2015 est.)

0.5% (2016 est.)

61,000 (2016 est.)

NA

28% (2016)

0.5% (2014)

4.8% of GDP (2014)

presidential republic

15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aysen, 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

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended many times, last in 2011; note - in late 2015, the Chilean Government initiated a process to reform its constitution (2016)

civil law system influenced by several West European civil legal systems; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Tribunal

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

Amplitude (Amplitud) [Lily PEREZ]

Broad Social Movement or MAS [Cristian TAPIA Ramos]

Democratic Revolution or RD [Rodrigo ECHECOPAR]

Let’s Go Chile Coalition (Chile Vamos) (formerly the Alliance for Chile, includes Political Evolution or EVOPOLI [Jorge SAINT JEAN], Independent Regionalist Party or PRI [Alejandra BRAVO Hidalgo], National Renewal or RN [Cristian MONCKEBERG Bruner], and Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Jacqueline VAN RYSSELBERGHE Herrera])

Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) [Vlado MIROSEVIC]

New Majority Coalition (Nueva Mayoria) (includes Christian Democratic Party or DC [Carolina GOIC Boroevic], Communist Party of Chile or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER del Valle], Party for Democracy or PPD [Gonzalo NAVARRETE], Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Ernesto VELASCO Rodriguez], and Socialist Party or PS [Alvaro ELIZALDE Soto])

Progressive Party or PRO [Patricia MORALES]

Roman Catholic Church, particularly conservative groups such as Opus Dei

United Labor Central or CUT (includes trade unionists from the country's 5 largest labor confederations)

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor; national colors: red, white, blue

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 of goods and services account for approximately one-third of GDP, with commodities making up some 60% of total exports. Copper is Chile’s top export and provides 20% of government revenue.

From 2003 through 2013, real growth averaged almost 5% per year, despite the slight contraction in 2009 that resulted from the global financial crisis. Growth slowed to an estimated 1.7% in 2016. A continued drop in copper prices prompted Chile to experience its second consecutive year of slow growth, elevated inflation, and a depreciating currency.

Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, effective 1 January 2004. Chile has 22 trade agreements covering 60 countries including agreements with the EU, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico. In May 2010, Chile signed the OECD Convention, becoming the first South American country to join the OECD. In October 2015, Chile signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

The Chilean Government has generally followed a countercyclical fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and generally allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of 31 October 2016, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $23.5 billion. Chile used these funds to finance fiscal stimulus packages during the 2009 economic downturn.

In 2014, President Michelle BACHELET introduced tax reforms aimed at delivering her campaign promise to fight inequality and to provide access to education and health care. The reforms are expected to generate additional tax revenues equal to 3% of Chile’s GDP, mostly by increasing corporate tax rates to OECD averages.

$438.3 billion (2016 est.)

$426 billion (2015 est.)

$412.1 billion (2014 est.)

$247 billion (2016 est.)

1.6% (2016 est.)

2.3% (2015 est.)

1.9% (2014 est.)

$24,100 (2016 est.)

$24,000 (2015 est.)

$23,700 (2014 est.)

20.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

21.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

21.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

-0.7% (2016 est.)

8.762 million (2016 est.)

6.5% (2016 est.)

6.3% (2015 est.)

14.4% (2013)

50.5 (2013)

57.1 (2000)

21% of GDP (2016 est.)

-2.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

21.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

17.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

3.8% (2016 est.)

4.3% (2015 est.)

3.35% (31 December 2015)

3% (31 December 2014)

5.59% (31 December 2016 est.)

5.52% (31 December 2015 est.)

$44.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$39.88 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$158.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$140.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$211.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$188.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$190.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$233.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$265.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$-3.528 billion (2016 est.)

$-4.669 billion (2015 est.)

$60.6 billion (2016 est.)

$62.18 billion (2015 est.)

copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

China 28.6%, US 14.1%, Japan 8.6%, South Korea 6.9%, Brazil 5% (2016)

$55.34 billion (2016 est.)

$58.72 billion (2015 est.)

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas

China 24.3%, US 14.7%, Brazil 9.3%, Argentina 4.4%, France 4.2% (2016)

$40.49 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$38.64 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$158.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$153 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$199.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$184.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$90.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$83.32 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar -

676.94 (2016 est.)

676.94 (2015 est.)

658.93 (2014 est.)

570.37 (2013 est.)

486.49 (2012 est.)

71.66 billion kWh (2015 est.)

67.95 billion kWh (2015 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

21.64 million kW (2015 est.)

60.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

30% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

16.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

4,423 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

163,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

150 million bbl (1 January 2017 es)

215,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)

337,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

4,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

160,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

1.008 billion cu m (2015 est.)

5.23 billion cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

3.727 billion cu m (2015 est.)

97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

76 million Mt (2013 est.)

national and local terrestrial TV 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)

.cl

CC (2016)

481 (2013)

1 (2013)

gas 3,160 km; liquid petroleum gas 781 km; oil 985 km; refined products 722 km (2013)

1.87% of GDP (2016)

1.91% of GDP (2015)

1.96% of GDP (2014)

1.99% of GDP (2013)

2.05% of GDP (2012)

Chilean Army, 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) (2015)

18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment of males 18-45 is retained; service obligation is 12 months for Army and 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2015)

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated 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 natural gas; 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)

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