Chile
Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the Inca ruled northern Chile for nearly a century 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. Economic reforms, 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.

geography

location

30.0° S, 71. 0° W
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

area

756,102 sq km
land
743,812 sq km
water
12,290 sq km

land boundaries

7,801 km

coastline

6,435 km

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

1,871 m
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
1.7 %
permanent crops
0.6 %
permanent pasture
18.8 %
forest
21.9 %
other
57 %

population distribution

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

people

population

  • 18,186,770
  • 65
    global rank

nationality

  • Chilean(s)
    noun
  • Chilean
    adjective

ethnic groups

white and non-indigenous
88.9 %
Mapuche
9.1 %
Aymara
0.7 %
other indigenous groups
1 %
unspecified
0.3 %

languages

  • Spanish
    official
  • English
  • indigenous
    includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui
  • other
  • unspecified

religions

Roman Catholic
66.7 %
Evangelical or Protestant
16.4 %
Jehovah's Witness
1 %
other
3.4 %
none
11.5 %
unspecified
1.1 %

birth rate

  • 13.1
    per 1,000 population
  • 142
    global rank

death rate

  • 6.5
    per 1,000 population
  • 142
    global rank

urban population

87.7 %

major urban areas

  • Santiago
    pop. 6,767,000
  • Valparaiso
    pop. 984,000
  • Concepcion
    pop. 881,000

life expectancy

  • 79.4
    total population
  • 53
    global rank
76.3
male
82.5
female

adult obesity rate

  • 28%
    percent of adults
  • 32
    global rank

government

country name

    conventional

  • Republic of Chile
    long form
  • Chile
    short form

    local

  • Republica de Chile
    long form
  • Chile
    short form

government type

presidential republic

capital

Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature
33.27 S, 70.40 W

independence

national holidays

  • Independence Day
    18 September

legal system

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

age of suffrage

18

flag description

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

national colors

  • red
  • white
  • blue

national anthem

"Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile)

economy

overview

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 a slight contraction in 2009 that resulted from the global financial crisis. Growth slowed to an estimated 1.4% in 2017. A continued drop in copper prices prompted Chile to experience its third consecutive year of slow growth. 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 26 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, which was finalized as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and signed at a ceremony in Chile in March 2018. The Chilean Government has generally followed a countercyclical fiscal policy, under which it accumulates surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and generally allows 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, then-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.

GDP

452,100,000,000 USD
2017

agriculture products

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

poverty level

14.4%
2013

budget

  • 57,750,000,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 65,379,999,999.99,999
    expenditures (USD)

communications

telephones

    fixed lines

  • 2,997,192
    total subscriptions
  • 47
    global rank

    mobile cellular

  • 25,178,981
    total subscriptions
  • 49
    global rank

broadcast media

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

internet

.cl
country code

    users

  • 14,757,868
    total
  • 82.33
    % of population
  • 45
    global rank

energy

electricity access

100%
2016

transportation

air transport

    national system

  • 9
    registered air carriers
  • 15,006,762
    annual passenger traffic

    airports

  • 481
    total
  • 90
    paved

railways

7,282 km
total length

roadways

77,801 km
total length

military

expenditures

expenditures here

service age

18