Geography
Area: 756,945 sq. km. (302,778 sq. mi.); nearly twice the size of
California.
Cities: Capital--Santiago (metropolitan area est. 6 million).
Other cities--Concepcion-Talcahuano (840,000), Vina del
Mar-Valparaiso (800,000), Antofagasta (245,000), Temuco (230,000).
Terrain: Desert in north; fertile central valley; volcanoes and
lakes toward the south, giving way to rugged and complex coastline;
Andes Mountains on the eastern border.
Climate: Arid in north, Mediterranean in the central portion, cool
and damp in south.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Chilean(s).
Population (2003): 15.1 million.
Annual population growth rate: 1.2%.
Ethnic groups: Spanish-Native-American (mestizo), European,
Native-American.
Religions: Roman Catholic 69.9%; Protestant 15%.
Language: Spanish.
Education: Years compulsory--12. Attendance--3
million. Adult literacy rate--95.8%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--8.9/1,000. Life expectancy--79
yrs.
Work force (6.0 million); employed 5.5 million: Community,
social and individual services--26%; industry--14.4%;
commerce--17.6%; agriculture, forestry, and fishing--13.9%;
construction--7.1%; financial services--7.5%;
transportation and communication--8.0%; electricity, gas
and water--0.5%; mining--1.2%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: September 18, 1810.
Constitution: Promulgated September 11, 1980; effective March 11,
1981; amended in 1989, 1993, and 1997.
Branches: Executive--president. Legislative--bicameral
legislature. Judicial--Constitutional Tribunal, Supreme
Court, court of appeals, military courts.
Administrative subdivisions: 12 numbered regions, plus Santiago
metropolitan region, administered by appointed "intendentes,"
regions are divided into provinces, administered by appointed
governors; provinces are divided into municipalities administered by
elected mayors.
Political parties: Major parties are grouped into two large
coalitions: 1) the center-left "Concertacion", which includes the
Christian Democrat Party, the Socialist Party, the Party for
Democracy, and the Radical Social Democratic Party; and 2) the
center-right "Alliance for Chile", which includes the National
Renewal Party and the Independent Democratic Union. The Communist
Party joined the Humanistic Party and a number of smaller parties to
form the "Together We Can" coalition in 2004, but none of these
leftist parties have recently elected congressional representatives.
Suffrage: Universal at 18, including foreigners legally resident for
more than 5 years.
Economy (2004)
GDP: $94.1 billion.
Annual real growth rate: 6.1%.
Per capita GDP: $6,000.
Forestry, agriculture, and fisheries (6% of GDP): Products--wheat,
potatoes, corn, sugar beets, onions, beans, fruits, livestock, fish.
Commerce (8% of GDP): Sales, restaurants, hotels.
Manufacturing (17% of GDP): Types--mineral refining, metal
manufacturing, food processing, fish processing, paper and wood
products, finished textiles.
Electricity, gas, and water: 3% of GDP.
Transportation and communication: 7% of GDP.
Construction: 8% of GDP.
Financial services (12% of GDP): Insurance, leasing, consulting.
Mining (13% of GDP): Copper, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals,
and molybdenum.
Trade: Exports--$32 billion: copper, fishmeal, fruits, wood
products, paper products, fish, wine. Major markets--U.S.
17.3%, EU 23.9%, Japan 11.7%, China 10%, Korea 5.5%, Mexico 4%,
Brazil 4.2%. Imports--$23 billion: consumer goods,
chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy
industrial machinery, food. Major suppliers--EU 16.3%,
Argentina 16%, U.S. 14.6%, Brazil 10.9%, China 7.6%, Korea 3.8%,
Japan 3.1 %.