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Communications

Airports [time series]

392 total, 352 usable; 49 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 11 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 57 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

22 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

79,025 km total; 9,913 km paved, 33,140 km gravel, 35,972 km improved and unimproved earth (1984)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

725 km

Merchant marine [time series]

35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 498,354 GRT/804,809 DWT; includes 13 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 3 combination ore/oil, 10 bulk; note--in addition, 1 naval tanker and 1 military transport are sometimes used commercially

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil, 755 km; refined products, 785 km; natural gas, 320 km

Ports [time series]

Antofagasta, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, San Antonio, Talcahuano, Arica

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

8,613 km total; 4,257 km 1.676-meter gauge, 135 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 4,221 km 1.000-meter gauge; electrification, 1,578 km 1.676-meter gauge, 76 km 1.000-meter gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

modern telephone system based on extensive radio relay facilities; 768,000 telephones; stations--159 AM, no FM, 131 TV, 11 shortwave; satellite stations--2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army of the Nation, National Navy, Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

4.0% of GDP (1987)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 3,491,854; 2,610,048 fit for military service; 118,569 reach military age (19) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 8% 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; 1986 fish catch of 5.6 million metric tons net agricultural importer

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $521 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.3 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $386 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $4.9 billion; expenditures $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.6 billion (1986)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Chilean peso (plural--pesos); 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos

Electricity [time series]

4,044,000 kW capacity; 17,710 million kWh produced, 1,380 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1--296.68 (January 1990), 267.16 (1989), 245.05 (1988), 219.54 (1987), 193.02 (1986), 161.08 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$7.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--copper 48%, industrial products 33%, molybdenum, iron ore, wood pulp, fishmeal, fruits; partners--EC 34%, US 22%, Japan 10%, Brazil 7%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$16.3 billion (December 1989)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$25.3 billion, per capita $1,970; real growth rate 9.9% (1989)

Imports [time series]

$4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--petroleum, wheat, capital goods, spare parts, raw materials; partners--EC 23%, US 20%, Japan 10%, Brazil 9%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 7.4% (1989)

Industries [time series]

copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

21.4% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

In 1989 the economy grew at the rate of 9.9%, reflecting substantial growth in industry, agriculture, and construction. Copper accounts for nearly 50% of export revenues; Chile's economic well-being thus remains highly dependent on international copper prices. Unemployment and inflation rates have declined from their peaks in 1982 to 5.3% and 21.4%, respectively, in 1989. The major long-term economic problem is how to sustain growth in the face of political uncertainties.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.3% (1989)

Geography

Climate [time series]

temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south

Coastline [time series]

6,435 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Contiguous zone [time series]

24 nm;

Continental shelf [time series]

200 nm;

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

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 claim

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to severe earthquakes, active volcanism, tsunami; Atacama Desert one of world's driest regions; desertification

Exclusive fishing zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

6,171 km total; Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Land use [time series]

7% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 16% meadows and pastures; 21% forest and woodland; 56% other; includes 2% irrigated

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

Terrain [time series]

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

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

756,950 km2; land area: 748,800 km2; includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

13 regions (regiones, singular--region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso

Capital [time series]

Santiago

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

120,000 when PCCh was legal in 1973; 50,000 (est.) active militants

Constitution [time series]

11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Octavio ERRAZURIZ; Chancery at 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 785-1746; there are Chilean Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco; US--Ambassador Charles A. GILLESPIE, Jr.; Embassy at Codina Building, 1343 Agustinas, Santiago (mailing address is APO Miami 34033); telephone [56] (2) 710133 or 710190, 710326, 710375

Executive branch [time series]

president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Patricio AYLWIN (since 11 March 1990)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or Chamber of Deputies

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Chile

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

CCC, CIPEC, ECOSOC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, LAIA, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

revitalized university student federations at all major universities dominated by opposition political groups; labor--United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five-largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Renovation (RN), Sergio Jarpa, president; Radical Party (PR), Enrique Silva Cimma; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Eugenio Velasco; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Andres Zaldivar; Party for Democracy, Ricardo Lagos; Socialist Party, Clodomiro Almeyda; other parties are Movement of United Popular Action (MAPU), Victor Barrueto; Christian Left (IC), Luis Maira; Communist Party of Chile (PCCh), Volodia Teitelboim; Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR) is splintered, no single leader; several leftist and far left parties formed a new coalition in November 1988 with Luis Maira as president; the 17-party Concertation of Parties for Democracy backed Patricio Aylwin's presidential candidacy in December 1989

Suffrage [time series]

universal and compulsory at age 18 President--last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993 or January 1994); results--Patricio Aylwin 55.2%, Hernan Buchi 29.4%, other 15.4%; Senate--last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993 or January 1994); seats--(47 total, 38 elected) 17-party Concertation of Parties for Democracy 22; Chamber of Deputies--last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993 or January 1994); seats--(120 total) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 69

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

21 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

95% European and European-Indian, 3% Indian, 2% other

Infant mortality rate [time series]

18 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

3,840,000; 38.6% services (including 12% government), 31.3% industry and commerce; 15.9% agriculture, forestry, and fishing; 8.7% mining; 4.4% construction (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

70 years male, 77 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

94%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Chilean(s); adjective--Chilean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

10% of labor force (1989)

Population [time series]

13,082,842 (July 1990), growth rate 1.6% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

89% Roman Catholic, 11% Protestant, and small Jewish population

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.5 children born/woman (1990)