Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions.
Capital: Santiago Population: 17.402.630 (2012) Currency: Chilean peso (CLP) Language: Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English Time zone:UTC-4 Government:Republic Chief of State:President Sebastian Piñera
Country dialing code: +56
Emergency numbers: 133 to contact the police131 for medical assitance
National airline: Lan Chile (part of One world group with Quantas and British Airways)
Voltage: 220V
Detailed country profile
ECONOMY
GDP real growth rate:
6.5% (2011 est.)
5.1% (2010 est.)
-1.5% (2009 est.)
4% (2008 est.)
5.1% (2007 est.)
4.3% (2006 est.)
GDP- Composition by sector (2010)
Agriculture: 5.1%
Industry: 41.8%
Services: 53.1%
Labor force by occupation(2005):
Agriculture: 13.1%
Industry: 23%
Services: 63.9%
Agriculture products:
Grapes
Apples
Pears
Onions
Wheat
Corn
Oats
Peaches
Garlic
Asparagus
Beans
Beef
Poultry
Wool
Fish
Timber
Industries:
Copper
Other minerals
Foodstuffs
Fish processing
Iron and steel
Wood and wood products
Transport equipment
Cement
Textiles
Exports: $86.13 billion (2011 est.)
Export Commodities:
Copper
Fruit
Fish products
Paper and pulp
Chemicals
Wine
Main Export Partners (2009):
China 23.8%
Japan 10.2%
US 10%
Brazil 6%
South Korea 5.9%
Imports: $72.31 billion (2011 est.)
Import commodities:
Petroleum and petroleum products
Chemicals
Electrical and telecommunications equipment
Industrial machinery
Vehicles
Natural gas
Import partners (2009):
US 17%
China 13.6%
Argentina 8.5%
Brazil 7.9%
South Korea 5.8%
Japan 5%
Germany 4%
Ports and Terminals:
Coronel
Huasco
Lirquen
Puerto Ventanas
San Antonio
San Vicente
Valparaiso
Unemployment rate:
6.6% (2011 est.)
7.1% (2010 est.)
GOVERNMENT
Government Type:Republic
Executive Branch:
Chief of state: President Sebastian Piñera Note the president is both the chief of state and head of government Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president Elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term
Legal system:
Civil law system influenced by several West European civil legal systems; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
GEOGRAPHY
Land Boundaries:total: 6,339 km
Border countries:
Argentina 5,308 km
Bolivia 860 km
Peru 171 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 Extremes:
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
Environment and international agreement:
Party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
Antarctic Seals
Antarctic Treaty
Biodiversity
Climate Change
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Desertification
Endangered Species
Environmental Modification
Hazardous Wastes
Law of the Sea
Marine Dumping
Ozone Layer Protection
Ship Pollution
Wetlands
Whaling
Environment and current issues:
Widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources
Air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions
Water pollution from raw sewage
PEOPLE
Ethnic groups:
White and white-Amerindian 95.4%
Mapuche 4%
Other indigenous groups 0.6%
Languages:
Spanish (official)
Mapudungun
German
English
Religion:
Roman Catholic 70%
Evangelical 15.1%
Jehovah's Witness 1.1%
Other Christian 1%
Other 4.6%
None 8.3%
HISTORY
Express History
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile.
Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions.
It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990.
Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have 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.
12-17-11 by Emmanuel Besserve
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions.
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