Chile

Chile Background

A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime 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 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.

Chile Information

• Population: 15,823,957 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean
• Location:: Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
• Religions:: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish negligible
• Ethnic Groups:: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
• Area: total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez water: 8,150 sq km
• Coast Line: 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
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
• Natural Resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
• Highways: total: 79,814 km paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways) unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 6,585 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso
• Airports: 363 (2003 est.)