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Introduction |
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Background: |
Prior to the coming
of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under
Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central and
southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated until
the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its independence in
1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until
1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile defeated Peru
and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A three-year-old
Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE 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.
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Geography |
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Location: |
Southern South
America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina
and Peru
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Geographic
coordinates: |
30 00 S, 71 00 W
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Map references: |
South America
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Area: |
total:
756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla
Sala y Gomez
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Area -
comparative: |
slightly smaller
than twice the size of Montana
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Land boundaries: |
total: 6,171
km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km,
Peru 160 km
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Coastline: |
6,435 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm
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Climate: |
temperate; desert
in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in
south
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Terrain: |
low coastal
mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
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Natural
resources: |
copper, timber,
iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
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Land use: |
arable land:
2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42%
other: 96.93% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
18,000 sq km (1998
est.)
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Natural hazards: |
severe earthquakes;
active volcanism; tsunamis
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Environment -
current issues: |
widespread
deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air
pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage
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Environment -
international agreements: |
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography -
note: |
strategic location
relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
(Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama
Desert is one of world's driest regions
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People |
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Population: |
15,980,912 (July
2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
25.2% (male 2,062,735/female 1,970,913)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 5,320,870/female 5,342,771)
65 years and over: 8% (male 534,737/female 748,886) (2005
est.)
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Median age: |
total: 30.07
years
male: 29.17 years
female: 31.05 years (2005 est.)
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Population
growth rate: |
0.97% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
15.44 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
5.76 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net migration
rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 8.8
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 76.58 years
male: 73.3 years
female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility
rate: |
2.02 children
born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: |
0.3% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
26,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
1,400 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun:
Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean
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Ethnic groups: |
white and
white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 89%,
Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%
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Languages: |
Spanish
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
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Government |
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Country name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile
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Government type: |
republic
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Capital: |
Santiago
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Administrative
divisions: |
13 regions (regiones,
singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo,
Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador
General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la
Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago),
Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
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Independence: |
18 September 1810
(from Spain)
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National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
18 September (1810)
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Constitution: |
11 September 1980;
effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997
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Legal system: |
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
note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling
its criminal justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system
is being gradually implemented throughout the country with the
final stage of implementation in the Santiago metropolitan
region expected in June 2005
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal and compulsory
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar
(since 11 March 2000); 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
six-year term; election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff
election held 16 January 2000 (next to be held December 2005)
election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected
president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%,
Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%
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Legislative
branch: |
bicameral National
Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado
(48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated members, and
1 former president who has served a full six-year term and is
senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms
(one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to
be held December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16
December 2001 (next to be held December 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI
9, RN 7), independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11,
PRSD 6), UDI 35, RN 22, independent 1
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or
Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and
ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the
court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected by
the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal
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Political
parties and leaders: |
Alliance for Chile
("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewal or RN [Sebastian
PINERA] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]);
Coalition of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD
(including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR],
Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER], Party for Democracy or
PPD [Victor BARRUETO], Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD
[Orlando CANTUARIAS]); Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
revitalized
university student federations at all major universities; Roman
Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade
unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations
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International
organization participation: |
APEC, BIS, CSN, FAO,
G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO
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Flag
description: |
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 representing a guide to progress and honor; blue
symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red
stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence; design was
influenced by the US flag
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Economy |
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Economy -
overview: |
Chile has a
market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign
trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role
model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic
government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the
military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the
military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during
1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight
monetary policies implemented to keep the current account
deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the
latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe
drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields
and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing,
and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first
time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the
recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial
institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest
sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of 1999,
exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and
2.1% in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the
devaluation of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow
recovery in 2003, growing 3.2% and accelerated to 5.8% in 2004.
GDP growth benefited from high copper prices, solid export
earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and
stepped-up foreign direct investment. Unemployment, however,
remains stubbornly high. Chile deepened its longstanding
commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free
trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January
2004.
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GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $169.1 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
5.8% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $10,700 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
6.3%
industry: 38.2%
services: 55.5% (2004 est.)
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Labor force: |
6.2 million (2004
est.)
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture 13.6%,
industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003)
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Unemployment
rate: |
8.5% (2004 est.)
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Population below
poverty line: |
20.6% (2000)
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Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.2%
highest 10%: 47% (2000)
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Distribution of
family income - Gini index: |
57.1 (2000)
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
2.4% (2004 est.)
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Investment
(gross fixed): |
23.9% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$21.53 billion
expenditures: $19.95 billion, including capital
expenditures of $3.33 billion (2004 est.)
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Public debt: |
12.8% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Agriculture -
products: |
grapes, apples,
pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus,
beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
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Industries: |
copper, other
minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and
wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
7.8% (2004 est.)
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Electricity -
production: |
48.6 billion kWh
(2004)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
47%
hydro: 51.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.4% (2001)
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Electricity -
consumption: |
41.8 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity -
imports: |
1.813 billion kWh
(2002)
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Oil -
production: |
18,500 bbl/day
(2003 est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
240,000 bbl/day
(2003 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
0 bbl/day (2003)
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Oil - imports: |
221,500 bbl/day
(2003 est.)
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Oil - proved
reserves: |
150 million bbl (1
January 2004)
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Natural gas -
production: |
1.18 billion cu m
(2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
6.517 billion cu m
(2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
0 cu m (2002)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
5.337 billion cu m
(2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
proved reserves: |
99.05 billion cu m
(1 January 2004)
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Current account
balance: |
$2.185 billion
(2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$29.2 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports -
commodities: |
copper, fruit, fish
products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
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Exports -
partners: |
US 14%, Japan
11.4%, China 9.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Netherlands 5.1%, Brazil
4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)
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Imports: |
$22.53 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports -
commodities: |
petroleum and
petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications
equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
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Imports -
partners: |
Argentina 17%, US
14.1%, Brazil 11.1%, China 7.1% (2004)
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Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$16.02 billion
(2004)
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Debt - external: |
$44.6 billion (2004
est.)
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Currency (code): |
Chilean peso (CLP)
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Currency code: |
CLP
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Exchange rates: |
Chilean pesos per
US dollar - 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002), 634.94
(2001), 539.59 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year
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Communications |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
3.467 million
(2002)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
6,445,700 (2002)
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Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave radio
relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic
satellite system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 180 (eight
inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
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Radios: |
5.18 million (1997)
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Television
broadcast stations: |
63 (plus 121
repeaters) (1997)
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Televisions: |
3.15 million (1997)
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Internet country
code: |
.cl
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Internet hosts: |
202,429 (2003)
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
7 (2000)
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Internet users: |
3.575 million
(2002)
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Transportation |
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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 (2004)
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Highways: |
total:
79,605 km
paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)
unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)
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Pipelines: |
gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg
42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003 km; refined
products 757 km (2004)
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Ports and
harbors: |
Antofagasta, Arica,
Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San Vicente, Valparaiso
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Merchant marine: |
total: 47
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9,
container 1, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2,
petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 4
registered in other countries: 21 (2005)
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Airports: |
364 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 293
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)
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Military |
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Military
branches: |
Army of the Nation,
National Navy (includes naval air, Coast Guard, and Marine
Corps), Chilean Air Force, Chilean Carabineros (National Police)
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Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18 years of age for
compulsory military service; all citizens 18-45 are obligated to
perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12
months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)
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Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49:
3,815,761 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49:
3,123,281 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
140,084 (2005 est.)
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$3.42 billion
(2004)
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.8% (2004)
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Transnational Issues |
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Disputes -
international: |
Chile rebuffs
Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor,
ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but not
sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and
other commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal
maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a
southwestern axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean
Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British
claims
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Illicit drugs: |
important
transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the
US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile
more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,
especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new
anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors
passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising
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