Chile (2002) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2005) | |
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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 26.9% (male 2,127,696; female 2,033,201)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 5,070,476; female 5,103,490) 65 years and over: 7.5% (male 482,846; female 681,221) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,396/female 3,277)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,900/female 6,220) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 363 (2001) | 8 (2004 est.) |
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 (2002) |
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 292
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: 216 (2002) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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 |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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, first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship, led to unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory. |
Birth rate | 16.46 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $17 billion
expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | Santiago | Grand Turk |
Climate | temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 6,435 km | 389 km |
Constitution | 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997 | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | Chilean peso (CLP) | - |
Death rate | 5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $39.6 billion (2001) (2001) | NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746 FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | Bolivia continues to demand a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama region was lost to Chile in 1884; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; dispute with Peru over the economic zone delimited by the maritime boundary | have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA, $40 million (2001 est.) | $4.1 million (1997) |
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 5.4% in 2000. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, however, putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. The Argentine financial meltdown has put pressure on the Chilean peso and is slowing the country's economic growth. Meanwhile, Chile and the US are conducting negotiations for a free trade agreement. | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the annual 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. |
Electricity - consumption | 37.897 billion kWh (2000) | 4.65 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 1.09 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 39.577 billion kWh (2000) | 5 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 51%
hydro: 46% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban |
- |
Ethnic groups | white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% | black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% |
Exchange rates | Chilean pesos per US dollar - 651.90 (January 2002), 618.70 (2001), 535.47 (2000), 508.78 (1999), 460.29 (1998), 419.30 (1997) | the US dollar is used |
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 NA December 2005) election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $18.5 billion f.o.b. (2001) | NA |
Exports - commodities | copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | US 17%, Japan 14%, UK 6%, Brazil 5%, China 5% (2000) | US, UK |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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; design was based on the US flag | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $153 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 8%
industry: 38% services: 54% (2000) (2000) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.1% (2001 est.) | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 30 00 S, 71 00 W | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
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 | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Highways | total: 79,800 km
paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 68,788 km (1996) |
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 41% (1998) (1998) |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | a growing transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $18 billion f.o.b. (2001) | NA |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | US 19%, Argentina 16%, Brazil 7%, China 6%, Japan 4% (2000) | US, UK |
Independence | 18 September 1810 (from Spain) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.5% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Industries | copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles | tourism, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.5% (2001 est.) | 4% (1995) |
International organization participation | APEC, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 7 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 18,000 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
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 | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 5.9 million (2000 est.) | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 14%, industry 27%, services 59% (1997 est.) | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services |
Land boundaries | total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001) |
Languages | Spanish | English (official) |
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 |
based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
Legislative branch | bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (49 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated members, and 2 former presidents who serve six-year terms and are senators 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 NA December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), UDI 9, RN 7, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 63 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6,), UDI 35, RN 22, independent 1 |
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.14 years
male: 72.83 years female: 79.62 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 74.51 years
male: 72.28 years female: 76.84 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2% male: 95.4% female: 95% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
Map references | South America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200/350 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 669,670 GRT/931,647 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 4, chemical tanker 10, container 5, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 3, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Netherlands 1 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army of the Nation, National Navy (including naval air, coast guard, and marines), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros (National Police), Investigations Police | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.5 billion (FY99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.1% (FY99) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 4,104,197 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 3,034,912 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 136,830 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 18 September (1810) | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
Pipelines | crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Center-Center Union Party or UCCP [Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Patricia ALYWIN]; Coalition of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS, PPD, PRSD; Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN [Alberto CARDEMIL]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Guido GIRARDI]; Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Anselmo SULE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ricardo NUNEZ] | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK] |
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 | NA |
Population | 15,498,930 (July 2002 est.) | 20,556 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 22% (1998 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.09% (2002 est.) | 2.9% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998) | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 5.18 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 6,702 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 117 km 1.067-m gauge (28 km electrified); 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (37 km electrified) (2000 est.) |
- |
Religions | Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL% | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing
domestic: full range of services available international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2.603 million (1998) | 5,700 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 944,225 (1998) | 1,700 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997) | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004) |
Terrain | low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | 2.13 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10.1% (2001) (2001) | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | 725 km | - |