Country Summary: Chile
Country Name: Chile
Capital: Santiago
Official Visa & Travel Information: Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Visa Services)
Government Type: presidential republic
Background: Indigenous groups inhabited central and southern Chile for several thousands of years, living in mixed pastoralist and settled communities, ending with the Inca ruling the north of the country for nearly a century prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. The Captaincy General of Chile was founded by the Spanish in 1541, lasting until Chile declared its independence in 1810. The subsequent struggle became tied to other South American independence conflicts, with a decisive victory over the Spanish not being achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its current northernmost regions. By the 1880s, the Chilean central government cemented its control over the central and southern regions inhabited by Mapuche Indigenous peoples. Between 1891 and 1973, a series of elected governments succeeded each other until the three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically elected president was inaugurated in 1990. Economic reforms, maintained consistently since the 1980s, contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and 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.
Continent: South America
Population: 18,549,457 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: White and non-Indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other Indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.)
Languages: Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, Indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2012 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Evangelical 18%, atheist or agnostic 4%, none 17% (2018 est.)
Economic Overview: export-driven economy; leading copper producer; though hit by COVID-19, fairly quick rebound from increased liquidity and rapid vaccine rollouts; decreasing poverty but still lingering inequality; public debt rising but still manageable; recent political violence has had negative economic consequences
Currency: Chilean Peso (CLP)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $39.102 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $507.465 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Real GDP Growth Rate: 2.44% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per Capita: $25,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Exports:
$107.078 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 47
Export Commodities: copper, fish fillets, wood pulp, pitted fruits, wine (2021)
Export Partners: China 32%, United States 14%, Japan 9%, South Korea 7% (2019)
Imports:
$118.094 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 46
Import Commodities: refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, delivery trucks (2019)
Import Partners: China 24%, United States 20%, Brazil 8%, Germany 5%, Argentina 5% (2019)
Natural Resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Agricultural Products: grapes, apples, wheat, sugar beet, milk, potatoes, tomatoes, maize, poultry, pork
Industries: copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
-1.67% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Comparison Ranking: 188
Labor Force: 9.63 million (2022 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 8.25% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Natural Hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Geography:
Total: 756,102 sq km
Land: 743,812 sq km
Water: 12,290 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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