Chile Location:
Physical. Chile is located along the west coast of southern South America. It covers an area slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana. The climate is temperate with a desert in the north and cool, damp conditions in the south. The terrain is mostly low coastal mountains with a fertile central valley and rugged Andes Mountains in the East. Natural resources include copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals; molybdenum; fish and hydropower.
Chile Geography:
Geography
Area: 292,280 square miles
Capital: Santiago (pop 4,642,000)
Environmental concerns: air and water pollution; deforestation; loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification
Geographical features: low coastal mountains; a fertile central valley; rugged Andes Mountains in the east|
Climate: temperate; desert in the north; Mediterranean in the center; cool and damp in the south
Chile People:
People. Over 15.8 million people live in Chile. Spanish is the official language. Ethnically, Chileans are mostly European and Mestizo (95%) with Amerindians (2%) and various other minorities. Chilean religious practices are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic (89%) with some Protestant (11%) groups as well.
15,823,957 people; European and Mestizo (95%); Indian (3%)
Annual growth rate: 1.01%
Major languages: Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic (89%); Protestant (11%)
Chile Government:
Government. In March 1990, Chile came under civilian rule for the first time in 17 years. Since then successive presidents have worked to resolve human rights issues stemming from the Pinochet dictatorship. In May 2004, a Chilean appeals court revoked Pinochet’s immunity from prosecution making a trial possible. The military in 2004 began to repair its tarnished image by beginning to hold accountable those officers involved in human rights abuses in the past. Chiles first female president, Michelle Bachelet, was elected in December 2005. She remains committed to close ties with the US and free trade, but still strives to better meet the needs of women and children.
Chile is a republic that gained its independence from Spain on September 18, 1810.
President Michelle Bachelet is both head of state and government
5 major political parties
Suffrage: universal and compulsory from 18
Chile Communication:
Communication and transportation
3,500,000 main telephone lines
3,600,000 Internet users
49,556 miles of highway
4,212 miles of railroad
370 airfields
1,375,000 motor vehicles
Economy:
Economy. Chile experienced strong economic growth from 1985 to 1998. However the economy went into a sharp recession in 1999 when the financial crisis in Asia, where 33% of its exports were destined, caused a steep fall in copper prices. Domestic recovery has been slow. Poverty is now about 20% (down from 40%). However, there is still a large gap between rich and poor in Chile. Chile has entered into free trade agreements more readily than its neighbor states, producing short-term benefits.
Currency: pesos
Per capita GDP: $9,900
GDP: $154.7 billion
GDP growth rate: 3.3%
Inflation rate: 1.1%
Labor force: (13.6%) agricultural; (23.4%) industry (63%) services
Chile More Information:
http://www.chile-usa.org/ | 
