Chile
Country Guide

Explore Chile

Chile with its capital Santiago is located in South America (Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 756,103 square kilometers (slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana) with a population of 17,789,300. Spanish is the official language spoken by people in Chile. Argentina, Bolivia and Peru are bordering countries.

Chile narrowly stretches along the southern half of the west coast of South America, between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. Spanish is the official language in the country and is spoken by almost the entire population. When entering Chile (by cruise, vehicle or plane), at customs, travelers will need to fill out a tourist card that allows them to stay for up to 90 days. Travelers will have to present the tourist card to Customs officials when leaving the country. Be aware that hotels waive Chile's 19% room tax when the guest shows this card and pays with U.S. dollars. Chile has a rather good airport infrastructure. The main hub for flights in Chile is the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL) in Santiago, from where several airlines serve even the remotest corners of the country. Never exchange money on the streets, specially if a helper indicates you to follow them. It's not advisable to exchange currency in the hotel or the airport as the rates are awful. Just be patient. Banco Santander has a monopoly on the ATMs of the airport and will add a surcharge of 2500 CLP for retrieving cash - it's still better than the exchange bureaus. With such an enormous coastline, you can expect fish and seafood almost everywhere. Locals used to eat bundles of raw shellfish, but visitors should be cautious of raw shellfish because of frequent outbreaks of red tides.

Popular Destinations in Chile

Administrative regions of Chile

• Antofagasta
• Atacama
• Aysen
• Coquimbo
• Los Lagos
• Maule
• Region de Arica y Parinacota
• Region de Los Rios
• Region de Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena
• Region de Valparaiso
• Region de la Araucania
• Region del Biobio
• Region del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins
• Santiago Metropolitan
• Tarapaca

About the country

The topography is low coastal mountains, fertile central valley, rugged Andes in east. The average density of population is about 24 per km². The climate in Chile can be described as temperatedesert in north, Mediterranean in central region, cool and damp in south. Potential natural disasters are active volcanism, severe earthquakes, significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last er and tsunamis.

To reach someone Chile dial +56 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 850 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".cl". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, L). The sign for the locally used currency Peso is CLP.

Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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 represents the blood spilled to achieve independence.

Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the Inca ruled northern Chile while an indigenous people, the Mapuche, inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, it did not achieve decisive victory over the Spanish until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its present northern regions. In the 1880s, the Chilean central government gained control over the central and southern regions inhabited by the Mapuche. After a series of elected governments, 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. Sound economic policies, 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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 39)	756,102	sq km
Land (World Rank: 38)	743,812	sq km
Water (World Rank: 42)	12,290	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 97)	18.80	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Note	includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Coastline
6435
Landborder
7801
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 11)	6,880	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 161)	21.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 188)	1.70	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 142)	0.60	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 97)	18.80	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 42)	11,100	sq km
Map reference
South America
Environment
Issues	- air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions - water pollution from raw sewage - widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources
Agreement party	- Antarctic Seals - Antarctic Treaty - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources - 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
Hazzards	- active volcanism - severe earthquakes - significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last er - tsunamis
Location
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 65)	17,789,300
Deathrate (World Rank: 153)	0.62	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 141)	1.36	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 135)	0.77	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 65)	0.03	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 148)	1.80	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 85)	33.20
Female (World Rank: 80)	35.60
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 77)	1,825,250
0 14 female (World Rank: 77)	1,751,740
15 24 male (World Rank: 70)	1,364,830
15 24 female (World Rank: 70)	1,311,220
25 54 male (World Rank: 59)	3,830,540
25 54 female (World Rank: 60)	3,832,990
55 64 male (World Rank: 45)	918,559
55 64 female (World Rank: 47)	1,031,150
65 x male (World Rank: 49)	805,880
65 x female (World Rank: 48)	1,117,110
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 161)	0.66	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 51)	79	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 49)	82	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 59)	76	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 111)	1.03
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 99)	2.10
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 33)	99.10	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 32)	28.00	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 69)	99.00	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 39)	71,660,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 39)	67,950,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 128)	60.80	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 66)	30.00	%
Source renew (World Rank: 41)	16.10	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 81)	4,423	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 34)	163,000	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 63)	150,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 49)	215,300	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 40)	337,400	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 94)	4,500	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 41)	160,900	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 66)	1,008,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 62)	5,230,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 44)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
76000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 80)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 53)	2	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 60)	8	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 103)	-3	% of GDP
National symbol
huemul
National colours
white
Adjective
Chilean
Noun
Chilean(s)
Background
Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the Inca ruled northern Chile while an indigenous people, the Mapuche, inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, it did not achieve decisive victory over the Spanish until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its present northern regions. In the 1880s, the Chilean central government gained control over the central and southern regions inhabited by the Mapuche. After a series of elected governments, 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. Sound economic policies, 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.
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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 represents the blood spilled to achieve independence

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 43)	438,300,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 151)	1.60	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 78)	24,100	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 136)	4.30	%
Source industry (World Rank: 70)	31.30	%
Source service (World Rank: 95)	64.40	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 57)	8,762,000
In poverty (World Rank: 134)	14.40	%
Products
Industries	- cement - copper - fish processing - foodstuffs - iron - lithium - other minerals - steel - textiles - transport equipment - wood - wood products
Agriculture	- apples - asparagus - beans - beef - corn - fish - garlic - grapes - oats - onions - peaches - pears - poultry - timber - wheat - wool
Exports	- chemicals - copper - fish products - fruit - paper - pulp - wine
Imports	- chemicals - electrical - industrial machinery - natural gas - petroleum - petroleum products - telecommunications equipment - vehicles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 43)	3,464,110
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 88)	20.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 50)	130.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 45)	11,650,800
Population (World Rank: 85)	66.00	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 26)	90.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 13)	391
Heliports (World Rank: 87)	1.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 30)	7,282
Road
Total length (World Rank: 62)	77,764
Paved length (World Rank: 63)	18,119
Unpaved length (World Rank: 31)	59,645

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