NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Chile
Republica de Chile
includes Easter Island
includes Rapa Nui
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru |
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Geographic coordinates:
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30 00 S, 71 00 W |
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Map references:
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South America |
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Area:
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total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez water: 8,150 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km |
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Coastline:
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6,435 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200/350 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south |
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Terrain:
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low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m |
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Natural resources:
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copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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18,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis |
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Environment - current issues:
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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:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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15,498,930 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.09% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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16.46 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 76.14 years
female: 79.62 years (2002 est.) male: 72.83 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.13 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.19% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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15,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,000 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean |
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Ethnic groups:
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white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL% |
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Languages:
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Spanish |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2% male: 95.4% female: 95% (1995 est.) |