Economy Central African Republic
Economy - overview:Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains thebackbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), withmore than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. Theagricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber hasaccounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry,for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include theCAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largelyunskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomicpolicies. Factional fighting between the government and itsopponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution ofincome is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and theinternational community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$4.913 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$1.542 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 55%industry: 20%services: 25% (2001 est.)
Labor force:NA
Unemployment rate:8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:61.3 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.6% (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $NAexpenditures: $NA
Agriculture - products:cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,bananas; timber
Industries:gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear,assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate:3% (2002)
Electricity - production:109 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:101.4 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:2,420 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:$131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners:Belgium 34.9%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.7%, Italy 8.1%, China 7.1%,Indonesia 6.3%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.7%, US 4.5%,Turkey 4.5% (2005)
Imports:$203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electricalequipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:France 16.6%, Netherlands 10.3%, Cameroon 9.7%, US 7.3% (2005)
Debt - external:$1.06 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $59.8 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France(2002 est.)
Currency (code):Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsibleauthority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:XAF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Central African Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:10,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:60,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair systemdomestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay andlow-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communicationinternational: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios:283,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:18,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.cf
Internet hosts:10 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:9,000 (2005)
Transportation Central African Republic
Airports:50 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Roadways:total: 23,810 km (1999)
Waterways:2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2005)
Ports and terminals:Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Military Central African Republic
Military branches:Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Military AirService; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG),Republican Guard, National Police (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service;conscript service obligation is two years (2005)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 853,760females age 18-49: 835,426 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 416,091females age 18-49: 383,056 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$16.37 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Central African Republic
Disputes - international:about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CARstill reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water andgrazing rights among related pastoral populations along the borderwith southern Sudan persist
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 19,960 (Sudan) 3,325 (DemocraticRepublic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation ofSouthern Sudanese refugees in 2006IDPs: 150,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2006)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Central African Republic is a source anddestination country for children trafficked for domestic servitude,sexual exploitation, and forced labor in shops and commercial laboractivities; while the majority of child victims are traffickedwithin the country, some are also trafficked to and from Cameroonand Nigeriatier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Central African Republic failedto provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking inpersons during 2005, specifically its inadequate law enforcementresponse to trafficking crimes
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Chad
Introduction Chad
Background:Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured threedecades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before asemblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The governmenteventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawedpresidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion brokeout in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite severalpeace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 newrebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacksinto eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority.In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfullyremoving constitutional term limits.
Geography Chad
Location:Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 19 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1.284 million sq kmland: 1,259,200 sq kmwater: 24,800 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries:total: 5,968 kmborder countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain:broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains innorthwest, lowlands in south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 mhighest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m
Natural resources:petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Land use: arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:300 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;locust plagues
Environment - current issues:inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal inrural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note:landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in theSahel
People Chad
Population:9,944,201 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,396,393/female 2,369,261)15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,355,940/female 2,550,535)65 years and over: 2.7% (male 107,665/female 164,407) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 16 yearsmale: 15.3 yearsfemale: 16.6 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.93% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:45.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.04 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 91.45 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 100.12 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 47.52 yearsmale: 45.88 yearsfemale: 49.21 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:4.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:200,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:18,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)
Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups:200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane(Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom areMuslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000French citizens live in Chad
Religions:Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%
Languages:French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than120 different languages and dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabictotal population: 47.5%male: 56%female: 39.3% (2003 est.)
Government Chad
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Chadconventional short form: Chadlocal long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshadlocal short form: Tchad/Tshad
Government type:republic
Capital:name: N'Djamenageographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 15 03 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjilenote: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrativestructure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department) and1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, BathaOriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, LogoneOriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, TandjileOccidental, Tibesti
Independence:11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution:passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removedconstitutional term limits
Legal system:based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4December 1990)head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3February 2005)cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on therecommendation of the prime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-yearterm; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, thetwo candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a secondround of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president;percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa KassireCOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%,Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendumaltered the constitution removing presidential term limits andpermitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection
Legislative branch:bicameral according to constitution, consists of a NationalAssembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewableevery two years)elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to beheld by April 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR];National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa KassireCOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [SalehKEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni OumarMahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat SalehAHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [LolMahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [JeanALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. WadalAbdelkader KAMOUGUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIRchancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marc M. WALL embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 516-211 FAX: [235] 515-654
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorraand Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered inthe yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
Economy Chad
Economy - overview:Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boostedby major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector thatbegan in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistencefarming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy haslong been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs,and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance andforeign capital for most public and private sector investmentprojects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing$3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billionbarrels - in southern Chad. The nation's total oil reserves has beenestimated to be 2 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream inlate 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gumarabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$15.26 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$5.255 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,500 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.5% industry: 26.6% services: 40.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 2.719 million (1993)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) industry and services: 20%
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):9.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $617.3 millionexpenditures: $877.6 million; including capital expenditures of $146million (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries:oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodiumcarbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:5% (1995)
Electricity - production:94 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:87.42 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,460 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:2 billion bbl (2005)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-324.1 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$4.342 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil
Exports - partners:US 78.1%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005)
Imports:$823.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:France 21.2%, Cameroon 15.5%, US 12.1%, Belgium 6.8%, Portugal4.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$352.8 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$1.5 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan(August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank;ODA $246.9 million (2003 est.)
Currency (code):Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsibleauthority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:XAF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -508.494 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99(2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Chad
Telephones - main lines in use:13,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:210,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: primitive systemdomestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stationsinternational: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)
Radios:1.67 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2002)
Televisions:10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.td
Internet hosts:9 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:35,000 (2005)
Transportation Chad
Airports: 52 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Pipelines: oil 205 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999)
Waterways:Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)
Military Chad
Military branches:Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force,Gendarmerie (2004)
Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with three-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to one year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 1,527,580females age 20-49: 1,629,510 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 794,988females age 20-49: 849,500 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 94,536females age 20-49: 93,521 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$68.95 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Chad
Disputes - international:since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003 by Janjawidarmed militia and Sudanese military, about 200,000 refugees remainin eastern Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanesecivil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising fromcross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southernLibya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake ChadCommission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, whichalso includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan), 41,246 (CentralAfrican Republic)IDPs: 100,000 (2006)
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Chile
Introduction Chile
Background:Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northernChile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited centraland southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated bySpain until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared itsindependence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was notachieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chiledefeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. Athree-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrownin 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET,who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990.Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s,have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure thecountry's commitment to democratic and representative government.Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadershiproles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.
Geography Chile
Location:Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, betweenArgentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates:30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 756,950 sq kmland: 748,800 sq kmwater: 8,150 sq kmnote: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries: total: 6,339 km border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km
Coastline: 6,435 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm
Climate:temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cooland damp in south
Terrain:low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
Natural resources:copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 2.62% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:19,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; airpollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollutionfrom raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic andPacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
People Chile
Population:16,134,219 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24.7% (male 2,035,278/female 1,944,754)15-64 years: 67.1% (male 5,403,525/female 5,420,497)65 years and over: 8.2% (male 555,075/female 775,090) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 30.4 yearsmale: 29.5 yearsfemale: 31.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.94% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:15.23 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.77 yearsmale: 73.49 yearsfemale: 80.21 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:26,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,400 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups:white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Religions:Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%
Languages:Spanish
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 96.2%male: 96.4%female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Government Chile
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Chileconventional short form: Chilelocal long form: Republica de Chilelocal short form: Chile
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Santiagogeographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; endssecond Sunday in March
Administrative divisions:13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General CarlosIbanez 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, Valparaisonote: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence:18 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Constitution:11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991,1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005
Legal system:based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codesinfluenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review oflegislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul ofits criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11March 2006)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-yearterm; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held15 January 2006 (next to be held December 2009)election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percentof vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique46.5%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of theSenate or Senado (38 seats elected by popular vote; members serveeight-year terms - one-half elected every four years) and theChamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be heldDecember 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005(next to be held December 2009)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8),independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI34, RN 20), independent 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by thepresident and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidatesprovided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court iselected every three years by the 20-member court); ConstitutionalTribunal
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewalor RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI[Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC[Soledad ALVEAR], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA], Party forDemocracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical Social DemocraticParty or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC[Guillermo TEILLIER]
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
International organization participation:APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZchancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone: [1] (202) 530-4104, 530-4106, 530-4107FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, NewYork, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a bluesquare the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end ofthe white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in thecenter representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizesthe sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for theblood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by theUS flag
Economy Chile
Economy - overview:Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high levelof foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as arole model for economic reform was strengthened when the democraticgovernment of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the militarygovernment. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fellto half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policiesimplemented to keep the current account deficit in check and becauseof lower export earnings - the latter a product of the globalfinancial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls andelectricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economicgrowth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effectsof the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strongfinancial institutions and sound policy that have given it thestrongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growthrebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluationof the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in2003, growing 3.2%, and accelerated to about 5% per year in 2004-06,while Chile maintained a low rate of inflation. GDP growth benefitedfrom high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularlyforestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign directinvestment. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over thepast year, but remains fairly high. Chile deepened its longstandingcommitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free tradeagreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chilesigned a free trade agreement with China in November 2005, and italready has several trade deals signed with other nations and blocs,including the European Union, Mercosur, South Korea, and Mexico.Record-high copper prices helped to strengthen the peso to a 6 1/2-yearhigh, as of December 2006, and added investment in the mining sectorwill boost GDP in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$203 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$100.3 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$12,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 49.3% services: 44.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 6.94 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003)
Unemployment rate:8.3% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:18.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:57.1 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.1% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $36.71 billionexpenditures: $26.68 billion; including capital expenditures of$3.33 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:3.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Industries:copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron andsteel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:50.91 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:49.09 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:1.744 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:15,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - consumption:238,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:150 million bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural gas - production:1.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:8.29 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:7.2 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:7.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:97.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$5.063 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$58.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners:US 15.8%, Japan 11.5%, China 11.1%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea5.5%, Brazil 4.4%, Italy 4.2%, Mexico 4% (2005)
Imports:$35.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical andtelecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,natural gas
Imports - partners:Argentina 14.8%, US 14.6%, Brazil 11.7%, China 7.8%, South Korea4.8%, Yemen 4.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$17.16 billion (November 2006 est.)
Debt - external:$47.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$0 (2002)
Currency (code):Chilean peso (CLP)
Currency code:CLP
Exchange rates:Chilean pesos per US dollar - 532.115 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37(2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Chile
Telephones - main lines in use:3,435,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:10.57 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwaveradio relay facilitiesdomestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellitesystem with three earth stationsinternational: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Radios:5.18 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:3.15 million (1997)
Internet country code:.cl
Internet hosts:506,055 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):7 (2000)
Internet users:6.7 million (2005)
Transportation Chile
Airports: 363 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 73over 3,047 m: 52,438 to 3,047 m: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 22914 to 1,523 m: 22under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 290over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 41,524 to 2,437 m: 11914 to 1,523 m: 58under 914 m: 216 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 2,567 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2006)
Railways:total: 6,585 kmbroad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 79,605 kmpaved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)
Merchant marine:total: 46 ships (1000 GRT or over) 649,091 GRT/898,110 DWTby type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, container 1,liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7,roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3foreign-owned: 1 (Argentina 1)registered in other countries: 17 (Argentina 6, Brazil 1, MarshallIslands 1, Panama 9) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, SanVicente, Valparaiso
Military Chile
Military branches:Army of the Nation, National Navy (Armada de Chile, includes navalair, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant MarineDirectorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,FACh), Chilean Carabineros (National Police) (2006)
Military service age and obligation: all male citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 3,815,761females age 18-49: 3,780,864 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 3,123,281females age 18-49: 3,128,277 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 140,084females age 18-49: 134,518 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$3.91 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.5% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Chile
Disputes - international:Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacamacorridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted butnot sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas andother commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritimeboundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwesternaxis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory)partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; action by the jointboundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, formapping and demarcating the disputed boundary in the Andean SouthernIce Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending
Illicit drugs:important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe;economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile moreattractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a newanti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursorspassed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@China
Introduction China
Background:For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing therest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th andearly 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, majorfamines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World WarII, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocraticsocialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposedstrict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens ofmillions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping andother leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, livingstandards have improved dramatically and the room for personalchoice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
Geography China
Location:Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:35 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 9,596,960 sq kmland: 9,326,410 sq kmwater: 270,550 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries:total: 22,117 kmborder countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 kmregional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km
Coastline:14,500 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Terrain:mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,and hills in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 mhighest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
Land use:arable land: 14.86%permanent crops: 1.27%other: 83.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:545,960 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and easterncoasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; landsubsidence
Environment - current issues:air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) fromreliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularlyin the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soilerosion and economic development; desertification; trade inendangered species
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak
People China
Population:1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.8% (male 145,461,833/female 128,445,739)15-64 years: 71.4% (male 482,439,115/female 455,960,489)65 years and over: 7.7% (male 48,562,635/female 53,103,902) (2006est.)
Median age: total: 32.7 years male: 32.3 years female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.59% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:13.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.12 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 23.12 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.58 yearsmale: 70.89 yearsfemale: 74.46 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:840,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:44,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Chinese (singular and plural)adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%
Religions:Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
Languages:Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijingdialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages(see Ethnic groups entry)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 90.9%male: 95.1%female: 86.5% (2002)
Government China
Country name:conventional long form: People's Republic of Chinaconventional short form: Chinalocal long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguolocal short form: Zhongguoabbreviation: PRC
Government type:Communist state
Capital:name: Beijinggeographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 116 24 Etime difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone