Oil - imports:
2,057 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
-$77 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$146.7 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Belgium 22.7%, Indonesia 19.3%, Italy 7.7%, France 7.1%, Spain 6.9%,Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.8%, China 4.9%, Turkey 4.7% (2007)
Imports:
$237.3 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
France 16.6%, Netherlands 13%, Cameroon 9.7%, US 6.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $95.29 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2005 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.153 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
CommunicationsCentral African Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
12,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
130,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited telephone service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons; most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
283,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
18,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cf
Internet hosts:
21 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
13,000 (2006)
TransportationCentral African Republic
Airports:
51 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 24,307 km (2000)
Waterways:
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
MilitaryCentral African Republic
Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA):Ground Forces, General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG),Military Air Service, National Police (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,032,828 females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 534,141 females age 16-49: 495,303 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 54,655 female: 54,420 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational IssuesCentral African Republic
Disputes - international:
periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,900 (Sudan); 3,700 (DemocraticRepublic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation ofSouthern Sudanese refugees in 2006IDPs: 197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Central African Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and forced agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor; to a lesser extent, children are trafficked from the Central African Republic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; rebels conscript children into armed forces within the country tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007; efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Chad
IntroductionChad
Background:
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.
GeographyChad
Location:
Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 5,968 km border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, 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 in northwest, lowlands in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest 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)
Total renewable water resources:
43 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%) per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)
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 in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel
PeopleChad
Population:
10,111,337 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 2,408,638/female 2,346,984) 15-64 years: 50.1% (male 2,317,406/female 2,746,104) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 123,561/female 168,644) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.4 years male: 15.2 years female: 17.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.195% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
41.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 100.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 106.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.43 years male: 46.4 years female: 48.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.43 children born/woman (2008 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 (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups:
Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)
Religions:
Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)
Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 25.7% male: 40.8% female: 12.8% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years male: 7 years female: 4 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005)
GovernmentChad
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: N'Djamena geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
18 regions (regions, singular - region); Batha,Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem,Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est,Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile, Ville deN'Djamena, Wadi Fira
Independence:
11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution:
passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16 April 2008) cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government and opposition parties election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 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 KassireKOUMAKOYE]; 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 Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. WadalAbdelkader KAMOUGUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
rebel groups
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,ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 251-62-11, [235] 251-70-09, [235] 251-77-59 FAX: [235] 251-56-54
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red note: similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
EconomyChad
Economy - overview:
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000. At least 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion barrels - in southern Chad. Chinese companies are also expanding exploration efforts and plan to build a refinery. The nation's total oil reserves have been estimated to be 1.5 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.26 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.095 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.5% industry: 47.8% services: 30.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.747 million (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
11.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.864 billion expenditures: $1.749 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$874.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$55.23 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$82.81 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries:
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
95 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
88.35 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
156,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,352 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
176,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,492 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$171 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.201 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic
Exports - partners:
US 89.5%, Japan 3.7%, China 3.4% (2007)
Imports:
$1.158 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
France 20.4%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.9%, China 10%, Germany 7.5%,Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $379.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$969 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.6 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$4.5 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 480.1 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
CommunicationsChad
Telephones - main lines in use:
13,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
918,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 9 per 100 persons domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001)
Radios:
1.67 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.td
Internet hosts:
5 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
60,000 (2006)
TransportationChad
Airports:
55 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 250 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)
Waterways:
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2006)
MilitaryChad
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendarmerie (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,906,545 females age 16-49: 2,258,758 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,066,565 females age 16-49: 1,279,318 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 116,824 female: 117,831 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
Transnational IssuesChad
Disputes - international:
since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central African Republic) IDPs: 178,918 (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Chad is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; Chad was destabilized during 2007 by civil conflict leading to a declared state of emergency in February 2008, and a steady influx of refugees fleeing Sudan and the Central African Republic; the government demonstrated insufficient overall efforts to combat trafficking; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Chile
IntroductionChile
Background:
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup 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, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have 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.
GeographyChile
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, betweenArgentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km water: 8,150 sq km note: 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; cool and damp in south
Terrain:
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest 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)
Total renewable water resources:
922 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%) per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
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
PeopleChile
Population:
16,454,143 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,987,962/female 1,899,489) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 5,556,867/female 5,563,666) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 602,789/female 843,370) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.1 years male: 30.1 years female: 32.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.905% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.15 years male: 73.88 years female: 80.59 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.95 children born/woman (2008 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 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, otherChristian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
Languages:
Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 95.8% female: 95.6% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2006)
GovernmentChile
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Santiago geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March
Administrative divisions:
15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: 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 codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its 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 March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique 46.5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 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 (UDI 34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate - seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD 57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20), independent 10.
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC (including National Renewal orRN [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 Medina],Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical SocialDemocratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); CommunistParty or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER]; Humanist Party [Marilen CABRERAOlmos]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations other: revitalized university student federations at all major universities
International organization participation:
APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina,UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746 FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul E. SIMONS embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160
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 note: design was influenced by the US flag
EconomyChile
Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Between 2000 and 2007 growth ranged between 2%-6%. Throughout these years Chile maintained a low rate of inflation with GDP growth coming from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and growing domestic consumption. President BACHELET in 2006 established an Economic and Social Stabilization Fund to hold excess copper revenues so that social spending can be maintained during periods of copper shortfalls. This fund probably surpassed $20 billion at the end of 2007. Chile continues to attract foreign direct investment, but most foreign investment goes into gas, water, electricity and mining. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the past two years, dropping to 7.8% and 7.0% at the end of 2006 and 2007, respectively. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$232.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$163.8 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.8% industry: 51.2% services: 44% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
7.167 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
18.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 45% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
54.9 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $44.96 billion expenditures: $30.51 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
4.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.67% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$16.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$80.42 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$127.1 billion (31 December 2007)
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 and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
11.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
50.37 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
45.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)
Oil - production:
11,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
253,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
32,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
150 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
1.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
4.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$7.2 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$67.64 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners:
China 14.8%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.5%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea 5.7%, Italy 5.1%, Brazil 5% (2007)
Imports:
$43.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
Imports - partners:
US 16.7%, China 11.2%, Brazil 10.3%, Argentina 9.9% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient: