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| CIA Background Information |
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.
| U.S. State Department Description |
Country Description:
Chile is a rapidly developing country with a large, educated middle class and a robust free-market economy. Tourist facilities are generally good and are continuously improving. Read the Department of State’s Background Notes
on Chile for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens entering Chile must have a valid passport. U.S. visitors will be charged a reciprocity fee at the port of entry, and a small receipt for the fee will be stapled in the last page of the passport. This visa is valid for multiple entries and remains ... Read this Article
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Chilean(s).
Population (2007): 16.5 million.
Annual population growth rate: 1.0%.
Ethnic groups: Spanish-Native-American (mestizo), European, Native-American.
Religions: Roman Catholic 89%; Protestant 11%.
Language: Spanish.
Education: Years compulsory--12. Attendance--3 million. Adult literacy rate--96%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--8.9/1,000. Life expectancy--76 yrs.
Work force (6.94 million); employed 6.45 million: Community, social and individual services--26%; industry--14.4%; ... Read this Article
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Location: Chile is Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru See Map
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
Currency (Code): Chilean peso (CLP) ...More
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 ( 1 sq km is approximately 0.4 sq miles or 250 acres)
Area Comparison: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Elevation Extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m , highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Population: 16,454,143 (July 2008 est.)
Unemployment: 7% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups: white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)
Religion: Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
Languages: Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
More Statistics
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| History
About 10,000 years ago, migrating Indians settled in fertile valleys and along the coast of what is now Chile. The Incas briefly extended their empire into what is now northern Chile, but the area's barrenness prevented extensive settlement. The first Europeans to arrive in Chile were Diego de Almagro and ... Read this Article
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| Geographic Info for Chile : |
Geography
Area: 756,945 sq. km. (302,778 sq. mi.); nearly twice the size of California.
Cities: Capital--Santiago (metropolitan area est. 6.25 million). Other cities--Concepcion-Talcahuano (840,000), Vina del Mar-Valparaiso (800,000), Antofagasta (245,000), Temuco (230,000).
Terrain: Desert in north; fertile central valley; volcanoes and lakes toward the south, giving way to rugged and complex coastline; Andes Mountains on the eastern ... Read this Article
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