The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

of the Sea, Marine Dumping,

       Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

       signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear

       Test Ban

      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

      People Chile

      Population:

       15,665,216 (July 2003 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 26.4% (male 2,112,251; female 2,018,099)

       15–64 years: 66% (male 5,151,551; female 5,180,607)

       65 years and over: 7.7% (male 499,441; female 703,267) (2003 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 29.5 years

       male: 28.6 years

       female: 30.4 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       1.05% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       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 (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 8.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 9.68 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 76.35 years

       male: 73.04 years

       female: 79.82 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       0.3% (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       20,000 (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       220 (2001 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 write

       total population: 96.2%

       male: 96.4%

       female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

      Government Chile

      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:

       Santiago

      Administrative divisions:

       13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos

       Ibanez 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, 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 30 July 1989,

       1993, and 1997

      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: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal

       justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being

       gradually implemented throughout the country

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal and compulsory

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March

       2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

       government

       head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March

       2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

       government

       cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

       election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent

       of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%

       elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;

       election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16

       January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)

      Legislative branch:

       bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the

       Senate or Senado (49 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated

       members, and 2 former presidents who serve six-year terms and are

       senators for life); elected members 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)

       election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

       party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),

       independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -

       NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI

       35, RN 22, independent 1

       elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA

       December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001