Chile

CHILE

Information about travelling to Chile

Chile is located in Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

Facts about Chile
Population16,454,143 (July 2008 est
CapitalSantiago
Time zoneUTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins
Location Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

General info about Chile
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.
Languages spoken
Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
What about drugs?
transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a recent anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine
Ethnic division
white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
0.3% (2003 est.)
Climate
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Resources
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Economy
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports account for 40% of GDP, with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports. Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue. 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 situation 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. In the years since then, growth has averaged 4% per year. 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. Over the past five years, foreign direct investment inflows have quadrupled to some $17 billion in 2008. The Chilean government conducts a rule-based countercyclical fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of September 2008, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $20 billion.
Environment
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage

Cities in Chile

ancud     angol     antofagasta     arauco     arica     buin     bulnes     cabildo     cabrero     calama     calbuco     calera     canete     carahue     castro     cauquenes     chiguayante     chillan     chimbarongo     coihaique     coihueco     collipulli     concepcion     constitucion     copiapo     coquimbo     coronel     curanilahue     curico     diego de almagro     el monte     freire     graneros     illapel     iquique     la ligua     la serena     la union     laja     lampa     lautaro     lebu     limache     linares     llaillay     loncoche     longavi     los andes     los angeles     lota     machali     melipilla     molina     monte patria     mulchen     nacimiento     nueva imperial     osorno     ovalle     paine     panguipulli     parral     penaflor     penco     pitrufquen     puerto montt     puerto varas     punta arenas     purranque     quillota     quilpue     rancagua     rengo     rio bueno     salamanca     san antonio     san bernardo     san carlos     san clemente     san felipe     san javier     san vicente     santa cruz     santiago     talagante     talca     talcahuano     taltal     temuco     teno     tocopilla     tome     traiguen     valdivia     vallenar     valparaiso     victoria     vicuna     vilcun     villa alemana     villarrica     vina del mar     yumbel    

National airlines
Lan.comairline website


Airports in Chile
Cerro Moreno International AirportANF
Chacalluta International AirportARI
Teniente VidalBBA
Chile ChicoCCH
Carriel SurCCP
El LoaCJC
ChanaralCNR
CoquimboCOW
ChamonateCPO
El SalvadorESR
FutaleufuFFU
FrutillarFRT
Ten. VidalGXQ
CavanchaIQQ
Vina del MarKNA
CochraneLGR
Los AndesLOB
La FloridaLSC
Los AngelesLSQ
OvalleOVL
TepualPMC
Teniente J. GallardoPNT
Pres IbanezPUQ
Puerto VarasPUX
Arturo Merino BenitezSCL
TalcaTLX
BarrilesTOQ
TaltalTTC
Los CerrillosULC
ValparaisoVAP
VallenarVLR
Alto PalenaWAP
GamboaWCA
ChaitenWCH
Puerto AisenWPA
PorvenirWPR
Puerto WilliamsWPU
ChillanYAI
PichoyZAL
MaquehueZCO
VictoriaZIC
Canal BaloZOS
PuconZPC
AncudZUD


Beer in Chile (0.33l)
Las Condes~ 1.8 EUR
Pucon~ 1.4 EUR
Santiago~ 0.8 EUR
Vitacura~ 1.5 EUR

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