Chile
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile |
| Gevernment 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 |
| Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is 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 stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the US flag |
| Currency | Chilean peso (CLP) |
| Internet country code | .cl |
| Ports and terminals | Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San Vicente, Valparaiso |
| 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 |
| Geography |
| Location | Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru |
| Coordinates | 30 00 S, 71 00 W |
| Continent | 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 |
| Boundaries |
total: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km |
| Coastline | 6,435 km |
| 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 |
| Natural resources | copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower |
| Natural hazards | severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis |
| People |
| Population | 16,134,219 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL% |
| Languages | Spanish |
