Introduction
A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime 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 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.
Location
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates
30 00 S, 71 00 W
Area
total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
water: 8,150 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200/350 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
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
Irrigated land
18,000 sq km (1998 est.)
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
Population
15,823,957 (July 2004 est.)