Land area:289,112 sq mi (748,800 sq km);
Total area:292,260 sq mi (756,950 sq km)
Population (July 2008 est.):16,432,536 (growth rate: 0.8%); birth rate: 14.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 8.1/1000; life expectancy: 77.1; density per sq km: 21
Capital (2003 est.):Santiago, 5,333,100 (metro. area), 4,372,800 (city proper)
Other largest cities:Viña del Mar, 303,100; Valparaíso, 274,100; Talcahuano, 252,800; Temuco, 247,200; Concepción, 217,600
Monetary unit:Chilean Peso

República de Chile
Current government officials
Languages:Spanish
Ethnicity/race:white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
National Holiday : Independence Day, September 18
Religions:Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, small Jewish population
Literacy rate:96% (2006 est.))

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $231.1 billion; per capita $13,900. Real growth rate: 5%. Inflation: 4.4%. Unemployment: 7%. Arable land: 3%. Agriculture: grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber. Labor force: 6.3 million; agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003). Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles. Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower. Exports: $58.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.): copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine. Imports: $35.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.): petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas. Major trading partners: U.S., Japan, China, South Korea, Netherlands, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Argentina (2004).