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@Chile
Introduction Chile
Background:
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.
Geography Chile
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates:
30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references:
South America
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
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Coastline:
6,435 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
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
Land use:
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42%
other: 96.93% (2001)
Irrigated land:
18,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
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
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