aced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan), 41,246 (Central
African Republic)
IDPs: 100,000 (2006)
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Chile
Introduction Chile
Background:
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern
Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central
and southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated by
Spain until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its
independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not
achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile
defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A
three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE 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
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km
Coastline:
6,435 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 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: 2.62%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other
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