Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile.

Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions.

It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated.

A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador Aallende was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup 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, reduced poverty rates by over half, 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.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 16,284,741 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,010,576/female 1,920,951) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 5,480,703/female 5,492,988) 65 years and over: 8.5% (male 576,698/female 802,825) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 30.7 years male: 29.8 years female: 31.7 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 0.916% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 15.03 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 5.87 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.718 male(s)/female total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 8.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.96 years male: 73.69 years female: 80.4 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 26,000 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,400 (2003 est.)

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Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

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Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

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Religions: Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

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Languages: Spanish

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 95.8% female: 95.6% (2002 census)

Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Between 2000 and 2006 growth ranged between 2%-6%. Throughout these years Chile maintained a low rate of inflation with GDP growth coming from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and growing domestic consumption. Chile continues to attract foreign direct investment, but most foreign investment goes into gas, water, electricity and mining. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the past year, dropping to 7.8% at the end of 2006. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile signed or ratified a number of trade agreements in 2006, including with China and India. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, South Korea, and Mexico.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $202.7 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $111.8 billion (2006)

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GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $12,700 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 49.3% services: 44.7% (2006 est.)

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Labor force: 6.94 million (2006 est.)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003)

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Unemployment rate: 7.8% (2006)

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Population below poverty line: 18.2% (2005)

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47% (2000)

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Distribution of family income - Gini index: 53.8 (2003)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006)

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Investment (gross fixed): 21% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $36.71 billion expenditures: $26.68 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.33 billion (2006 est.)

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Public debt: 3.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Agriculture - products: grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

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Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

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Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2006)

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Electricity - production: 47.6 billion kWh (2006)

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Electricity - consumption: 48.52 billion kWh (2006)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 1.744 billion kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 15,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 238,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

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Oil - exports: 31,510 bbl/day (2004)

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Oil - imports: 222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)

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Oil - proved reserves: 150 million bbl (1 January 2006)

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Natural gas - production: 1.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 8.29 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - exports: 7.2 million cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - imports: 7.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - proved reserves: 97.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

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Current account balance: $5.063 billion (2006 est.)

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Exports: $58.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Exports - commodities: copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

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Exports - partners: US 15.6%, Japan 10.5%, China 8.6%, Netherlands 6.7%, South Korea 5.9%, Italy 4.9%, Brazil 4.8%, France 4.2% (2006)

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Imports: $35.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas

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Imports - partners: US 15.6%, Argentina 12.6%, Brazil 11.8%, China 9.7% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $17.16 billion (November 2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $47.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $0 (2006)

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Currency (code): Chilean peso (CLP)

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Exchange rates: Chilean pesos per US dollar - 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year