Fact Sheet of Chile
Embassy of India
Santiago
Chile: Factsheet
| General | ||
| Official name | Republic of Chile (रिपब्लिक ओफ़ चिले) Republica de Chile (Spanish) |
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| Capital | Santiago (सान्तियागो) | |
| Area | 756,102 sq.kms | |
| Weather (in °C) |
Max. 33°C & Min. 16°C [Hottest month, January, 12-29°C; coldest month, June, 3-14°C (average daily minimum and maximum)] Average temperature in 2020 – 13.6°C Hottest month in 2020 – Feb & average maximum temp - 20.2°C Coldest month in 2020 – July 2020 & average minimum temp – 6.9°C [Source: Meteorological Directorate] |
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| Population |
19.458,310 (2020) (Source: Statistical Bulletin February 2021, Central Bank of Chile) |
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| Forest Cover | 17520869 hectares. (23% of total area). | |
| CO2 Emissions | 4.90 metric tones per capita (2019) [Source: Knoema] | |
| Tourist Arrivals (Year) |
2018 – 5,722,928 2019 – 4,517,962 2020 – 1,122,858 (Declined due to the fact that entry into Chile was closed due to COVID pandemic) [Source: Chilean Vice Ministry of Tourism] |
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| Age Profile |
0-14 years: 19.21% (3,738,038) Total number of Men: 48.33% (9,599,101) Total number of women: 50.67% (9,859,209) [Source: National Statistics Institute, INE] |
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| Life Expectancy |
Overall: 78.1; Male: 75.7; Female: 83.6 (2020)[Source: National Statistics Institute, INE] |
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| Languages | 90% of the population speaks Spanish and 10% speak various indigenous languages such as Mapudungun (मापुदुङून्), Quechua (केचुअा), Aymara(अय्मारा) and Rapa Nui (रापा नुई), in addition to Spanish. | |
| Ethnic Groups | Roughly 89% of the population is non-indigenous, representing mainly people of European ancestry and some Asian and Arab nationalities. Till very recently, African and Caribbean ethnicity were virtually non-existent in Chile. The remaining population is comprised of various ethnic groups such as the Aymara (0.7%), other indigenous groups (1%) (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai (लिकान् अन्ताई), Quechua, Colla (कोईया), Diaguita (दीयागीता), Kawesqar(कावेस्कार्), Yagan (यागन्) or Yamana(यामाना), unspecified (0.3%), with the largest (around 5%) being the Mapuche. (2016 estimate). | |
| Main Religion (with %, if available) |
Roman Catholic (66.7%), Evangelical or Protestant (16.4%), Jehovah’s Witnesses (1%), others (3.4%), none (11.5%), unspecified (1.1%). (2012 estimate). [In the latest census, religion was not part of the census questions, hence updated information is not available]. |
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| Internet Penetration |
15.67 million Internet users representing 80.53% of the population. (2020) (Source: National Statistics Institute of Chile). |
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| Mobile Phones | 24.77 million. (Subscription per 100 inhabitants: 127.89). (March 2020 estimate). (Source: Vice Ministry of Telecommunications). | |
| Urbanization |
The vast majority of Chileans live in urban cities like Santiago, Valparaiso (वल्पराइसो), Concepcion (कोन्सेप्सियोन्), Iquique(इकीके)(17.21 million). The remaining population resides in rural areas (2.24 million). (2020) (Souce: National Statistics Institute of Chile) |
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| ECONOMIC | ||
| Currency | Chilean Peso (चिलेयन् पेसो) | |
| Exchange rate with US$ & INR |
1 USD = Ch$ 719.84 (official rate – March 2021) 1 INR = Ch$ 9.8205 (official rate – March 2021) |
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| GDP (PPP) |
US$ 277.863 billion (2017); US$ 298.877 billion (2018); US$ 282.733 billion (2019) [Central Bank of Chile] 1st quarter, 2020: US$ 273.540 billion 2nd quarter, 2020: US$ 257.587 billion 3rd quarter, 2020: US$ 249.603 billion [Source: Statistical Bulleting February 2021, Central Bank of Chile] |
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| GDP Growth Rate |
1.3% (2017); 3.9% (2018); 1.1% (2019) 1st quarter, 2020: 0.3% 2nd quarter, 2020: -14.5% 3rd quarter, 2020: -9.1% [Source: Statistical Bulleting February 2021, Central Bank of Chile] |
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| Major Sectors (% of GDP) |
1st quarter, 2020: Agriculture (-3.7%), Industry (0.6%), Financial Services (6.0%) 2nd quarter, 2020: Agriculture (-5.7%), Industry (-11.8%), Financial Services (3.1%) 3rd quarter, 2020: Agriculture (-3.2%), Industry (-4.0%), Financial Services (-0.2%) [Source: Statistical Bulletin February 2021, Central Bank of Chile] |
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| Unemployment (%) |
6.6% (2017); 7.1 (2018); 7.1 (2019), 10.3% (2020) [Source: Statistical Bulletin Central Bank of Chile, February 2021] |
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| Inflation (%) |
3.5% (2019), 3.0% (2020) [Source: National Statistics Institute, INE] |
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| GDP Per Capita |
US$24,807 (2018); US$ 25,057 (2019) [Source: Statistical Bulletin February 2021, Central Bank of Chile] |
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Total Trade |
US$ 122.588 billion (2017); US$ 144.031 billion (2018); US$ 133.264 billion (2019); US$ 122.874 billion (2020) [Source: Santiago Chamber of Commerce] |
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| Exports |
US$ 65.882 billion (2017); US$ 75.513 billion (2018); US$ 69.145 billion (2019); US$ 67.557 billion (2020) [Source: Santiago Chamber of Commerce] |
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Imports |
US$ 56.706 billion (2017); US$ 68.518 billion (2018); US$ 64.119 billion (2019); US$ 55.317 billion (2020) [Source: Santiago Chamber of Commerce] |
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| Balance of Trade |
US$5.026 billion (2019); US$ 12.240 billion (2020) |
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Major Trade Partners (Currency Unit billion) |
China, USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and Peru. (2019) Source: Customs Office. India is the 14th largest trade partner of Chile in terms of Chile’s export. [Source: Vice Ministry of Trade] |
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| Political | ||
| Political Structure |
Chile is a unitary Republic and has a democratic Presidential system of government, with universal adult suffrage (age 18 and above) and a bicameral legislature. The President is the HoS and HoG, and is directly elected for a 4-year term. The President cannot be re-elected for consecutive terms but can be re-elected with a gap of 4 years between terms. Most of Chile´s governments have been coalition governments. From 2014 till date, the ruling coalition “Nueva Mayoria” (नूएवा मायोरिया - New Majority) represented a mix of centrist and leftist parties, including the Communist Party and the Christian Democrats, who split with the NM coalition in the run up to the 2017 elections. The elections of November-December 2017 have seen a shift to the right. Sebastian Pinera´s RN party joined with UDI & Evopoli to form the “Chile Vamos” (चिले वामोस – Lets Go Chile) coalition to win the election. There will be an election for Constituent Assembly on April 11, 2021 which formulate a new Constitution for Chile. |
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| Head of State (President) | H.E. Mr. Sebastian Pinera Echenique (महामहिम श्री सेबास्तियान पिनेयरा एचेनिके) (Sworn in on 11 March 2018) | |
| Head of Government | Same as above. | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | H.E. Mr. Andres Allamand Zavala (from 28th July, 2020) | |
| Political Issues | Political issues include social reforms (abortion, women´s rights, free education, health etc.), economic reforms (tax reform, fiscal reform, labour reform, pension reform, utility pricing reform etc.), administrative reforms regarding the structure and scope of the Government and the Constitution, and environmental issues. Another longstanding issue is that of the Mapuche (मापूचे) demand for autonomy for their region (Araucania) (अरावुकान्या) or at least a division of powers between the Central and Regional government. The debate on all the above issues shows considerable polarization between the right and left wings of the political spectrum, and since October 2019, has sparked mass public demonstrations, often accompanied by violence, demanding major reforms across the board. The Covid 19 lockdown has dampened the situation, as also the promise that a Constituent Assembly will be held to draft a new Constitution for Chile. Public discontent and dissatisfaction with the government is still simmering, and may explode if the Constituent Assembly process proves unsatisfactory and/or the Government keeps postponing the needed reforms. | |
| Bilateral Trade |
US$ 776.99 million (2017); US$ 957.11 million (2018); US$ 892.08 million (2019); US$ 701.00 million (2020) |
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| India’s Exports to Chile |
US$ 776.99 million (2017); US$ 957.11 million (2018); US$ 892.08 million (2019); US$ 701.00 million (2020) |
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| India’s Imports from Chile |
US$ 1742.33 million (2017); US$ 1480.62 million (2018); US$ 1120.18 million (2019); US$ 811.85 million (2020) |
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| Major Items of Export and Import |
India’s exports to Chile – Motor cars exceeding 1000 cc, medicaments, tubes and pipes, towels, industrial leather gloves, motor vehicles for transport of goods, footwear, motocycles, auto parts, yarn of polyester fibers, articles of apparel, organic/inorganic and agro chemicals, home textiles & readymade garments, leather products. Imports from Chile: Copper ore and concentrates, Molybdenum concentrate, chemical wood pulp of coniferous, apples, iodine, walnuts, copper cathodes, ferrous waste and scrap, aluminium waste and scrap. |
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| Indian Investments in Chile |
26 major Indian companies have a presence in Chile mainly in the mining/metallurgical, pharmaceutical, automotive and IT sectors, through acquisition of Chilean companies/or joint ventures and other collaborations. As per information provided by the companies, Indian investments till 2019 were about US$ 220 million. |
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| Chilean Investments in India |
Chilean investment in India is US$ 151.93 million (from 2000 - 2019). (Source: DIPP). Chilean Financial Institutions are also investing in Indian financial sector. |
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| Indian Origin/ PRs/ Indian Students |
Persons of Indian Origin is estimated around 2100 and the number of Indian students is estimated around 35-40. |
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Indian diaspora (composition and any pertinent information that may be of interest) |
The origins of the Indian community in Chile can be traced back to 1905. Currently, it is estimated that there are around 3600 Indians living in Chile of whom 2100 have obtained Chilean nationality. One third of them live in Iquique and the rest are in Santiago, Valparaiso, Vina del Mar and Punta Arenas. The majority are from the Sindhi community who are mainly engaged in business, and who have integrated well with Chilean society. In addition, there is a constant flow of professionals and businessmen as also some skilled and unskilled labour (chefs, masseurs, restaurant workers etc.) from India, working mainly in the ICT and financial services sectors and also in Indian companies represented in Chile. |
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Indian Organisations (Bank/PSUs/Govt Organisations/Indian Companies |
TCS, JSW Steel Ltd, Godrej, Tega, Evalueserve, Intellect Design, Oracle, Wipro, Ishkan, Dr. Reddy, Seven Pharma, Siron Pharma, MSN Laboratories, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Mahindra, Apolo Tyres, Ashok Leyland, UPL, Sterling & Wilson, Tega Industries. |
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