Chapter 20
Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean between Argentina and Peru Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 756,950 km2 land area: 748,800 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana note: includes Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) and Isla Sala y Gomez Land boundaries: total 6,171 km, Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km Coastline: 6,435 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: short section of the southern boundary with Argentina is indefinite; Bolivia has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Bolivia over Rio Lauca water rights; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims Climate: temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 16% forest and woodland: 21% other: 56% Irrigated land: 12,650 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: subject to severe earthquakes, active volcanism, tsunami; Atacama Desert one of world's driest regions; desertification Note: strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)
*Chile, People
Population: 13,739,759 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.54% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 20.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.15 years male: 71.16 years female: 77.29 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.51 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean Ethnic divisions: European and European-Indian 95%, Indian 3%, other 2% Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish Languages: Spanish Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 93% male: 94% female: 93% Labor force: 4.728 million by occupation: services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%, construction 6.4% (1990)
*Chile, Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile Digraph: CI Type: republic Capital: Santiago Administrative divisions: 13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain) Constitution: 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989 Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 18 September (1810) Political parties and leaders: Concertation of Parties for Democracy consists mainly of four parties: PDC, PPD, PR, PS; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle; Party for Democracy (PPD), Sergio BITAR; Radical Party (PR), Carlos GONZALEZ Marquez; Sociaistl Party (PS), German CORREA; Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jovino NOVOA; National Renovation (RN), Andree ALLAMAND; Center-Center Union (UCC), Francisco Juner ERRAZURIZ; Communist Party of Chile (PCCh), Volodia TEITELBOIM; Allende Leftist Democratic Movement (MIDA), Mario PALESTRO Other political or pressure groups: revitalized university student federations at all major universities dominated by opposition political groups; labor - United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Elections: Chamber of Deputies: last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 71 (PDC 38, PPD 17, PR 5, other 11), RN 29, UDI 11, right-wing independents 9 President: last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993); results - Patricio AYLWIN (PDC) 55.2%, Hernan BUCHI 29.4%, other 15.4%
*Chile, Government
Senate: last held 14 December 1989 (next to be held December 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total, 38 elected) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 22 (PDC 13, PPD 5, PR 2, PSD 1, PRSD 1), RN 6, UDI 2, right-wing independents 8 Executive branch: president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of an upper house or Senate (Senado) and a lower house or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Patricio AYLWIN Azocar (since 11 March 1990) Member of: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricio SILVA Echenique chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 785-1746 consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Curtis W. KAMMAN embassy: Codina Building, 1343 Agustinas, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 671-0133 FAX: [56] (2) 699-1141 Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag
*Chile, Economy
Overview: The government of President AYLWIN, which took power in 1990, retained the economic policies of PINOCHET, although the share of spending for social welfare has risen steadily. In 1991 growth in GDP recovered to 6% (led by consumer spending) after only 2% growth in 1990. The pace accelerated in 1992 as the result of strong investment and export growth, and GDP rose 10.4%. Nonetheless, inflation fell further, to 12.7%, compared with 27.3% in 1990 and 18.7% in 1991. The buoyant economy spurred a 25% growth in imports, and the trade surplus fell in 1992, although international reserves increased. Inflationary pressures are not expected to ease much in 1993, and economic growth is likely to approach 7%. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $34.7 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 10.4% (1992) National product per capita: $2,550 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.7% (1992) Unemployment rate: 4.9% (1992) Budget: revenues $10.9 billion; expenditures $10.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.2 billion (1993) Exports: $10 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: copper 41%, other metals and minerals 8.7%, wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1991) partners: EC 32%, US 18%, Japan 18%, Brazil 5% (1991) Imports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% partners: US 21%, EC 18%, Brazil 9%, Japan 8% (1991) External debt: $16.9 billion (year end 1991) Industrial production: growth rate 14.56% (1992); accounts for 34% of GDP Electricity: 5,769,000 kW capacity; 22,010 million kWh produced, 1,630 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles Agriculture: accounts for about 9% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); major exporter of fruit, fish, and timber products; major crops - wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, deciduous fruit; livestock products - beef, poultry, wool; self-sufficient in most foods; 1991 fish catch of 6.6 million metric tons; net agricultural importer Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $521 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.6 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $386 million
*Chile, Economy
Currency: 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1 - 384.04 (January 1993), 362.59 (1992), 349.37 (1991), 305.06 (1990), 267.16 (1989), 245.05 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year
*Chile, Communications
Railroads: 7,766 km total; 3,974 km 1.676-meter gauge, 150 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 3,642 km 1.000-meter gauge; 1,865 km 1.676-meter gauge and 80 km 1.000-meter gauge electrified Highways: 79,025 km total; 9,913 km paved, 33,140 km gravel, 35,972 km improved and unimproved earth (1984) Inland waterways: 725 km Pipelines: crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural gas 320 km Ports: Antofagasta, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, San Antonio, Talcahuano, Arica Merchant marine: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 445,330 GRT/756,018 DWT; includes 8 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 oil tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 8 bulk; note - in addition, 1 naval tanker and 1 military transport are sometimes used commercially Airports: total: 396 usable: 351 with permanent-surface runways: 48 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 13 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 57 Telecommunications: modern telephone system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; 768,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 159 AM, no FM, 131 TV, 11 shortwave; satellite ground stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic
*Chile, Defense Forces
Branches: Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force of the Nation, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigative Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 3.653 million; fit for military service 2,722,479; reach military age (19) annually 119,434 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1 billion, 3.4% of GDP (1991 est.)
*China, Header
Affiliation: (also see separate Taiwan entry)
*China, Geography
Location: East Asia, between India and Mongolia Map references: Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 9,596,960 km2 land area: 9,326,410 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than the US Land boundaries: total 22,143.34 km, Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia 4,673 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km Coastline: 14,500 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: claim to shallow areas of East China Sea and Yellow Sea territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: boundary with India; bilateral negotiations are under way to resolve disputed sections of the boundary with Russia; boundary with Tajikistan under dispute; a short section of the boundary with North Korea is indefinite; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto, as does Taiwan, (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, world's largest hydropower potential Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 31% forest and woodland: 14% other: 45% Irrigated land: 478,220 km2 (1991 - Chinese statistic)
*China, Geography
Environment: frequent typhoons (about five times per year along southern and eastern coasts), damaging floods, tsunamis, earthquakes; deforestation; soil erosion; industrial pollution; water pollution; air pollution; desertification Note: world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada)
*China, People
Population: 1,177,584,537 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.1% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 18.29 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 7.34 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.74 years male: 66.78 years female: 68.8 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese Ethnic divisions: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1% Religions: Daoism (Taoism), Buddhism, Muslim 2-3%, Christian 1% (est.) note: officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic Languages: Standard Chinese (Putonghua) or Mandarin (based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic divisions entry) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 73% male: 84% female: 62% Labor force: 567.4 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 60%, industry and commerce 25%, construction and mining 5%, social services 5%, other 5% (1990 est.)
*China, Government
Names: conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhong Guo Abbreviation: PRC Digraph: CH Type: Communist state Capital: Beijing Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu,, singular and plural), and 3 municipalities** (shi, singular and plural);, Anhui, Beijing Shi**, Fujian, Gansu,, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan,, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai Shi**, Shanxi,, Sichuan, Tianjin Shi**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet), Yunnan, Zhejiang, note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949) Constitution: most recent promulgated 4 December 1982 Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law National holiday: National Day, 1 October (1949) Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee (since 24 June 1989); eight registered small parties controlled by CCP Other political or pressure groups: such meaningful opposition as exists consists of loose coalitions, usually within the party and government organization, that vary by issue Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: National People's Congress: last held March 1993 (next to be held March 1998); results - CCP is the only party but there are also independents; seats - (2,977 total) (elected at county or xian level) President: last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - JIANG Zemin was nominally elected by the Eighth National People's Congress Executive branch: president, vice president, premier, four vice premiers, State Council
*China, Government
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui) Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court Leaders: Chief of State: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993); Vice President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993) Chief of State and Head of Government (de facto): DENG Xiaoping (since NA 1977) Head of Government: Premier LI Peng (Acting Premier since 24 November 1987, Premier since 9 April 1988) Vice Premier ZHU Rongji (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991); Vice Premier QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993); Vice Premier LI Lanqing (29 March 1993) Member of: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UN Security Council, UNTAC, UNTSO, UN Trusteeship Council, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador LI Daoyu chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 328-2500 through 2502 consulates general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Stapleton ROY embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, Beijing mailing address: 100600, PSC 461, Box 50, Beijing or FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (1) 532-3831 FAX: [86] (1) 532-3178 consulates general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang Flag: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
*China, Economy
Overview: Beginning in late 1978 the Chinese leadership has been trying to move the economy from the sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more productive and flexible economy with market elements, but still within the framework of monolithic Communist control. To this end the authorities have switched to a system of household responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the foreign economic sector to increased trade and joint ventures. The most gratifying result has been a strong spurt in production, particularly in agriculture in the early 1980s. Industry also has posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment and modern production methods have helped spur production of both domestic and export goods. Aggregate output has more than doubled since 1978. On the darker side, the leadership has often experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy, lassitude, corruption) and of capitalism (windfall gains and stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals and thereby lessening the credibility of the reform process. In 1991, and again in 1992, output rose substantially, particularly in the favored coastal areas. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to the nation's long-term economic viability. National product: GNP $NA National product real growth rate: 12.8% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1992) Unemployment rate: 2.3% in urban areas (1992) Budget: deficit $16.3 billion (1992) Exports: $85.0 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: textiles, garments, telecommunications and recording equipment, petroleum, minerals partners: Hong Kong and Macau, Japan, US, Germany, South Korea, Russia (1992) Imports: $80.6 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: specialized industrial machinery, chemicals, manufactured goods, steel, textile yarn, fertilizer partners: Hong Kong and Macau, Japan, US, Taiwan, Germany, Russia (1992) External debt: $69.3 billion (1992) Industrial production: growth rate 20.8% (1992) Electricity: 158,690,000 kW capacity; 740,000 million kWh produced, 630 kWh per capita (1992)
*China, Economy
Industries: iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, consumer durables, food processing Agriculture: accounts for 26% of GNP; among the world's largest producers of rice, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, and pork; commercial crops include cotton, other fibers, and oilseeds; produces variety of livestock products; basically self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 13.35 million metric tons (including fresh water and pond raised) (1991) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium in at least 18 provinces and administrative regions; bulk of production is in Yunnan Province; transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle Economic aid: donor - to less developed countries (1970-89) $7.0 billion; US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $220.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $13.5 billion Currency: 1 yuan (Y) = 10 jiao Exchange rates: yuan (Y) per US$1 - 5.7640 (January 1993), 5.5146 (1992), 5.3234 (1991), 4.7832 (1990), 3.7651 (1989), 3.7221 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year
*China, Communications