Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports of goods and services account for approximately one-third of GDP, with commodities making up some 60% of total exports. Copper is Chile’s top export and provides 20% of government revenue.From 2003 through 2013, real growth averaged almost 5% per year, despite a slight contraction in 2009 that resulted from the global financial crisis. Growth slowed to an estimated 1.4% in 2017. A continued drop in copper prices prompted Chile to experience its third consecutive year of slow growth.Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, effective 1 January 2004. Chile has 22 trade agreements covering 60 countries including agreements with the EU, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico. In May 2010, Chile signed the OECD Convention, becoming the first South American country to join the OECD. In October 2015, Chile signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.The Chilean Government has generally followed a countercyclical fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and generally allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of 31 October 2016, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $23.5 billion. Chile used these funds to finance fiscal stimulus packages during the 2009 economic downturn.In 2014, President Michelle BACHELET introduced tax reforms aimed at delivering her campaign promise to fight inequality and to provide access to education and health care. The reforms are expected to generate additional tax revenues equal to 3% of Chile’s GDP, mostly by increasing corporate tax rates to OECD averages.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$452.1 billion (2017 est.)
$446 billion (2016 est.)
$439 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 45
$263.2 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
1.4% (2017 est.)
1.6% (2016 est.)
2.3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$24,600 (2017 est.)
$24,500 (2016 est.)
$24,400 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 80
20% of GDP (2017 est.)
20.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
21.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 63.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 13.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 22.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: -0.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 28.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -27.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 4.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 31.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 64.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
copper, lithium, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
1.4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
8.881 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 9.2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 23.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 67.1% (2013)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
7% (2017 est.)
6.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
14.4% (2013)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 1.7%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 41.5% (2013 est.)
50.5 (2013)
57.1 (2000)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $56.73 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $64.89 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
21.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-3.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
25.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
21.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
2.3% (2017 est.)
3.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
3.35% (31 December 2015)
3% (31 December 2014)
country comparison to the world: 103
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
4.6% (31 December 2017 est.)
5.59% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$51.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$44.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$174.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$158.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$233.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$211.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$190.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$233.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$265.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$5.94 billion (2017 est.)
-$3.528 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$64.51 billion (2017 est.)
$60.6 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
China 28.6%, US 14.1%, Japan 8.6%, South Korea 6.9%, Brazil 5% (2016)
$59.92 billion (2017 est.)
$55.34 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
China 24.3%, US 14.7%, Brazil 9.3%, Argentina 4.4%, France 4.2% (2016)
$39.11 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$40.49 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$167.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$158.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$208.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$199.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$97.59 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$90.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar -
653.9 (2017 est.)
676.94 (2016 est.)
676.94 (2015 est.)
658.93 (2014 est.)
570.37 (2013 est.)