17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Religions
Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)
Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)
Languages
Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Exports
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals
External Debt
$99,400,000,000 $
$2,684,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 509.02 (2008 est.), 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.700%
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
28
Location
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Area
756,102 km sq
301,340 km sq
Coastline
6,435 km
7,600 km
Climate
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
