People and Society of Chile

Chile is in the advanced stages of demographic transition and is becoming an aging society - with fertility below replacement level, low mortality rates, and life expectancy on par with developed countries. Nevertheless, with its dependency ratio nearing its low point, Chile could benefit from its favorable age structure. It will need to keep its large working-age population productively employed, while preparing to provide for the needs of its growing proportion of elderly people, especially as women - the traditional caregivers - increasingly enter the workforce. Over the last two decades, Chile has made great strides in reducing its poverty rate, which is now lower than most Latin American countries. However, its severe income inequality ranks as the worst among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Unequal access to quality education perpetuates this uneven income distribution. Chile has historically been a country of emigration but has slowly become more attractive to immigrants since transitioning to democracy in 1990 and improving its economic stability (other regional destinations have concurrently experienced deteriorating economic and political conditions). Most of Chile's small but growing foreign-born population consists of transplants from other Latin American countries, especially Peru.

Nationality

noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Ethnic Groups

White and non-Indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other Indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3%

Population

19,629,590

Population (Male / Female)

male: 9,169,736 female: 9,494,916

Population Distribution

90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated

Urban Population

urban population: 88% of total population rate of urbanization: 0.78% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

6.903 million SANTIAGO (capital), 1.009 million Valparaiso, 912,000 Concepcion

Age Structure

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 1,822,908/female 1,751,528) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 6,274,620/female 6,278,467) 65 years and over: 13.6%

Median Age

total: 36.9 years male: 35.8 years female: 38.2 years

Sex Ratio at Birth

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female