Chile - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Chile, it was derivation of the name is unclear, but it may come from the Mapuche word "chilli" meaning "limit of the earth" or from the Quechua "chiri" meaning "cold". The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 16 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aysen, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica), Maule, Nuble, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
National symbols
Huemul (mountain deer), Andean condor; national colors: red, white, blue.
The flag
The National flag of Chile has two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; 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 representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence.
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note: design influenced by the US flag
The National Anthem
| Title | "Himno Nacional de Chile" (National Anthem of Chile) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Eusebio LILLO Robles and Bernardo DE VERA y Pintado/Ramon CARNICER y Battle |
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note: music adopted 1828, original lyrics adopted 1818, adapted lyrics adopted 1847; under Augusto PINOCHET's military rule, a verse glorifying the army was added; however, as a protest, some citizens refused to sing this verse; it was removed when democracy was restored in 1990
More about the government of Chile
| Date of Independence | 18 September 1810 (from Spain) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day, 18 September (1810) |
| Legal system | civil law system influenced by several West European civil legal systems; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Tribunal |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; in September 2022 and again in December 2023, referendums presented for a new constitution were both defeated, and the September 1980 constitution remains in force |
| Amendments | Proposed by members of either house of the National Congress or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least four-sevenths majority vote of the membership in both houses and approval by the president; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, the Constitutional Tribunal, electoral justice, the Council of National Security, or the constitutional amendment process, requires at least four-sevenths majority vote by both houses of Congress and approval by the president; the president can opt to hold a referendum when Congress and the president disagree on an amendment; amended many times, last in 2022 |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | yes |
| Citizenship by descent only | yes |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 5 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022) |
| Head of government | President Gabriel BORIC (since 11 March 2022) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the president |
| Elections/appointments | president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 21 November 2021 with a runoff held on 19 December 2021 (next to be held on 23 November 2025 with runoff if needed on 20 December) |
| Election results | 2021: Gabriel BORIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Antonio KAST (FSC) 27.9%; Gabriel BORIC (AD) 25.8%; Franco PARISI (PDG) 12.8%; Sebastian SICHEL (ChP+) 12.8%; Yasna PROVOSTE (New Social Pact) 11.6%; other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Gabriel BORIC 55.9%; Jose Antonio KAST 44.1% 2017: Sebastian PINERA Echenique elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique (independent) 36.6%; Alejandro GUILLIER (independent) 22.7%; Beatriz SANCHEZ (independent) 20.3%; Jose Antonio KAST (independent) 7.9%; Carolina GOIC (PDC) 5.9%; Marco ENRIQUEZ-OMINAMI (PRO) 5.7%; other 0.9%; percent of vote in second round - Sebastian PINERA Echenique 54.6%, Alejandro GUILLIER 45.4% |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (50 seats); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 8-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 4 years) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (155 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) |
| Elections | Senate - last held on 21 November 2021 (next to be held on 23 November 2025) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 21 November 2021 (next to be held on 23 November 2025) |
| Election results | Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - ChP+ 12 (RN 5, UDI 5, EVOPOLI 2), NPS 8 (PS 4, PPD 2, PDC 2), AD 4 (PCCh 2, FREVS 2), PLR 1, independent 2; composition - men 37, women 13, percentage women 26% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - ChP+ 53 (RN 25, UDI 23, EVOPOLI 4, PRI 1), AD 37 (PCCh 12, CS 9, RD 8, Commons 6, FREVS 2), NPS 37 (PS 13, PDC 8, PPD 7, PL 4, PRSD 4, CIU 1), FSC 15 (PLR 14, PCC 1), PDG 6, PH 3, PEV 2, IU 1, independent 1; composition - men 100, women 55, percentage women 35.5%; total National Congress percentage women 33.2% as of January 2024 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of a court president and 20 members or ministros); Constitutional Court (consists of 10 members and is independent of the rest of the judiciary); Elections Qualifying Court (consists of 5 members) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court president and judges (ministers) appointed by the president of the republic and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 by the Supreme Court, 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the Chamber of Deputies, and 2 by the Senate; members serve 9-year terms with partial membership replacement every 3 years (the court reviews constitutionality of legislation); Elections Qualifying Court members appointed by lottery - 1 by the former president or vice president of the Senate and 1 by the former president or vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Appellate Court of Valparaiso; members appointed for 4-year terms |
| Subordinate courts | Courts of Appeal; oral criminal tribunals; military tribunals; local police courts; specialized tribunals and courts in matters such as family, labor, customs, taxes, and electoral affairs |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Juan Gabriel VALDES Soublette (since 7 June 2022) |
| Chancery | 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 785-1746 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 887-5579 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://chile.gob.cl/estados-unidos/en/ |
| Consulate(s) general | Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Bernadette M. MEEHAN (since 30 September 2022) |
| Embassy | Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago |
| Mailing address | 3460 Santiago Place, Washington DC 20521-3460 |
| Telephone | [56] (2) 2330-3000 |
| FAX | [56] (2) 2330-3710 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://cl.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 7 (all cultural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Rapa Nui National Park; Churches of Chiloe; Historic Valparaiso; Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works; Sewell Mining Town; Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System; Chinchorro archeological sites |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Chile
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Chile
Want to know more about Chile? Check all different factbooks for Chile below.
