Demographics of Chile

About 85% of Chile's population live in urban centers with 40% living in greater Santiago de Chile. Most citizens have Spanish ancestry. A small, yet influential number of Irish and English immigrants arrived in Chile during the Spanish colonial period. Government-sponsored immigration from Germany began in 1848, and in time, changed the changed the cultural makeup of the southern provinces of Valdivia, Llanquihue , and Osorno , which still show a strong German influence. Other historically significant immigrant groups include people of Italian, Croatian, French, and Middle Eastern backgrounds. In the last decade there has been an influx of Koreans, who settled in small sections of Santiago. Economic problems in Peru has resulted in work-related immigration to Chile. About 700,000 Native Americans, mostly Mapuche, reside in the south-central area of the country; people of Polynesian ancestry live in Easter island (Rapanui), while Aymara and Quechua populations live along the northern border with Peru and Bolivia.

The relatively small Central Valley (where Santiago is located), dominates Chile in terms of population, agricultural resources, and political power. The Central Valley represents the historical center from which Chile expanded during the late 19th century, when the government integrated the northern and southern regions into its sphere of influence.

Population: 15,116,435 (2002 census)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28% (male 2,137,826; female 2,044,546)

15-64 years: 65% (male 4,919,060; female 4,958,030)

65 years and over: 7% (male 453,234; female 641,101) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.17% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 17.19 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.74 years

male: 72.43 years

female: 79.22 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Chilean(s)

adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions: Roman Catholic 70%, Protestant 15%, None 8%, Other 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, Mormon 1%, Jewish, Muslim and Orthodox < 1%

Languages: Spanish, Mapudungun, Aimara, Rapanui

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.2%

male: 95.4%

female: 95% (1995 est.)