During
the major part of the Nineties, Chile was the economic model
of success par excellence in Latin America. Extremely of an
average growth rate annual of more than 6%, it already raised,
in 1997, a rate of instruction raised, a robust material infrastructure
and a gross national product approaching the 4000 $ US per
capita.
During 150 last years, Chile turned to the export of its mineral
resources, initially the nitrates (used in the manufacture
of manures), then copper, especially as from the Thirties.
It for a long time remains the principal copper exporter in
the world, and this metal indisputably constitutes a major
pillar of its economy.
Although copper represents always, and by far, the principal
export of Chile, the country recently succeeded in diversifying
its exports, in particular in the chapter of the wine and
fruit, forest product, fishery products, forgetting certain
manufactured goods.
The with dimensions one of the mines copper does not hold
an absolute monopoly since Chile is also an important gold
and money, molybdenum, zinc, iron producer.
The agricultural sector constituted the backbone of the Chilienne
economy a long time. The most important products of Chilean
agriculture, in terms of volume, are sugar the beet, the corn,
the grape, the tomato, it but, the potato and the soft apple,
though other cereals, fruit and vegetables are also cultivated
in great quantity.
Electricity comes mainly from hydraulic pressure supplies.
The factories produce in particular treated drinks and food,
chemicals, steel, paper, textile products, products containing
metals, of wood, clothing and cement.
In 1999, following 12 years of fast economic growth, Chile
slipped into the recession. That was the result of a strong
fall in the world price of the copper, which still counts
for 40% of Chiliennes exports, as well as economic and financial
difficulties which struck the commercial associates of Chile
in the Far East and in Brazil.
