Chile Government is based on a democratic republican framework. The President of Chile is both the ‘head of state’ and ‘head of government’. The executive power is exercised by the government of Chile. The judicial branch of Chile functions independently. The legislative powers are vested both with the Government and the National Congress of Chile.
Santiago is the exotic capital city of Chile. It has an area of 748800 sq km. The capital of Chile is located in the enormous bowl shaped valley-Santiago basin. This valley has vast expanses of fertile plain surrounded on all sides by gigantic mountains. Santiago experiences a mild Mediterranean climate with relatively hot and dry summers and more humid winters.
The President of Chile is both the chief of state and also the head of government. A single presidential term in Chile is for four years. Under the present republican framework, the President of Chile is unanimously voted through elections. The current President of Chile is Sebastián Piñera Jeria, belonging to the Socialist Party of Chile. His tenure is expected to end on March 2010.
The flag of Chile is a red white and blue banner with a white star. The height of the flag is two thirds the width. The Chile Flag was made official on October 18, 1817, just before Chile won it’s independence from Spain. Each color of the flag bears a unique significance. The blue square in the canton region represents the sky, the white stripes represent the snow of the Andes Mountains and the red is symbolic of the bloodshed during the War of Independence. The Constitution of Chile was formed and approved under the presidency of the famous dictator Agusto Pinochet on March 11, 1981.
The constitution was also approved by Chilean voters in the tightly controlled plebiscite. Amendments have been made in the constitution in subsequent years. The original constitution bestowed large amount of power with the President. Reforms in the constitution like removal of non elected Senators asserted the democratic nature of the constitution. The reforms also gave the President of Chile the power to remove the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
The structure of Chile military has been divided into four main categories like the army, navy, air force and the police. Chile military is subject to civilian control. It is mandatory for all male citizens in Chile to serve the military service for 12 to 24 months on turning 18. The present Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army is General Oscar Izurieta Ferrer.
Law of Chile is controlled by the legal system of Chile. The legal system functions independently. The Chilean legal system model is based on the civil law model followed by Europe and Latin America. The legal system lay emphasis on the importance of codified, statutory law. The National Police Force of Chile bears the responsibility of maintaining law and order throughout the country.
Foreign relations of Chile with other major countries in the world have improved over the years. Chile has actively participated in the international affairs. The diplomatic relations of Chile with other countries is significant. Chile has been instrumental in promoting many multilateral institutions, supporting human rights and principles. A major landmark in the foreign relations of Chile has been establishment of commercial ties with Great Britain.
