Chile External Debt/GDP At 8-Yr Low

Chile’s external debt as a percentage of GDP fell from 46% in 2004 to 39.5% last year, its lowest level in eight years. Total external debt in 2005 rose 3.6% year on year to $44.85 billion. Of this, 79% of the total was accounted for by private sector debt; with public sector debt representing only 21%. And just over half of the private sector debt belonged to foreign-owned companies. In addition, short-term term debt accounted for only 16% of total debt, lower than in most emerging markets