Politics of Chile Politics of Chile Chile's government is a representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Chile is both head of state and head of government, and of a formal multi-party system that in practice behaves like a two-party one, due to binomialism. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Congress. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature of Chile. The Constitution of Chile was approved in a national plebiscite in September 1980, under the military government of dictator Augusto Pinochet. It entered into
Provinces of Chile (since 1929) The following table gives each province, its capital, surface area and 2002 population according to the National Statistics Institute. Provinces of Chile A province is the second largest administrative division in Chile with 54 in total. The largest administrative division in Chile is that of a region with 16 in total. Each provincial government ("gobernación provincial") is headed by a governor ("gobernador") appointed by the president. The governor exercises their powers in accordance with instructions from the regional intendant ("intendente"). The governor is advised by the Provincial Economic and Social Council ("Consejo Económico y Social Provincial" or CESPRO).