Chile and Cuba
Chile and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in 1995 following the 1973 rupture. Subsequent cooperation combines health, biotechnology, culture and trade, alongside Chilean positions opposing the embargo and both countries' collaboration as guarantors in Colombia's dialogue process with the ELN.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Chile and Cuba totalled 27.2 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, dairy products, eggs and honey stands out in shipments from Chile to Cuba, at 9.7 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 27.22 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Chile to Cuba | 23.68 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Cuba to Chile | 3.53 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Chile to Cuba | ||
| Export share: Cuba to Chile | ||
| Investment stock: Chile in Cuba | ||
| Investment stock: Cuba in Chile |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter CHL. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Chile to Cuba
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter CHL. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Cuba to Chile
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter CHL. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | Chile | Cuba |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 357.37 billion USD2025 · World Bank | |
| GDP per capita | 17,994.59 USD2025 · World Bank | |
| GDP growth | 2.46 %2025 · World Bank | -1.06 %2024 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 4.21 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.1 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · INE Chile | |
| Unemployment | 8.97 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 1.75 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 41.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -1.22 %2025 · World Bank | |
| Population | 19,859,9212025 · World Bank | 10,937,2032025 · WB |
| Area | 757,245 km²2023 · World Bank | 109,880 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDChile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personChile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Chile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Cuba: 2024 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Chile: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedChile: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change from the same month of the previous year · INE Chile · Twelve-month headline CPI change; not the 0.6% monthly change or the 3.6% cumulative change in the year.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionChile: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Cuba: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Chile: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Chile: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPChile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleChile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Cuba: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceChile: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Cuba: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Chile to Cuba
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 9.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.679 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.17 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.152 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.0252 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.00187 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.000662 M USD2025 · Source |
Cuba to Chile
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.39 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Chile to Cuba | Cuba to Chile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14.2 | 9.9 | 4.2 |
| 2022 | 22.1 | 18.3 | 3.8 |
| 2023 | 23.5 | 19.9 | 3.6 |
| 2024 | 17.5 | 14.2 | 3.4 |
| 2025 | 27.2 | 23.7 | 3.5 |
Connections between people
Following the 1973 interruption, consular ties were restored in 1991 and diplomatic relations in 1995. The profile identifies projects in medical training, ageing, climate change and support for Cuba's private sector. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Chile living in Cuba | ||
| Residents from Cuba living in Chile | ||
| Study and training: Chile in Cuba | ||
| Study and training: Cuba in Chile | ||
| Academic stays: Chile in Cuba | ||
| Academic stays: Cuba in Chile | ||
| Travel: Chile to Cuba | ||
| Travel: Cuba to Chile |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Bilateral context
Chile's diplomatic presence in Cuba dates back to 1903. Following the 1973 interruption, consular ties were restored in 1991 and diplomatic relations in 1995. [1]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The 1996 Basic Cooperation Agreement provides a framework complemented by instruments on health, biotechnology, heritage, forestry development and science. The profile identifies projects in medical training, ageing, climate change and support for Cuba's private sector. In economic affairs, Economic Complementation Agreement number 42 has been in force since 2008 and has been updated through protocols. There are also agreements between film and sports institutions. In political affairs, Chile's foreign ministry describes its support for ending the embargo and removing Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism; these are Chilean positions, not decisions Chile can implement unilaterally. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Chile and Cuba) totalled 27.2 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 23.7 million; those in the opposite direction, 3.5 million. The difference between the two flows was 20.1 million, in favour of Chile. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 14.2 million USD in 2021 and 27.2 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +91.8 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 27.2 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [2]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, dairy products, eggs and honey stands out in shipments from Chile to Cuba, at 9.7 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Cuba to Chile, at 0.39 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [3]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — CHL-CUB
www.minrel.gob.cl · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- UN Comtrade annual data; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.