Chile earthquake facts: Chile vs. Haiti, in numbers

Chile earthquake facts continue to roll in and provide glaring comparisons with the quake that devastated Haiti in January.

An earthquake survivor the cleans up the debris around his home Tuesday next to a wall with graffiti that reads, "We're all fine" and "All OK," with an address where other survivors can be found, in the Chilean city of Constitucion, after the Feb. 27 Chile earthquake. Facts about Chile's quake offer insights about the glaring differences between Chile and Haiti, which in January suffered an earthquake that was not nearly as strong, but was far more devastating.

Mariana Bazo/REUTERS

By Stephen Kurczy, Leigh Montgomery, Elizabeth Ryan

March 2, 2010

Boston

Chile earthquake facts reveal glaring differences between one of the richest countries in the hemisphere and one of the poorest, Haiti.

Beyond geology, the two quakes provide insights into so-called ‘donor fatigue,’ country wealth, government effectiveness, and media reportage.

Saturday's Chile earthquake also provides outgoing President Michelle Bachelet a chance to stand literally alongside US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who visited Santiago on Tuesday, and figuratively alongside Haitian President Réne Préval, who was also criticized for his slow response.

IN PICTURES: Images from the magnitude-8.8 earthquake in Chile

Magnitude of earthquake

  • Haiti: 7.0
  • Chile: 8.8

Number of times stronger the Chile earthquake was than the Haiti earthquake

  • 500

Number of deaths

  • Haiti: more than 200,000
  • Chile: more than 795

Number of buildings destroyed, according to country's president

  • Haiti: 280,000
  • Chile: 500,000

Days consumed dealing with construction permits to build a basic warehouse

  • Haiti: 1,179 days
  • Chile: 155 days

Ranking on worldwide corruption index

  • Haiti: 168
  • Chile: 25

Hours before impacted country's president made first post-quake address

  • Haiti: 168
  • Chile: 2

Hours before country accepted foreign assistance

  • Haiti: 0
  • Chile: 48

President’s years in power

  • Haiti: 3.9
  • Chile: 4

Pace of World Vision US aid

  • To Haiti: $3.9 million in first 48 hours, or $81,250 per hour
  • To Chile: $220,000 in first 48 hours, or $4,583 per hour

Number of news articles within first 48 hours of earthquake

  • Haiti: 2,596
  • Chile: 400

Approximate population of US diasporas

  • Haiti: 531,000
  • Chile: 70,000

Citizen’s average annual income

  • Haiti: $1,300
  • Chile: $14,700

Population

  • Haiti: 9 million
  • Chile: 16 million

Percentage of population below poverty line

  • Haiti: 80
  • Chile: 18.2

Life expectancy

  • Haiti: 61
  • Chile: 77

(Sources: CIA Factbook, International Finance Corporation, US Census Bureau, Wire services)

IN PICTURES: Images from the magnitude-8.8 earthquake in Chile

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