UPDATE 1-Chile posts $1.526 bln trade surplus in mid-Dec

* Trade surplus for mid-Dec surges

* Higher copper prices boosting surplus (Updates with imports, exports, November data)

SANTIAGO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Chile's trade surplus grew to $1.526 billion in the first half of December from $41.9 million in the same period a year ago, the central bank said on Wednesday, as the economy recovers from the global financial crisis.

Imports during the two-week period fell to $1.714 billion from $1.979 billion a year ago, and exports jumped to $3.239 billion from $2.021 billion.

Chile's trade surplus quadrupled in November from a year earlier on higher prices for Chile's No. 1 export, copper, central bank data showed earlier this month.

Chile posted a November trade surplus CLTBAL=ECI of $1.08 billion, up from a $252.4 million surplus in the same month in 2008.

November's exports grew 25.9 percent to $4.92 billion, and imports rose 5 percent to $3.84 billion.

Though Chile's trade surplus rebounded after a slump caused by the global financial crisis, its economy contracted a surprise 0.9 percent in October, a 12th consecutive monthly fall that adds to evidence of a slower recovery from the country's first recession since the Asia crisis a decade ago.

The economy is still seen emerging from recession in the fourth quarter, though the central bank has warned the pace at which the economy exits will be more gradual than originally forecast. (Reporting by Santiago Newsroom. Writing by Simon Gardner; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)