Geographic Location:

Chile is a long and narrow stretch of land at the southwestern end of América, between Los Andes mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. it also has part of the Antarctica and more than 5.800 islands and isles. Her boundaries are: to the North with Perú, to the South with the South Pole, to the East with Bolivia and Argentina and to the West with the Pacific Ocean.

it is perhaps from this far away land that one of the interpretations of the word “CHILLI” comes from. In the language of one of the original peoples, it means “where the land ends”.

There are more than 4.000 kilometres between Arica the northern most city and Port Williams, the southern most populated place in Chile and in the worid. This distance is similar to Paris-Moscow or San Francisco-New York.

lts elongated and thin shape, unique in the map of the land, allows for the exístence of varied landscapes, climates, flora and fauna. lts geography is broken and mountainous. Only 20% of the territory is plain.

The spine of the country is the Cordillera de los Andes (The Andes mountain range) which in the North reaches heights above 6.000 metres and it almost disappears in the extreme South oniy to reappear in Antarctica. The Cordillera de la Costa (Coastal mountaín range) runs parallel to The Andes but at lower heights and between these two mountain ranges there is the so calied intermediate depression which in the North becomes the pampas anchin the South turns into valleys. Towards the extreme South, the Coastal Range breaks and the valleys sink: guifs, estuaries and islands give shape to a very complex geography.

The Pacific Ocean, alongside the vast and broken coast of the country provides a rich variety of marine fauna. The Humboldt Cold Current is feit almost throughout the entire length of the coast: the temperatura of the waters decreases towards the South. At some points along the Chilean coast the depth of the Pacific Ocean is more than 8.000 metres.

Climate:

Because of her length, Chile has almost every sort of climate, except the tropical climate. Chile is located at the south of the Equator, therefore its seasons are reversed to those countries in the northern hemisphere.

Language:

The official language of Chile is Spanish spoken without regional variations. Other languages spoken in very restricted areas are: “Mapudungu” (mapuche language), “Rapa Nui” (spoken in Easter lsland) and “Aymara” (spoken in some areas of the mountains in the North).

Administrative Division:

The country is divided into 12 regions plus greater Santiago, 51 provinces and 335 municipalities. Capital: Santiago (of the New Extremadura) founded on 12 February 1541 by the Spanish Conqueror Pedro de Valdivia.

Regions of Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo.

The North Zone or Big North, is a coastal desert bordered by kilometres of white sandy beaches with a very pleasant temperatura. Among some other less known attractions are the temperate climate, geysers and a great number of varied and very unusual desert valleys. In the Andean altiplano there are tradicional indigenous villages and archeological ruins.

The North-Central Zone or Smali North is 1.000 kilometres towards the south. As the neighbouri.ng zone towards the North, it is characteristically dry but it also has many fertile valleys. Another similarity with the Big North is that it is bordered by beaches with very pleasant temperaturas all year round.

Central Zone and South: Regions of Valparaiso, Gran Santiago, Maule, Bio-Bío, Araucanía and the Lakes Region.

In the Central Zone, the coast has numerous smali beaches with very good tourist facilities and very important urban cities. Further iniand, the Cordillera de los Andes offers excellent conditions to practice mountain sports whereas other areas are attractive because of their vegetation. The best and most modern ski centres are in this region, like Portillo, Valle Nevado (Snowed Valley) and further south, Chillan Spa, Antillanca, Antuco.

The South Zone has mountains, volcanoes, íakes of different sizes sorrounded by forests, beaches and bays very appropriate for nautical sports. Salmon can be found in most of these lakes, a great attraction for those fond of fishing. A number of rivers flow from the mountains, ideal for rafting and adventure tourism.

Austral Zone: Regions of Aysén and Magallanes

This is the southernmost region where the combination of cannais, bays, archipelagos and glaciers form landscapes of unique beauty which are important tourist attractions. Most of this territory is covered with ancient forests and native species. Further South, in Patagonia, Magallanes Strait and Tierra del Fuego there are mountains of great heights like Torres del Paine. In Punta Arenas there is the only ski centre in the worid with a view to the sea.

lsland Zone: Easter lsland and Archipiélago de Juan Fernández.

Easter lsland and Archipiélago de Juan Fernández (inciuding Robinson Crusoe lsland) are very different from the rest of the country. Their semi-tropical climate are excellent for swimming, diving and sailing. Both have archeological sites and many native species of plants and animais.

Main citíes in the country:

Santiago, Concepción, Valparaíso, Antofagasta, Temuco and Punta Arenas.

taken from:  http://www.misginchile.org/Chileng.htm

I’ve decided to change my topic to that of the country of Chile.  When I was a freshman in high school, I watched a Lonely Planet video with my Geography class on the country of Chile.  I thought it was particularly fascinating because of the differences in climate, the Chilean language, the food, the backward seasons, Easter Island and many different other factors.  

Above, you can see a map of Chile.  Notice how long it is!

The following is taken from:  http://www.joeskitchen.com/chile/facts/climate.htm

Chile’s Climate

Chile is a country of vast climate extremes. Due to Chile’s long slender shape spanning from Peru in the north to Antarctica in the south, you’ll experience a very different climate depending on what part of the country you visit. As a general rule, the farther north the hotter and drier the climate. As you head south, you’ll see a cooler and wetter climate. Rainfall is more frequent during the winter months.

Seasons

Chile sits in the southern hemisphere and as such its seasons are generally these:

• Summer: December - February
• Fall: March - May
• Winter: June - August
• Spring: September - November

Northern Climate

Chile’s northern most regions are characterized by a dry, arid climate. The world’s driest desert, the Atacama, defines the northern most part of the country. Rainfall is so sparse here that some places haven’t seen any precipitation in years. As is typical of desert climates, there is little seasonal change during the year and daily high temperatures decline significantly overnight.

Southern Climate

The southern extreme of Chile is prone to frequent rainfall with winter months being the wettest. This humid and damp region leads to a lush green landscape.

Central Valley

The central valley enjoys a Mediterranean climate. Summers are warm and dry with little precipitation. Winters are cooler and deliver frequent rain showers. This very moderate climate encourages the fertile agriculture of this region.

Andes Mountains

The eastern border of Chile is the Andes mountain range. The climate here is a combination of that typical of higher elevations and the overlying general climate discussed previously.

Coast

Coastal regions typically mirror the region of the country in which they are located. That general climate is moderated by oceanic effects.

Antarctica

Chile has territorial claims on parts of Antarctica. This region is characterized by ice and extreme cold temperatures year-round.