About Chile
Background Information About Chile
Chile is a very long country (2,650 miles) and
comparatively narrow (maximum 250 miles). It extends
from latitudes 18 to 56 grades south and contains
one of the driest regions in the world and one
of the wettest areas in South America. It is bound
on the north by Peru, on the northeast by Bolivia,
on its long eastern border (3,200miles) by Argentina
and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.
In its economy and public services, Chile is
one of the most developed countries in the Andean
region.
General Information
Area: 736,905 sq. km (284,520 sq. mi.)
Capital City: Santiago
Gross National Product
per capita $ 1,510 (1988 estimate)
Currency unit: Peso
Population: 13'173,000 (1990 estimate)
Density: 16.7 persons/sq. mi. (1986 estimate)
Urban-rural population: 83.6 urban, 16.4 rural
Nartural increase: 1.6 % (1985-1990)
Illiteracy rate: 5.6 % (1985 estimate)
Highest point: 22,572 ft (Ojos del Salado)
Main cities: Concepcion, Vina del Mar, Valparaiso
National Holiday: Independence Day, 18 September
Geography: Natural Regions
Chile consists of
three distinct longitudinal structural regions
-the Andes, the coastal
range
and the central Valley- and a series of latitudinal
and altitudinal climatic regions.
The Andes
The Andes (Cordillera) run along the entire length
of the eastern part of the country. The watershed
between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, which
follows the central and often highest ridges of
the Andes, was adopted (by agreement with Argentina)
as Chile's eastern boundary. In the north, approximately
to latitude 27 grades, the Andes consist of two
or more almost parallel ranges. The Chilean Andes
are highest and most rugged and precipitous in
the northern and central parts of the country,
with peaks above 6,000 meters (20,000 feet). South
America's highest peak, Aconcagua 7,025 meters
(22,834 feet), rises just east of Chile's border.
Mountain passes in this part of the Andes are
few and difficult, rising above 3,100 meters.
South of Santiago the Andes become gradually lower,
with peaks of approximately 3,600 meters (12,000
feet). Passes are much lower and easier to negotiate.
In the extreme south, the Andes are fragmented
by deep, latitudinal valleys (of glacial origin)
deep ocean inlets and channels. The mountains
extend trough the island of Tierra del Fuego to
the southern end of the continent.
Near the Chilean Andes and along their western
flank is one of the world's densest concentrations
of volcanoes, both extinct and active. There are
over 2,000, including 48 that have erupted at
least once within the last 100 years. The abundance
of volcanic features in Chile and its vicinity
is also reflected in the frequent seismic events
and conspicuous evidence of recent tectonic movements.
The Coastal Range
The second structural region is the coastal range
(Cordillera de la Costa), which follows the coastline
closely throughout northern and central Chile.
It rises abruptly from the shoreline in high cliffs
that for hundred of miles form an unbroken wall,
creating a coastline devoid of natural harbors
and a formidable obstacle to access inland. Large
parts of the coastal range are actually an eroded
plateau descending west to the sea by cliff-bound
terraces. The coastal range rises to an altitude
of approximately 2,700 meters (8,800 feet). The
southward extension of the coastal range beyond
Puerto Montt forms a chain of approximately 3,000
hilly islands, extending along a fjord-lined coast
to Cape Horn at the southern extremity of the
South American continent. The largest of these
islands is Chiloe, just south of Puerto Montt.
This chain of islands is interrupted by Taitao
Peninsula, which is southern relic of the triple-longitudinal-belt
structure that predominates farther north.
The Central Valley
The third structural region, and the most important
one, insofar as human settlement is concerned,
is the depression between the Andes and the coastal
range known as the Central Valley. It is a long
and narrow basin of varying width, reaching approximately
80 kilometers (50 miles) at its widest section.
The Central Valley is not continuous; it is interrupted
by spurs from the Andes and is divided by a wide
mountainous intrusion into two main basins, each
of which includes a number of smaller basins.
The northern basin, extending from Arica to Copiapo,
is the Atacama Desert, one of the driest areas
on the earth. The second major basin is that of
central Chile. It extends from , Santiago southward
to Puerto Montt and is Chile's main agricultural
area and its most densely inhabited region. It
is climatically the most attractive part of the
country.
The Islands Territories
Chile owns several groups of small and mostly
inhabited volcanic islands opposite its shores
in the eastern Pacific: The Juan Fernandez Island,
Easter Island, Sala y Gomez, San Felix and San
Ambrosio, and Diego Ramirez Islands. Chile claims
a section of Antarctica between longitudes 53
and 90 degrees west and the neighboring islands.
Climate
Extending over 38 degrees of latitude,
from the tropics to the vicinity of Antarctica,
and from
sea level to altitudes of over 6,000 meters
(20,000 feet), Chile has a wide variety of climatic
conditions.
Extreme aridity prevails over the northern
part
of the country; the average annual rainfall
in
this region is 0.04 inches. Temperatures are
moderate along the coast throughout the year
and more extreme
inland, especially in the central basin. The
average temperatures for the hottest (February)
and coldest
(July) months are 22 C (72F) and 15C (60F). |
