Chile, republic in southwestern South America, bounded on the north by Peru, on the east by Bolivia and Argentina, and on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean. It has an extreme northern-southern length of approximately 4270 km (about 2650 mi), but its average width is less than 180 km (less than 110 mi). Archipelagoes extend along the southern Chilean coast from Chiloé Island to Cape Horn, the southernmost point of the South American continent. Among these are the Chonos Archipelago, Wellington Island, and the western portion of Tierra del Fuego. Other islands belonging to Chile include the Juan Fernández Islands, Easter Island, and Sala y Gómez, all of which lie in the South Pacific. The country has a total area of 756,945 sq km (292,258 sq mi). Chile also claims a section of Antarctica. The country's capital and largest city is Santiago.
The dominant physical feature of Chile are the Andes Mountains, which extend the entire length of the country, from the Bolivian plateau in the north to Tierra del Fuego in the south.
Chile can be divided longitudinally into three topographic zones: the lofty Andean cordillera on the east; the low coastal mountains on the west; and the plateau area, which includes the Central Valley, between these ranges. Latitudinally, three major geographical and climatological regions can be distinguished: the northern (arid), central (Mediterranean), and southern (temperate marine) regions.
The ranges of the Andes are widest in the northern region, forming broad plateaus and containing many mountains with elevations in excess of 6100 m (more than 20,000 ft). The country's highest peak, Ojos del Salado (6893 m/22,615 ft), is found on the border with Venezuela. The plateau area is occupied by the great Atacama Desert, which contains vast nitrate fields and rich mineral deposits.
In the central region the plateau gives way to a valley, known as the Central Valley, about 1000 km (about 600 mi) long. The valley, which ranges from 40 to 80 km (25 to 50 mi) in width, is the most heavily populated area of the country. The fertile area between the Aconcagua and Bío-Bío rivers forms the agricultural heartland of Chile. The central Andes are narrower in width and have lower elevations than those in the north. The most important passes in the Andes are located here. The country's finest natural harbors are located in this region.
The southern region is without an interior valley; it disappears below the sea at Puerto Montt. The long chains of islands along the coast are formed by the peaks of the submerged coastal mountains. The coastline here is indented by numerous fjords. The southern Andes have elevations that seldom exceed about 1800 m (about 6000 ft). Chile lies in a zone of geologic instability and is subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The many rivers of Chile are relatively short, generally rising in the Andes and flowing west to the Pacific. In the northern and central regions the rivers are fed primarily by the perpetual snow cover of the Andes. The most important rivers (from north to south) are the Loa, Elqui, Aconcagua, Maipo, Maule, Bío-Bío, and Imperial. Although of limited value for navigation because of cascades, the rivers are vital for the irrigation waters and hydroelectric power they furnish. Many of Chile's major lakes, including Lake Llanquihue, are concentrated in the scenic lake district of the southern region.
Because of its great latitudinal range, Chile has a diversity of climates. In general, temperatures are moderated by oceanic influences.
The northern region is almost entirely desert and is one of the driest areas in the world. Temperatures, however, are moderated by the offshore presence of the cold Peru, or Humboldt, Current. The average temperatures at Antofagasta range from 17° to 24° C (63° to 76° F) in January and from 11° to 17° C (51° to 63° F) in July. In Santiago the average range is 12° to 29° C (53° to 85° F) in January and 3° to 15° C (37° to 59° F) in July. Temperatures decrease about 1° C for each 150 m (about 1° F for each 275 ft) of altitude in the Andes. Rainfall increases southward, and the central region experiences a Mediterranean-like climate. Precipitation here is concentrated in the winter months (May to August) and ranges from an annual total of about 360 mm (about 14 in) at Santiago to about 14 mm (about 0.5 in) at Antofagasta. Winters here are mild, and summers are relatively cool. The southern region is cooler and experiences year-round rainfall. Precipitation reaches a maximum of about 5000 mm (about 200 in) near the Strait of Magellan, much of it in the form of snow. The average annual temperature at Punta Arenas in the far south is about 7° C (about 44° F). Strong winds and cyclonic storms are common in the southern region.
The indigenous plant life of Chile varies according to climatic zone. The northern region has few varieties of vegetation (such as brambles and cacti) and is one of the earth's best examples of an absolute desert. The more humid Central Valley supports several species of cacti, espino (a thorny shrub), grasses, and the Chilean pine, which bears edible nuts. South of Valdivia are found dense rain forests containing laurel, magnolia, false beech, and various species of conifers. In the extreme south, a steppe vegetation of grasses is found.
Animal life is less diversified than in other parts of South America because of the barrier to migration presented by the Andes. Indigenous mammals include llama, alpaca, vicuña, guanaco, puma, Andean wolf, huemal (a large deer), pudu (a small deer), and the chinchilla. Birdlife is varied, but most of the larger South American types are absent. Aside from trout, which were introduced from North America, few freshwater fish inhabit Chilean streams and lakes. The coastal waters abound in fish and marine animals.
Chile is rich in mineral resources, chiefly because of the size of the deposits rather than because of the diversity of minerals. Copper is by far the most important mineral. Others include nitrates, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, manganese, petroleum and natural gas, silver, and gold.
Compared with other South American countries, Chile has a population that is relatively homogeneous. The early Spanish settlers intermarried with the Native Americans, notably the Araucanian; their descendants, the mestizos, constitute more than 92 percent of the current population. European immigration has not been as important in Chile as in other countries of the Americas; immigration was only mildly encouraged in the 19th century. German immigrants have, however, been an important influence in the Valdivia-Puerto Montt area. Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, the former Yugoslavia, and France have also made significant contributions to the population. Today less than 2 percent of the country's population is of unmixed European stock. Only 6 percent of the population is pure Native American, mainly Araucanians who are concentrated in the southern region.
The population of Chile at the 1992 census was 13,321,803. The 1995 estimated population is 14,237,000, giving the country an overall population density of about 19 people per sq km (about 49 per sq mi). Some nine-tenths of the people live in the central region between Concepción and La Serena. The average annual rate of increase during the early 1990s was 1.5 percent. About 86 percent of the population lives in urban centers, and nearly one-third of the country's entire population lives in the capital city of Santiago. Communities both in the south and in the northern desert are generally isolated and separated by vast, virtually unpopulated stretches.
The major cities of Chile are Santiago, the capital and largest city (population, 1992, 4,295,593); Concepción, an agricultural and industrial center (326,784); Viña del Mar, a popular resort (303,589); and Valparaíso, a principal seaport (274,228).
Spanish is the official language of Chile and is spoken by virtually the entire population. The use of Native American languages is limited.
Roman Catholics constitute about 79 percent of the population of Chile. The Roman Catholic church is a major force in Chilean society, although the church was officially disestablished in 1925. Most of the remaining population is Pentecostal Protestant, and about 1 percent is Jewish. Native Americans practicing traditional religions constitute a very small minority.
Two lively and contrasting cultural strains predominate in Chile: the cosmopolitan culture of the affluent urban population and the popular culture of the peasants, which is predominantly Spanish but contains traces of Mapuche heritage. The latter influences are strongest in Chilean music and dance. Chile has a flourishing literary tradition and has produced two Nobel Prize winners in literature, Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda, both poets.
Chile's most important cultural institutions are concentrated in the large cities of the central region. These institutions include the National Museum of Fine Arts, the National Historical Museum, and the National Museum of Natural History, all located in Santiago, and the Natural History Museum in Valparaíso. The country's largest library is the National Library in Santiago, with about 3.5 million volumes.
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