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Chile

Quick Facts: The Geography of Chile

Location: southern South America,

Climate: temperate overall, but desert in north, Mediterranean in central region, cool and damp in south. Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean—0 feet. highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado— 22,572 feet (6,885 m); Cerro Aconcagua—22,834 feet (6,960 m). Natural hazards: severe earthquakes, active volcanoes, tsunamis (tidal waves caused by undersea quakes or vol- canic eruptions).

bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru. Area: (about twice the size of Montana) total: 292,135 square miles (756,338 sq km) land: 289,112 square miles (748,800 sq km) water: 3,147 square miles (8,150 sq km) Borders: Argentina, 3,200 miles (5,150 km); Bolivia, 535 miles (861 km); Peru, 99 miles (160 km). Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile Central Valley; rugged Andes in east.

Source: CIA World Factbook 2015.

flow west to the Pacific. In the northern and central regions, the Andes, snow-topped year-round, continually feed the rivers with fresh water. The most important rivers (from north to south) are the Loa, Elqui, Aconcagua, Maipo, Maule, Bío-Bío, and Imperial. These rivers have cascades , limiting their usefulness for shipping and travel. However, the rivers are vital for irrigation and for providing hydroelectric power. The far southern region is without an interior valley. The land plunges into the sea at Puerto Montt. The long chains of islands along the coast, which is indented by numerous fjords , are actually the peaks of the submerged