Nature and geography
Making up the left-hand side of South America's tapering tail, Chile extends some 4,300 km from the north desert to the glacial south, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and shuttered by the Andes on the east. Chile shares most of its extensive eastern border with Argentina, and by Peru and Bolivia in the north. Rarely extending beyond 200 km width, Chile makes up for its longitudinal shortcomings by rising rapidly from sea level to 6,000m while the country’s latitudinal extremes give a formidable array of landscapes.
In far north you can find valleys, oasis, gulchs and salt flats. The northern zone mostly consists of the Atacama Desert. The center of Chile is characterized by the abundance of vegetation and its Mediterranean-like climate. Green and untamed, that’s the most fitting description for the south of Chile. Lakes, rivers and volcanoes combine to create outstanding scenic beauty. Explore the National Parks to see unusual tree species and millenarian forests. The majority of Chile’s far south region is covered by ice and snow all year round. Located in this zone is the National Park Torres del Paine and, in the extreme south the Chilean Antarctic. Patagonia is a land of unlimited and unspoiled Nature, which combines native forests, wildlife, millenarian glaciers, and the most beautiful mountains. Rapa Nui National Park in Easter Island takes up approximately half of the island and has been designated a World Heritage Site due to the uniqueness of its natural features and the richness of its cultural treasures, which add mystery to the island’s beauty.