Physical Geography. Geography and Climate of Chile Because of its long, narrow profile and position adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and Andes Mountains, Chile has a unique topography and climate. Approaching the present time, the effects of the Pleistocene glaciations in the distribution of several communities are discussed. [13] Santiago is located in central Chile with the Mapocho River running through the city. The south is one of the rainiest areas in the world. US: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana, Land boundaries: Chile borders three countries; Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Height : 6863 m (Ojos del Salado) Map of Chile. Industrial cities, such as Concepción and Talcahuano, began as colonial centers in the 1600s. 523-541. The strongest of these occurred in 2010 (registering an estimated 8.8 on the Richter scale) and in Valdivia 1960 (reaching 9.5). Additionally, the mountainous regions have a tundra-like climate. Located 3,600 km (2,237 mi) west of Chile's mainland port of Caldera, just below the Tropic of Capricorn, Easter Island provides Chile a gateway to the Pacific. This airborne moisture condenses in the spines and leaves of the vegetation, droplets that fall to the ground and irrigate the plants' roots. These factors have given Chile the highest sovereign bond rating in South America. It is a semiarid region whose central area receives an average of about 25 mm (0.98 in) of rain during each of the four winter months, with trace amounts the rest of the year. These churches date back to the early 17th century. 3,648,532 km2 (1,408,706 sq mi) The Virgin Andacollo is the Patron Saint of miners who heals the sick and rescues those lost in the mines. Physical Landscapes. The capital, Santiago, holds about 6 million people in just the one city. widespread deforestation, mining; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage. It mainly contains the Atacama Desert, one of the driest areas in the world. The book's English translator renders this term as "extravagant." Geography. The summer months of January and February are the driest, with a monthly average precipitation of 67 mm (2.6 in). The image was taken from the Introducing Physical Geography (6th Edition) by Alan Strahler. From north to south, Chile extends 4,270 kilometers, and yet it only averages 177 kilometers east to west. strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama desert is one of world's driest regions, The distribution of population is very condensed around the capital, Santiago, where approximately 90% of the people live. They have grown to be the densely populated urban conurbations they are known for today. Main characteristics of the physical geography of Chile are described, with emphasis on the geologic and climatic changes that affected the biome configuration since the Devonian onwards. The Geography of Chile. permanent crops: This has left Bolivia landlocked since 1904. [29] Chile's labor force places fifty-ninth in the country comparison list according to the CIA World Factbook. Water heavy industries are causing groundwater, lake, and river depletion in Chile. They are famous for their lobster and the fact that one of the islands, Robinson Crusoe Island, is where Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's novel, was marooned for about four years. Therefore, geographically, the country can be divided into many different parts. In the far north, the land generally rises vertically from the ocean, sometimes to elevations well over 1,000 m (3,281 ft). Temperatures in the area are moderate. [20], Chile has long been in conflict with Bolivia over coastal and land sovereignty. [28], Agriculture comprises 4.4% of GDP (industry 31.4%, services 64.3%). The border disputes between Chile and Argentina deal with the Patagonia region. 97.59% (2012), Irrigated land: It extends approximately 2,700 miles (4,300 km) from its boundary with Peru, at latitude 17°30′ S, to the tip of South America at Cape Horn, latitude 56° S, a point only about 400 miles north of Antarctica. It is navigable for its entire 2,000-mile trip within Brazil. In addition to physical geography, what else is a factor in defining countries' political borders? The attempt was also made to The United States but failed badly on October 1880. Founded in 1848 by Col. José de los Santos Mardones, it flourished as a port of call and coaling station until the opening of the [4] 100% of the urban population has some form of access to sanitation facilities, while 90.9% of rural people have these facilities available. Since Chile extends from a point about 625 km (388 mi) north of the Tropic of Capricorn to a point hardly more than 1,400 km (870 mi) north of the Antarctic Circle, a broad selection of the Earth's climates can be found in this country. Most Chileans live near or on these mountains. The people of Chile originate from Spain mostly that is why the main language of Chile is Spanish. This precipitation is distributed more or less evenly throughout the year, with the two main summer months receiving a monthly average of thirty-one millimeters and the winter months 38.9 mm (2 in), some of it in the form of snow. Chile's unusual, ribbon-like shape - 4,300 km long and on average 175 km wide - has given it a hugely varied climate. Chile is situated in South America, bordered to the north by Peru, to the east by Bolivia and Argentina, to the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the Antarctic. The answer to this question can be found by examining the structure of the earth, and in particular the geographic configuration of the earth’s tectonic plates. Since 2015, 100% of U.S. imports have been entering Chile duty-free. About 80 percent of the land in Chile is made up of mountains of some form or other. Can you pick the physical features of Chile? One of the many disputes deals with the Southern ice-fields. The snow-covered Andes form a constant backdrop to vistas of clear blue or even turquoise waters, as at Todos los Santos Lake. Chile has no intention of giving up any land to Bolivia, but is very open to coastal access negotiations. The area's other main economic activity is oil and natural gas extraction from the areas around the Strait of Magellan. The populations of these cities are: Santiago at 6,680,000, Valparaíso at 967,000 and Concepción at 857,000. Summer in Chile lasts from December through February. There have been long arguments between Chileans and Peruvians since the 1800s. [31] Chilean agriculture includes the cultivation and trade of grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, and beans. Atacama Desert, Spanish Desierto de Atacama, cool, arid region in northern Chile, 600 to 700 miles (1,000 to 1,100 km) long from north to south. Chile exhibits a variety of climates, as its geographical position is more longitudinal in nature. copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower, thermal power, nutrient-rich ocean currents, Land use: Area - 756,950 sq km or 292,183 sq miles The remaining Chilean cougars, which are bigger than their California cousins, have been driven to isolated national parks in the south by farmers who continue to hunt them because they occasionally kill sheep and goats. It is noted for its 867 monoliths (moais), which are huge (up to twenty meters high) and mysterious, expressionless faces sculpted of volcanic stone. The temperatures are moderate, with an average of 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) during the summer and about 12 °C (53.6 °F) during the winter at sea level. Write. Swimming at Chile's popular beaches in the central part of the country, where the water gets no warmer than 15 °C (59 °F) in the summer. [36] South of Chile there is a wet climate because of the Mediterranean coastline this leading the wet season to range from May to August. The area generally is chilly and wet and houses a combination of channels, fjords, snow-capped mountains, and islands of all shapes and sizes within a narrow space. per capital: The natural hazards are attributed to Chile's location along the Ring of Fire. 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