Short facts about the geography of Chile

Location:

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total:  756,950 sq km land:  748,800 sq km water:  8,150 sq km note:  includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries:

total:  6,171 km border countries:  Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Coastline:

6,435 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  24 NM continental shelf:  200/350 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

Terrain:

low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  5% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  18% forests and woodland:  22% other:  55% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

12,650 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:

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

Chile

People

Source: World Factbook