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Chile is sometimes called the “stringbean” earLy hiStory: At the time of European of South America due to its long, narrow discovery, indigenous tribes were living shape. It is the longest country in the world. in what is now Chile. The Aymara, who The mainland extends through 38 degrees of are descended from the Incas, inhabited latitude, a distance of 2700 miles (4345 km) the High Andes in the north. Araucanian from north to south. This span is equal to tribes such as the Mapuche and Pehuenche one-tenth of the earth’s perimeter, or the occupied the central regions. The Chonos, distance between Ketchikan, Alaska, and Yahgans, Onas, and Alacalufs were some of the southern tip of the Baja California the tribes who lived in the south. Peninsula. In contrast, the average width is Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navi only 110 miles (177 km), with a maximum gator in the service of Spain, was the first of 217 miles (350 km) near . European to reach Chile. In 1520 he arrived Chile’s topographical profile is unique. at Tierra del Fuego (“Land of Fire”), which The land slopes steeply from the High he named for the Indian campfires burning Andean summits into the central longitu on the island’s shore. He also transited the dinal valleys, then rises briefly in the coastal strait that would later bear his name. The mountains before plunging into the depths Spanish explorer Pedro de Valdivia founded of the Pacific Ocean. If one examines the the city of in 1541, but settlement narrowest sector of the , of regions to the south was delayed for one finds that there is a vertical differential almost 300 years due to conflicts with the of some 40,000 ft (12,200 m) between the hostile Araucanian tribes. Chile remained peaks of the High Andes and the bottom under Spanish rule until 1818 when José de of the submarine trench that parallels the San Martin and Bernardo O’Higgins, who Pacific coast. would later become Chile’s first president, As one would suspect in a country of achieved independence from Spain. such latitudinal and altitudinal ranges, the toDay: In 2007 Chile’s total population climate is extremely varied. A hyper-arid was estimated at 16,284,741. Ninety-five desert extends across the northern regions. percent of the population are of European Central Chile has a mild, Mediterranean- descent or mestizo; five percent are indig type climate, while the south is cool and enous. The majority of the population lives rainy, and the High Andes are cold and in central Chile. The country’s largest city snowy. The land to the east of the Pata is the capital, Santiago, which has about gonian Andes in Aisén and Magallanes has 6.3 million people in the metropolitan area. a cool, semi-arid climate. Chile is a multiparty Republic with an The great variety of climates and natural elected president and congress. The white environments has produced a widely diverse stripe on Chile’s flag represents the snow flora and fauna. Chile has more than 4600 of the Andes. It is set next to a dark blue flowering plant species, 1187 mollusk species, canton, which stands for blue sky. The large 606 crustacean species, 10,133 insect species, white star is said to guide Chile on the path 617 arachnid species, 1179 species of fish, to progress and honor, and the red stripe 43 amphibian species, 94 reptile species, 456 stands for the blood of those who sacrificed bird species, and 148 species of mammals. themselves for the homeland. 1 2 ChiLe anD her SovereigntieS

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aDMiniStrative regionS Chile has 15 administrative units called regions. Th ey are presently identifi ed by Roman numerals. XV ARICA-PARINACOTA Arica Recently however, the Chilean Congress declared two new regions—Región XIV Los Rios (Valdivia) and 20°S I TARAPACÁ Iquique Región XV Arica-Parinacota. Th ese newly assigned numbers break the former geographical numerical order from north to south and the numeric system may soon be dropped in favor of formal names. II ANTOFAGASTA Antofagasta Th e names of the regions are oft en abbreviated. For example, Aisén (also spelled Aysén) is the short form of Región XI Aisén del General Carlos Ibañez del Campo. III ATACAMA Copiapó CaPitaL santiago is the nation’s capital and seat of political administration. It is located at 33º 27´S, 70º 40´W in 30°S the Región Metropolitana de Santiago (RM XIII). La Serena ValparaÍso IV COQUIMBO Th e city of is the legislative capital. geograPhiC zoneS V VALPARAÍSO Valparaíso norte granDe (Th e Big North) includes the Arica- SANTIAGO Rancagua Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta Regions. Th is VI O’HIGGINS zone contains the vast and the High Talca Andean steppes of the Altiplano. VII MAULE norte ChiCo (Th e Little North) includes the semi- Concepción VIII BIOBÍO arid, fertile plains of Atacama and Coquimbo.

Temuco IX ARAUCANÍA nÚCLeo CentraL (Central Chile), includes the Valparaíso, Metropolitan Santiago, O’Higgins, and Valdivia XIV LOS RIOS 40°S Maule Regions. Th e majority of the population lives in this zone and most administrative and agricul- Puerto Montt X LOS LAGOS tural activity occurs here.

70°W Sur (South-Central Chile) includes the Regions of Biobío, Araucanía, Los Lagos, and Los Rios. Cautín Province in Araucanía is sometimes referred to in Coihaique its historical function as la frontera (Th e Frontier).

XI AISÉN Th is zone has many volcanoes, lakes, and forests. PatagÓniCo norte y Sur (North and South Pata- gonia), also known as los Canales (Th e Channels), includes the Aisén and Magallanes Regions. Most 80°W of this zone is cold and wet, and has great icefi elds, 50°S fj ords, and forests. Th e southeastern portion is semi- arid and covered in grassy plains called pampas.

XII MAGALLANES Y Punta Arenas (continued) ANTÁRTICA CHILENA