Chile Geography 1997

Location Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and SouthPacific 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 Isla de Pascua (Easter Island) 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 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate temperate; desert in north; 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: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

Natural resources copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum

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 pollutionfrom raw sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soilerosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and PacificOceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desertis one of world's driest regions

NOTE: The information regarding Chile on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Chile Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Chile Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.