Stretching down the Pacific coast of South America is the spectacular country of Chile. Nestled in the foothills of the Andes mountain range down to the continent’s southern tip, the country is home to just under 20 million people.
Chile is packed full of wonderful sites and attractions including stunning beaches.
The country is also home to a remarkable diversity of birdlife and wildlife, including sightings of hairy armadillos, foxes, pumas and the Chilean condor.
Chile’s Patagonia region is a top visitor attraction with amazing glaciers and treks on offer.
The country stretches an incredible 2,500 miles from north to south, bordering Argentina, Peru and Bolivia.
At Chile’s narrowest point, the country is just 40 miles wide.
The country has the second-largest volcanic chain in the world after Indonesia.
Chile’s climate ranges from arid in the north to cool and damp in the south, with the northern Atacama desert one of the driest places in the world.
Despite being recognised by the Global Peace Index as one of the safest countries in the Americas, Chile does have a region that may be best avoided due to an ongoing conflict between Indigenous Mapuche land-rights activists and the Chilean state.
The primary targets of this conflict are forestry corporations and landowners, and disagreements over land rights can result in road closures and even violence.
The specific area to avoid is located along the coastal range between Lebu and Temuco, on the border of the Biobo and Araucana regions.
Chile is also one of the countries with the highest seismic activity in the world. It was also the site of the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, the 1960 Valdivia Earthquake, which measured 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale.
