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A jewel of unspoiled wilderness, Chile attracts and satisfies those seeking adventure in nature's most remote places. Boasting 20,000 foot Andean peaks, the extraterrestrial Atacama desert, and Chilean Patagonia, Chile is a country of geographic extremes. Even Chile's outline on a map is remarkable - a sliver that stretches over 2,700 miles in length yet never surpasses more than 150 miles in width.
The border between Chile and Argentina is defined by the length of the Andes peaks, which stretches some 2,000 miles long. Still rising at a rate of approximately half an inch per year, the Andes contain many mountains with elevations in excess of 20,000 feet and are widest in the northern region. The most important passes in the Andes are located in the Central Valley, as are the country's finest natural harbors.
Known as the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert
occupies the 600 mile stretch of northern Chile. In fact, in the pampas (virtually lifeless plains) of the Atacama Desert, there are places rain has never fallen. Despite its inhospitable climate, the Atacama Desert is a major resource for the Chilean economy as it is the center of Chile's copper industry. Additionally, the Atacama's lunar landscape and otherworldly terrain attracts increasing amounts of tourists every year.
The Torres de Paine national park, located in Chilean Patagonia, is part of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve system. Exotic animals such as guanacos and pumas, snow capped mountain peaks, and an amazing diversity of plants and flowers are among the attractions that make the Torres de Paine one of Chile's most coveted nature destinations.
Although Chile is justly famous for its spectacular geographic wonders, the country also has a compelling social history. In 1970, Chile became the first country to freely elect a Marxist leader, Salvador Allende. However, amidst a failure to quickly institute vast social reform, Allende's government was ousted by right wing authoritarian General Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet left power in 1990, after jailing and executing tens of thousands of Allende's supporters. Chile's political climate has since remained stable, although there is still considerable tension between the military and the government concerning the human rights violations of the Pinochet era.
Chile is a country that encompasses extremes, embracing the brave ones that venture into her most secluded regions. Perhaps the lines of the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, best express the power and of the Chilean landscape to touch and shape the resilient soul. From his Ode to Salt - "I shivered in those solitudes when I heard the voice of the salt in the desert. Near Antofagasta the nitrous pampa resounds: a broken voice, a mournful song."
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