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
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
water: 8,150 sq km

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
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200/350 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; 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

NOTE: The information regarding Chile on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Chile Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Chile Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.