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Chile is the longest (N-S) country in the world, occupying a long coastal strip between the Andes
mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Chile stretches over 4,630 kilometres (2,880 mi) north to south,
but only 430 kilometres (265 mi) at its widest point east to west. It borders Argentina to
the east, Bolivia to the northeast and Peru to the north. |
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Across the country, Chile has a fascinating geographical makeup. The northern Atacama desert
contains great mineral wealth, primarily copper and nitrates. The relatively small Central Valley,
which includes Santiago, dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural resources.
Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and
lakes. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas,
and islands. |
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Chile also controls Easter and Sala-y-Gómez Islands, the easternmost islands of Polynesia,
and Robinson Crusoe Island. Also controlled, but uninhabited, are the small islands of Sala
y Gomez, San Ambrosio and San Felix. These islands are notable because they extend Chile's claim
to territorial waters out from its coast into the Pacific. |
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Northern Chile was an important center of culture in the medieval and early modern Inca empire.
Afterwards, their culture was dominated by the Spanish during the Colonial and early Republican
period. Other European influences, primarily English and French, began in the 19th century
and have continued until today.
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