Introduction Chile is a republic located in southwestern South America. On the north side of Chile lies Peru, to the east is Bolivia and Argentina, and on the south Peru is bounded by the Pacific Ocean. The Archipelagoes Islands extend along the southern coast of Chile from Chiloé Island to Cape Horn. Among these islands are the Chonos Archipelago, Wellington Island, and the western portion of Tierra del Fuego. Some other islands that belong to Chile include the Juan Fernández Islands, Easter Island, and Sala y Gómez. All of these islands lie in the South Pacific. Chile also happens to claim a section of Antarctica. The capital and largest city of Chile is Santiago. Land and Resources The most dominant physical feature in Chile are the Andes Mountains, which extend the entire length of the country, from the Bolivian plateau in the north to Tierra del Fuego in the south. PHYSICAL REGIONS Chile can be divided in to three topographic zones: the lofty Andean cordillera on the east; the low coastal mountains on the west; and the plateau area, which includes the Central Valley, between these ranges. Three major geographical and climatological regions can be distinguished: the northern (arid), central (Mediterranean), and southern (temperate marine) regions. The ranges of the Andes are the widest in the northern region. This forms broad plateaus that contain the country’s highest peak, Ojos del Salado, which is located on the border with Argentina. The plateau area is occupied by the great Atacama Desert, which contains vast nitrate fields and rich mineral deposits. In the central region the plateau gives way to a valley, known as the Central valley. The valley, which ranges form 40 to 80 km (25 to 50 mi) in width, is the most heavily populated area of the country. The fertile area between the Aconcagua and Biobío rivers forms the agricultural heartland of Chile. The central Andes are narrower in width and have lower elevation that those in the north. The most important passes in the Andes are located here. The country’s finest natural harbors are located in this region. The southern region is without an interior valley; it disappears below the sea at Puerto Montt. Peaks of the submerged coastal mountains form the long chains of islands along the coast. Chile lies in a zone of geologic instability and is subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity. ... ... middle of paper ... ...hydroelectric power. Major efforts have been made to harness this potential, and by 1998 about 52 percent of Chile’s energy was generated from waterpower. TRANSPORTATION Chile has a network of about 49,000 miles of roads. Only 14 percent are paved. Railroad lines total over 1500 miles in length and are confined to the northern two-thirds of the country. Spur lines to important coastal towns connect the main north-south system. Because of the difficult terrain, many coastal cities rely on water transportation from various ports including Valparaíso, Antofagasta, and Punta Arenas. There are also important international airports located near Santiago, and Arica. Conclusion Chile is a country that is developing very quickly and therefore is in demand when exporting the goods that are produced here are taken into account. All of the factors presented have the same developing relationship. The increase in skills, knowledge, communication, and population are what make this economy grow. Works Cited Fellmann, Getis, and Getis. Human Geography, Sixth Edition, Updated Edition. McGraw Hill. New York, 2001. Hudson, Espendhade. Goode’s World Atlas, 20th Edition. Rand McNally, 2000.
First of all, one of South America’s greatest geological features is the Andes Mountains. The Andes are a major mountain range in Venezuela. The Andes mountain range is the longest mountain range in the world. To be specific, the mountain range is 4,500 miles long and 500 miles wide (Andes). The Andes stretch along the west coast of South America passing through several countries including Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. The Andes’ average elevation is 13,000 feet. One might not think this but in some places in the Andes Mountains there is snow and even glaciers. Mount Aconcagua, in Argentina, is the highest elevation of the Andes, at 22,841 feet above sea level. The Himalaya Mountains are the only other mountains that are taller than ...
In the west is a great basin, or depression, containing two lakes, Nicaragua, the largest in Central America, and Managua. The two are connected by the Tipitapa River. A chain of volcanoes, which are a contributory cause of local earthquakes, rise between the lakes and the Pacific coast. In the east, the Caribbean coastal plain known as the Costa de mosquitoes (Mosquito Coast) extends some 45 mi. inland and is partly overgrown with rain forest.
Cuba is the largest single island of the West Indies archipelago and one of the more influential states of the Caribbean region. After discovery by Christopher Columbus on October 27, 1492, the Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez de Cuellar established a permanent settlement with 300 Spaniards in the town of Baracoa on the northeastern coast of Cuba in 1511. Spain relies heavily on Cuba as their main source of pure sugar. This earned Cuba the nickname Pearl of the Antilles for its vast beautiful region during the 18th century. The country has an unusual geographical and cultural unity that has given the Cuban people a strong sense of identity and a pride in their heritage.
Ecuador is located in the western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between the border countries of Colombia and Peru. Ecuador’s capital is Quito. This country counts with a population of 15,492,000 habitants. The total area is 283,560 sq. km including the Galapagos Island which is very famous in the world. The highest elevation is the Chimborazo Mountain with an altitude of 6,267 m. The Cotopaxi Mountain in The Andes is the highest active volcano in the world. The country’s climate is tropical along the coast; with some low temperature is high elevations and tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands. The natural resources of the Ecuador are petroleum, fish, timber and hydropower. This country counts with a population of 15,492,000 habitants. The country’s official language is Spanish but they have some Amerindian languages such as Quechua spoken by some Indian tribes (Geography, 2005)
“South America.” World Geography. Ed. Sumner, Ray. Vol. 3. Pasadena, California: Salem Press, 2001. Print.
Argentina is located in southeastern South America. It is the second largest country in South America. Argentina is divided into four sections. The first section is the northern subtropical woodlands and swamps. The second section is heavily, wooded slopes of the Andes Mountains in the west which contain large lakes. Besides just being covered by mountains and lakes, it is also covered by grape vineyards. The third section is in the deep south, cold Patagonian Plateau. And the fourth section is the temperate region surrounding Buenos Aires. There are close to 41 million people that live in Argentina. Argentinian people speak Spanish.
The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean with a chain that stretches as far as 220 kilometers from the most northern to the most southern island. This archipelago of volcanic islands is positioned in a way where some islands are found north of the Equator and others are found south of the Equator. There is even one island, Volcan Wolf, which is positioned directly on the equatorial line. The Galapagos has absolutely no indigenous population, and those 25,000 citizens that do live there now speak primarily Spanish. There are a total of 18 main islands, 3 small islands, and 107 islets (very small islands).
Volcanoes only volcano area, but may go beyond it to a nearby or even very remote
Argentina is positioned in the lower half of South America. The country’s capital is named Buenos Aires. The capital borders the Rio de la Plata, a large estuary, near the Atlantic side of South America.
Most regions of Chile are still covered by forests/greenery. The land in the South Coast is separated into small Islands. Major cities of Chile include; Santiago, Greater Valparaiso, Greater Concepcion, and Greater La Serena.
The Republic of Chile is located in South America, and is well known for its ski resorts and popular wildlife. Chile was once a Spanish colony, but gained its independence in the nineteenth century. After the twentieth century, Chile’s economy has grown substantially because of their use of the Andes Mountains for tourist attractions. Chile has become modernized, urbanized, and has grown overall as a country.
Uruguay's terrain varies for the different areas of the small country. In the southern areas of Uruguay the land consists of grassy plains, and the marshlands along the country's Atlantic coast. In the northern areas of Uruguay, not to mention the northwest area, there is a low plateau called the Cuchilla de Haedo.
The country's terrain varies considerably, with lowlands in the south, hills and plateaus in the central region and plains in the north, coastal swamps and tropical forests dominate the southern terrain, while the north is mostly savannah and semi-desert.
De, Blij Harm J., and Peter O. Muller. Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts. New York: J. Wiley, 1997. 340. Print.