Chile is divided into fifteen regions.
RM Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region (Spanish: Región Metropolitana de Santiago) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country’s only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation’s capital, Santiago. Most commercial and administrative centers are located in the region, including Chile’s main international airport, Arturo Merino Benítez.
With an area of 15,403.2 km2 (5,947 sq mi) and population over 6 million, it is Chile’s smallest, most populated and most densely populated region. It is also the country’s only region that does not have a Roman numeral identifier.
Metropolitana is Chile’s only landlocked region and lies in the Intermediate Depression valley between the Chilean Coast Range and the Andes mountains. Cerro San Cristóbal dominates the sprawling Santiago cityscape at a height of 880 m (2,887 ft) above sea level with city suburbs steadily climbing the foothills of the Andes to the east. The Tupungato stratovolcano, measures 6,570 m (21,555 ft) on the Argentine border, is one of South America’s highest peaks.
The dominant drainage basin feeds into the Mapocho River; its main tributaries are the Maipo, Yeso and Colorado rivers.
Aysén Región
The XI Aisén Region of General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (Spanish: XI Región Aisén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo), also spelled Aysén, is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. Although the third largest in area, the region is Chile’s most sparsely populated region with a population of 105,000. The capital of the region is Coihaique, the region’s former namesake.
It is the least populous of the fifteen regions. The shape of the landscape is marked by several glaciations that formed a lot of lakes, channels and fjords. The region still has icefields including the Northern Patagonian Ice Field and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the world’s largest after those in Antarctica and Greenland. Laguna San Rafael National Park, reachable only by boat or plane, is one of its most popular tourist destinations. Until the construction of Route 7 (the Carretera Austral, or Southern Highway) in the 1980s, the only overland routes from north to south through the region were extremely primitive tracks.
Araucanía Región
The IX Araucanía Region (Spanish: IX Región de La Araucanía) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south. Its capital is Temuco, other important cities include Angol and Villarrica.
Virgin forests, featuring coigüe, raulí, and tepa, as well as bay and cypress trees, criss-cross the region in all directions. The majestic araucaria, or monkey puzzle tree, also known locally as pehuén, towers above the other trees; its fruit—the piñón, a type of pine nut—is still a staple food for the indigenous Pehuenches.
A large part of this natural wealth is protected in various National Parks (Nahuelbuta, Tolhuaca. Conguillío, Villarrica, and Huerquehue), or National Reserves (Malalcahuello, Las Nalcas, and Alto Biobío).
Maule Región
The VII Maule Region (Spanish: VII Región del Maule) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2. The Maule river is of considerable historic interest because, among other reasons, it marked the southern limits of the Inca Empire.
The region covers an area of 30,296 km2 (11,697 sq mi) and is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean; on the east by the Argentine Republic; on the north by the O’Higgins Region, and on the south by the Bío-Bío Region. There are a number of flora and fauna species present in Maule. For example, the endangered Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) is found in a very limited distribution that includes the Maule Region. The limited distribution Nothofagus allesandri is also found in the region.
O’Higgins Región
The VI O’Higgins Region (Spanish: VI Región del Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile’s founding fathers.
The O’Higgins Region is bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean, to the east by the Republic of Argentina, to the north by the Valparaíso and Santiago Metropolitan Regions, and to the south by the Maule Region. It extends approximately between the parallels of 33°51’ and 35°01’ south latitude, and between the meridian of 70°02’ west longitude and the Pacific Ocean.
The capital and largest city of the region is Rancagua. The second major town is San Fernando.
In pre-Quaternary times extensive Nothofagus forests covered much of O’Higgins Region. The O’Higgins Region is part of the very restricted range of the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis; in prehistoric times this Chilean endemic tree had a significantly larger range.
Tarapacá Región
The I Tarapacá Region (Spanish: I Región de Tarapacá) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It borders the Chilean Arica and Parinacota Region to the north, Bolivia’s Oruro Department on the east, the Antofagasta Region on the south and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The port city of Iquique (2002 pop. 216,419) is the region’s capital.
Much of the region was once a Peruvian province, which was annexed by Chile under the 1883 Treaty of Ancón at the close of the War of the Pacific.
The region was important economically as a site of intense saltpeter mining, before synthetic nitrate manufacturing became possible. A number of abandoned mining towns can still be found in the region.The present day Tarapacá Region was created in 2007 by subdividing the former Tarapacá Region under Law 20.175, which was signed by President Michelle Bachelet in Arica.
A desert climate dominates the region. Near the coast, cloudiness can limit the temperature swing throughout the day, but in other drier areas, temperatures can vary greatly as is typical in deserts. A marginal desert region can be found over 3,000 m (9,843 ft) above sea level, which sees milder temperatures and summer rains.
Antofagasta Región
The II Antofagasta Region (Spanish: II Región de Antofagasta) is one of Chile’s fifteen first-order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Antofagasta, El Loa and Tocopilla. It is bordered to the north by Tarapacá and by Atacama to the south and is the second-largest region of Chile. The capital of the region is the port city of Antofagasta, another important city is Calama.
The main river is the Loa.Most of the population lives on the coast in Antofagasta and Mejillones, or in Calama, Chile in the interior, the hub of the mining industry and the home of a large part of its work force.
Atacama Región
The Atacama Region (Spanish: III Región de Atacama) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Chañaral, Copiapó and Huasco. It is bordered to the north by Antofagasta, to the south by Coquimbo, to east with Provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja and San Juan of Argentina, and to west with the Pacific Ocean. The regional capital Copiapó is located at 806 km (501 mi) north of the country’s capital of Santiago.
Much of the region is desert, and encompasses considerable mineral resources.[2] Numerous flora and fauna species are found in the Atacama Region. One subspecies of the Lesser Rhea, known by the scientific name Rhea pennata tarapacensis, is a notable large terrestrial bird in this region, which subspecies is considered endangered. The diminished numbers of this bird are due to prehistoric and modern hunting but more significantly due to agricultural land conversion in order to feed the expanding human population.
Bío-Bío Región
The VIII Biobío Region (Spanish: VIII Región del Biobío), one of the fifteen first-order administrative divisions in Chile, comprises four provinces: Arauco, Biobio, Concepción, and Ñuble. The capital of the Region is Concepción. Other important cities include Chillán, Coronel, Chile, Hualpén, Los Ángeles, and Talcahuano.
The Region of the Biobío is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by Argentina, on the north by the Chilean Region of Maule, and on the south by the Chilean Region of Araucanía.
The Region has been hit by many Chilean earthquakes, including the most powerful earthquake ever recorded (in 1960) and the great earthquake of 2010. Many communities in the region were greatly affected by the earthquake of 2010 and the subsequent tsunami. That earthquake damaged Talcahuano and Dichato; the tsunami destroyed much of what remained.
Coquimbo Región
The IV Coquimbo Region (Spanish: IV Región de Coquimbo) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It is some 400 km north of the capital, Santiago.
The capital and largest city is La Serena, other important cities include the seaport Coquimbo and the agricultural centre. Ovalle.
The Coquimbo Region forms the narrowest part, or ‘waist’ of Chile, and is hence one of the country’s more mountainous regions, as the Andes range runs closer to the sea than elsewhere. The region has notable marine species as well as taxa that are associated with the mountainous regions. With respect to marine organisms, the upwelling areas encourage bioproductivity off of this Pacific Coast area of Chile.
In the southern mountainous areas of the Coquimbo Region, the rare and endangered Chilean Wine Palm is found, whose habitat is threatened by human overpopulation in the region and associated deforestation for residential expansion and agriculture.
The Elqui Valley is home to a number of astronomical observatories, owing to the region’s clear skies. It is also home to a 600-meter-long dam, the Puclaro, which confines the Elqui River and produces a reservoir of some seven km in length.
These Historical Rock Statues Attract Thousands of Tourists
Magallanes
The XII Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region (Spanish: XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena, literally in Spanish: Region of Magellan and Chilean Antarctica) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the southernmost, largest and second least populated region of Chile. It comprises four provinces: Última Esperanza, Magallanes, Tierra del Fuego, and Antártica Chilena.
This region has many globally known places and geographical features including Torres del Paine, Cape Horn, Tierra del Fuego island, and the Strait of Magellan. It also includes the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile.The main economic activities are bovine farming, oil extraction and tourism. This region is also home of the Patagonian Expedition Race.
This region contains mountainous peaks and glaciers in the far north, including elements of the Patagonian Ice Sheet. Further south there are other mountain ranges such as the Cerro Toro and numerous surface waters including the Seno Última Esperanza, Eberhard Fjord and Lago Grey. Protected areas include the Torres del Paine National Park and the Cueva del Milodon Natural Monument, at the latter of which have been discovered remains of the extinct Giant Sloth as well as of prehistoric man dating to circa 10,000 BC.
Valparaíso Región
The V Valparaíso Region (Spanish: V Región de Valparaíso) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions.[FN 1] With the country’s third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of 16,396.1 km2 (6,331 sq mi), the region is Chile’s second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region to the southeast.
Its capital is the port city of Valparaíso, other important cities include Viña del Mar, Quillota, Quilpué and Villa Alemana.
The region is on the same latitude as the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Its capital is Valparaíso, which is the site for the National Congress of Chile and an important commercial port. Also in this region is the top resort city of Viña del Mar. Additionally, the Pacific islands of Easter Island (Isla de Pascua), Isla Salas y Gómez, the Juan Fernández Islands and the Desventuradas Islands fall under the Valparaíso Region’s administration.
The Valparaíso Region is part of the very restricted range of the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis; in prehistoric times this endemic Chilean tree had a significantly larger range.
Los Lagos Región
Los Lagos Region (Spanish: X Región de Los Lagos, literally Region of the Lakes) is one of Chile’s 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country’s second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.
Its capital is Puerto Montt; other important cities include Osorno, Castro, Ancud, and Puerto Varas. Also visit Archaeological site of Monte Verde. The mainland portion of Los Lagos Region south of Reloncaví Sound (Palena Province) is considered part of Patagonia.Los Lagos Region economy is dominated by the service sector but based in fishing, salmon aquaculture, forestry and cattle farming. Tourism is economically important in Andes where ski resorts, hot springs and recreational fishing are popular offers.
The region is bordered on the north by Los Ríos Region, on the south by Aisén Region, on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by Argentina (provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut).
Arica y Parinacota Región
The XV Arica and Parinacota Region (Spanish: XV Región de Arica y Parinacota) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the east and Chile’s Tarapacá Region to the south. It is also the country’s newest region, created under Law 20.175. It became operational on October 8, 2007. Chile’s former Tarapacá region was a former Peruvian province, which was occupied by Chile under the 1883 Treaty of Ancón at the close of the War of the Pacific, and then formally annexed in 1929 by the Treaty of Lima.
The region lies within the Norte Grande (Far North) natural region. It combines deserts, green valleys, the steep and volcanic Andes mountains, and the Altiplano (high plain) to the east. A narrow coastal strip of low-lying land no more than 2 kilometres (1 mi) wide separates the Pacific’s Nazca plate from the Andes. Its Parinacota volcano is the region’s highest elevation at 6,348 metres (20,827 ft) and lies on the northern border with Bolivia in Lauca National Park.
Los Ríos Región
The XIV Los Ríos Region (Spanish: XIV Región de Los Ríos, literally in Spanish: The Rivers) is one of Chile’s 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Valdivia. Pop. 356,396 (2002 census). It began to operate as region on October 2, 2007. It was created by subdividing the Los Lagos Region in southern Chile. It consists of two provinces: Valdivia and—the newly created—Ranco that was formerly part of Valdivia Province.
The new region was established in consideration of territorial, historical and geographic factors. The original Los Lagos Region was one of the largest, most diverse regions in the country, and the integration of the Province of Valdivia was difficult because of its background which differed from the four other provinces of the region, especially the southern provinces of Chiloé and Palena.
Los Ríos Regions lies in the southern temperate zone and in a tectonically active milieu. Four distinct landscape types, or morphological units, can be distinguished in the region. These are from west to east; the Coastal Range, a the Intermediate Depression, the Precordillera and the Andes. These units are oriented parallel to the coast and the subduction zone there. An exception to this are the eastern hills in Mariquina and Máfil that despite belonging to the Coast Range system adrift eastwards and comes very close to the Precordillera cutting the Intermediate Depression in two.
The Coastal Cordillera does not exceed the 1000 m in height being Cerro Oncol (715 m) the highest point in the section north of Valdivia River. The Coast Range is cut by Valdivia and Bueno Rivers, deeply incised rivers that drains the inland. Most the Coast is covered by native Valdivian temperate rain forest, although it has in some parts been substituted by plantations of exotic species, specially Douglas firs and eucalyptus.
Two great agricultural flatlands exists in the region, the Mariquina valley and Los Llanos of La Unión and Río Bueno. The first one is a tectonic depression in the Coast Range connected to Valdivia by Cruces River and the second is the continuation of the Intermediate Depression that re-opens south of Máfil. The flatlands and mayor river valleys form large, open, cultural landscapes used as grassing meadows or for growing crops.
The Precordillera is a narrow band characterized by hosting a large number of deep glacial piedmont lakes that are dammed by moraines. These lakes intersects forested granitic mountain massifs of up to 1500 m. The Precordilleran hills and mountains have step slopes to the north and south as the main direction of the Quaternary glaciers where from east to west. Many lake shores are cleared lands where agriculture, settlements and resort areas develops.
