Chile, Land of Extremes

Unbelievably thin and stretched, Chile averages only a little more than 100 miles wide. Flanked by the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, it spreads out about 2700 miles from the halfway point of South America to its bottom, from the driest desert on earth to gigantic glacial fields. On its way, it unfolds into an astonishing scenery of rich and vivid diversity, with barren plains, bountiful valleys, vineyards, volcanoes, very old woodlands, lakes, and colossal glaciers.