18 CultureShock! Chile
been registered, although some vegetation survives on
condensation from the camanchaca (fog) that forms over the
cold ocean waters. Most of the population lives close to the
ocean where humidity levels are higher.
Central Chile, where the majority of the population lives,
has a Mediterranean climate with well-defined seasons. This
fertile area produces the fruits, vegetables and wines that the
country is famous for.
The southern landscape is more forested, due to the jump
in rain levels. Southern Chile receives one of the highest
amounts of precipitation in the world. South of Puerto Montt,
the land begins to break apart into islands. The mainland
becomes more rugged and less populated, with the exception
of the southern tip.
The Chilean Antarctic Territory is roughly the same as
the area also claimed by Argentina and Great Britain. While
it is included on all Chilean maps, in keeping with the
Antarctic Treaty, all claims have been temporarily frozen.
Chile established the first of its five scientific and exploration
bases there in 1947.
Easter Island (Isla de Pascua in Spanish or Rapa Nui in the
local language) is the best known of Chile’s Pacific islands.
It lies 3,700 km (2,300 miles) off the coast of Chile and
is considered the most isolated island in the world. The
island was called Te Pito O Te Henua (Navel of the World)
by the first settlers, Polynesian travellers who sailed there
in bark canoes over 1,500 years ago. Admiral Roggeveen,
a Dutchman, gave the island its name when he stumbled
upon it on Easter Day in 1722.
Another group of islands for which Chile is famous is the
Juan Fernández archipelago, located 587 km (364 miles) west
of Valparaíso. You may not be familiar with the name, but
the island now called Robinson Crusoe was where the real
Alexander Selkirk was marooned for about four years.Land Usage
Less than one-tenth of Chile’s land is arable, almost all of
it in the central region. One-sixth of the land is permanent
pasture that supports substantial herds of sheep and cattle.