The Environment
Making up the left-hand side of South America's tapering tail, Chile's lean strip has been described by author Benjamín Subercaseaux as an extravaganza of 'crazy geography'. It extends some 4300km (2666mi) from the desert north to the glacial south, is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and shuttered by the Andes on the east. Chile shares most of its extensive eastern border with Argentina, and borders Peru and Bolivia in the north. Rarely extending beyond 200km (124mi) in width, Chile makes up for longitudinal mincing by rising rapidly from sea level to 6000m (19,680ft) while the country's latitudinal extremes give it a formidable array of landscapes. Snow-capped volcanoes plunge to river canyons; the Great North, where some weather stations have never recorded rainfall, is counterpoint to storm and snow-prone Patagonia; and Chile's razored and sculpted coastline has endowed it with beaches and bays perfect for fishing and swimming.
Chile also lays claim to the offshore territories of Easter Island (3700km/2300mi west), Juan Fernández (700km/434mi west) and half of the southern island of Tierra del Fuego (which it shares with Argentina).

The variety of habitat supports distinctive flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive system of national parks - one of the country's major drawcards for visitors. In the parks, animals such as the endangered vicuña (a wild relative of the alpaca), the Patagonian guanaco (a wild relative of the Andean llama), flamingos, pelicans, penguins, otters and sea lions do the food chain thing. Chilean plant life includes stands of araucaria (the monkey-puzzle tree), cypress and rare alerce trees (similar to the giant redwoods of California). Outside protected areas, extensive logging denudes the landscape at an alarming and increasing rate.

Chile's climate is as varied as its terrain, with arid but surprisingly temperate areas in the north, a heartland which enjoys a Mediterranean climate, and the wind, rain and snow-battered lands of Chilean Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego in the south. The rainy season in the heartland is from May to August when temperatures are cooler, getting down to an average maximum temperature of 10°C (50°F) in July. January's average is 28°C (82°F). Chilean Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego have summer averages of just 11°C (52°F) but if you think that's manageable, muff up and get ready for the wind chill, baby.

The People
95% European descent and mestizo, 5% Indian

Local Time
GMT/UTC minus 4 hours

When to Go
Chile's geographical variety can make a visit rewarding in any season. Santiago and Middle Chile are best in the verdant spring (September through November) or during the fall harvest (late February into April), while popular natural attractions like Parque Nacional del Paine in Magallanes and the lakes region are best in summer (December through March).

Conversely, Chilean ski resorts draw many foreigners during the northern summer (June through August). Easter Island is cooler, slightly cheaper and much less crowded outside the summer months. The same is true of the Juan Fernandez archipelago, which can be inaccessible if winter rains erode the dirt airstrip; March is an ideal time for a visit.

Climate
Chile's tremendous length incorporates a variety of climates, and in many areas there are microclimates, pockets of localized weather that can completely alter the vegetation and landscape of a small area. As well, weather and temperature can vary greatly the short distance from Andes to the coast.

The northern region of Chile is home to the driest desert in the world. Summer temperatures from early December to late February in this region can top 100°F (38°C), then drop dramatically at night to 30°F (-1°C). Winter days, from mid-June to late August, are crisp, but sunny and pleasant, but as soon as the sun drops it gets bitterly cold. Along the coast, the weather is mild and dry, ranging from 60°F to 90°F (16°C-32°C).

The central zone that stretches to Puerto Montt has seasons that are better defined. Temperatures in this region range from 32°F to 55°F (0°C-13°C) in the winter, and 60°F to 95°F (16°C-35°C) during the summer. Santiago and the Central Valley feature a more Mediterranean climate, whereas the Carretera Austral and the Lake District are home to very wet winters, especially in the regions around Valdivia and Puerto Montt.

Below Puerto Montt, temperatures drop the farther you travel south. The Patagonia region is unpredictable with its weather patterns, especially during the summer. The Magellanic Region sees extraordinary, knockout windstorms that can reach upwards of 120kmph (74 mph), and it's not unusual to experience heavy rain during the summer. The windiest months are from mid-December to early February, but it can hit any time between October and April. Winters are calm, with irregular snowfall and temperatures that can dip to 5°F.

Clothing
Pack warm clothes – even in the summer – to deal with foggy mornings and high altitude destinations.

The Language
Spanish is the official language dominant even for most speakers of indigenous languages.
English is spoken throughout the travel industry.

Entry Documents
Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most Western European countries do not require a visa although US citizens do pay a US$20 levy. A 90-day entry permit, renewable for another 90 days, is received on entering the country.

International Phone Codes
Peru: 51, Lima:1

Getting There & Away
Chile is linked by air to North America, Europe and Australasia, and most international flights arrive in Santiago. The national carrier is LAN-Chile. There is an international departure tax of US$12.50. Chile's border-crossing points with Peru and Bolivia are few and far between. The crossing between Arica in Chile and Tacna in Peru provides the only land access to Peru; road and rail connections link Chile with Bolivia, passing through Arica, Visviri, Tambo Quemado or Calama. Except in Patagonia, every crossing into Argentina involves crossing the Andes. Routes include Calama-Salta, Copiapó-Tucumán via Catamarca; La Serena-San Juan; and Santiago-Mendoza. More interesting are the many Lake District and southern Patagonian routes, with interesting tours servicing the crossing points between Chile and Argentina.

Health
No inoculations are required for entry. Drink bottled water throughout the country.

Business Hours
Banks are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 2pm, and are closed on Saturday and Sunday. Commercial offices close for a long lunch hour, which can vary from business to business. Generally, hours are Monday through Friday from 10am to 7pm, closing for lunch around 1 or 1:30pm and reopening at 2:30 or 3pm.

Cameras/Film
Most types of film are available in Chile, as are print-developing services. Slide-developing services are almost nonexistent except in Santiago. The best in the country is Tecnología Uno at Av. Santa María 0120, Providencia, Santiago (tel. 2/200-0482; www.tecnologiauno.com).

Electricity
Chile's electricity standard is 220 volts/50Hz. Electrical sockets have two openings for tubular pins, not flat prongs, so you'll need a plug adapter available from most travel stores.

Embassies/Consulates
The only United States representative in Chile is the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, located at Av. Andrés Bello 2800 (tel. 2/232-2600). The Canadian Embassy is at Nuevo Tajamar 481, Piso 12 (tel. 2/362-9660). The British Embassy can be found at El Bosque Norte 0125 (tel. 2/370-4100). The Australian Embassy is at Gertrudis Echenique 420 (tel. 2/228-5665); the New Zealand Embassy is at Av. El Golf, Office 703 (tel. 2/290-9802).

Emergencies
Obviously you'll want to contact the staff if something happens to you in your hotel. Otherwise, for a police emergency, call tel. 133. For fire, call tel. 132. To call an ambulance, dial tel. 131.

Internet Access
No matter where you are in Chile, chances are there is an Internet station, either in a cafe or at the telephone centers CTC or Entel. Most hotels have their own Internet service; if they don't, they'll be able to point out where to find one. Expect to pay $2 to $4 per hour.

Liquor Laws
The legal drinking age in Chile is 18. Alcohol is sold every day of the year, except during elections.

Safety
Santiago is probably the safest major city in South America. Serious violent crime is not unheard of, but it's not common either. A visitor's principal concern will be pickpockets, tire slashers, and vandals, but even then your chances of being a victim are rare.

Telephone
Each carrier has its own prefix, which you must dial when placing national and international long distance calls. Telephone centers use their own prefix, and there is a list of prefixes in telephone booths -- all offer virtually the same rates. The prefixes are CTC (188), Entel (123), BellSouth (181), and Chilesat (171) among others. To place a collect call, dial a prefix and then 182 for an operator. The country code for Chile is 56. A local phone call requires 100 pesos, and better rates are had with a phone card sold from kiosks, but verify that a particular company's phone card works with any phone and not only with its own public phone. Cellular phones are prefixed by 09, and are more expensive to call. To reach an AT&T operator while in Chile, dial tel. 800/800-288. The access numbers for MCI are tel. 800/207-300 (using CTC) and tel. 800/360-180 (using Entel). The access number for Sprint is tel. 800/360-777.

Tipping
Diners leave a 10% tip in restaurants. In hotels, tipping is left to the guest's discretion. Taxi drivers are not tipped.

Culture
Chile's European heritage is pervasive, meaning that Western travelers here are less conspicuous than in neighboring Peru and Bolivia. For centuries, the Paris education of many Chilean intellectuals influenced the country's art, music and architecture. Important art galleries, museums and a thriving theater scene are the result. The country's art, literature and music have been influential internationally. Chile has spawned the Nobel Prize-winning poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda and, until the military coup of 1973, its cinema was among the most experimental in Latin America. Folk music has been an especially important outlet for the country's oppressed, and was frequently performed overseas by exiles during Pinochet's reign.

Over 90% of the population is Roman Catholic, though evangelical Protestantism is becoming increasingly popular. The country's Catholic architecture is impressive and ubiquitous, from grandiose colonial churches to roadside shrines, some of which are extraordinary manifestations of folk art. Spanish is Chile's official language, though a handful of native languages are still spoken. In the north, there are more than 20,000 speakers of Aymara, and in the south there are perhaps half a million speakers of Mapuche. The most intriguing linguistic minority is the 2000-plus speakers of Rapa Nui, the Polynesian language of most of Easter Island's population.

Chile's cuisine reflects the country's topographical variety, and features seafood, beef, fresh fruit and vegetables. Empanadas are large turnover snacks with a variety of fillings; humitas are corn tamales; and there are a variety of potato and flour-based breads. Chile's biggest standard meal is lomo a lo pobre - an enormous slab of beef topped with two fried eggs and buried in chips. The parillada, which will appall vegetarians and heart specialists, is a mixed grill including such delicacies as intestines, udders and blood sausages. Curanto, one of the nation's finest dishes, is an all-encompassing, hearty stew of fish, shellfish, chicken, pork, lamb, beef and potato. Chilean wines are arguably South America's best. A pisco sour is a popular drink which easily gets you piscoed - it's a grape brandy served with lemon juice, egg white and powdered sugar.

Holidays
Chile's major celebrations are Christmas, New Year's, Easter week, and Independence Day (Sept 18), the latter of which can carry on for days and days of dancing, drinking, and military parades. During official holidays, Chilean towns can take on the appearance of a ghost town. Transportation services might be reduced in some areas, government offices, banks, and the majority of stores and markets close.

National and local elections bring about a virtual standstill from midnight to midnight as Chileans cast their obligatory votes. Alcohol is not sold on this day.
The following are official holidays:

• January 1 (New Year's Day),
• Semana Santa (Holy Week, but just Good Friday is considered a holiday),
• May 1 (Labor Day), May 21 (remembrance of the War of the Pacific victory),
• June 29 (Corpus Christi),
• August 15 (Asunción de la Virgen),
• September 11 (commemoration of the 1973 military coup),
• September 18 and 19 (Independence Day and Armed Forces Day),
• October 12 (Día de la Raza),
• November 1 (All Saint's Day),
• December 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and
• December 25 (Christmas).

Calendar of Events
The following are some of Chile's major events and festivals that take place during the year. For 1 week in early February, the city of Castro in Chiloé hosts a celebration of the culture, history, and mythical folklore that makes the island unique, including regional cooking, in the Festival Costumbrista Chilote.

During late February, Viña del Mar hosts its gala Festival de la Canción, or the Festival of Song, that showcases Latin American performers during a 5-day festival of concerts held in the city's outdoor amphitheater. The spectacle draws thousands of visitors to an already packed Viña del Mar, so plan your hotel reservations accordingly.

In mid-February, Valdivia hosts a grand, weeklong event called the Semana Valdiviana. A variety of maritime-theme activities, contests, expositions, and more takes place during the week, but the highlight takes place the third Saturday of February, the Noche Valdiviana, when the Río Valdivia fills with festively decorated boats and candles, and the skies fill with fireworks. This is a very crowded event, and advance hotel reservations are essential.

Between March and mid-April, Chilean wineries celebrate the grape harvest with a Festival de Vendimia, with food, winemaking exhibitions, grape-crushing, and more. Each winery celebrates according to the date of its harvest (the farther south, the later the date), so call ahead for each winery's exact festival date.

The first Sunday after Easter is the Fiesta del Cuasimodo, an event typically held throughout central Chile, in which huaso cowboys parade through the streets, accompanied by Catholic priests who often pay visits to the infirm and disabled.

On May 29, fishermen celebrate the Fiesta de San Pedro in towns along the coast of Chile, to bring about good fortune, weather, and bountiful catches. Fishermen decorate their boats, light candles, arm themselves with an image of their patron saint, and drift along the coast. A great place to check out this event is in Valparaíso.

July 16 sees the celebration of the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of the armed forces. On this day, military parades take place throughout the country, especially near Maipú, where O'Higgins and San Martín defeated Spanish forces in the fight for independence. Chile's rodeo season kicks off on Independence Day,

September 18, and culminates with a championship in the city Rancagua around late March or early April. There are a variety of rodeo dates throughout the Central Valley, but September 18 and the championships are festivals in their own right, with food stalls, lots of chicha (a fermented fruit cider) drinking and traditional cueca dancing. Contact the Federación de Rodeos in Santiago at tel./fax 2/699-0115, or stop by its office at Moneda 1045, #1302 for a schedule of rodeos throughout Chile.