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| Location | Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru | | | Geographic coordinates | 30 00 S, 71 00 W | | | Zone | South America | | | Area | total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez | | | Land boundaries | total: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km | | | Coastline | 6,435 km | | | Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm | | | Climate | temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south | | | Terrain | low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east | | | Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m | | | Natural resources | copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower | | | Irrigated land | 6,435 km | | | Natural hazards | severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis | | Environment -
current issues | widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage | | Environment -
international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | | Geography - note | strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions | |
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