Chile, officially the Republic of Chile is a country in South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. The name of the country may derive from the indigenous Mapuche word chilli, which may mean "where the land ends" or "the deepest point of the Earth". Chile is also the world's longest country. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation. Chile tourism website: http://www.visit-chile.org/;
Main touristic attractions in Chile From salty-desert top to glacier-crowded bottom, Chile is a gobsmacking reminder of nature's beauty and power. Lauca National Park, northern Chile's treasure, with herds of llama and alpaca, groups of vizcachas (related to the chinchilla) and over 100 bird species, including flamingos and Andean gulls, plus archaeological landmarks, not to mention Lago Chungará, one of the world's highest lakes, at the foot of the dormant twin Payachata volcanos; The Atacama Desert occupies a large part of the Chilean territory north of the 29th parallel. The coastal area, between Arica and Antofagasta, appears in the Guinness Book of World Records as the driest place on earth.
