Chile Bandiera della Chile

Cartina geografica della Chile

 General informations

Country Name

Republic of Chile

Continent

South America

Surface area

756,626 km2

Capital

Santiago de Chile

Population

16,572,475

Language

Spanish

Currency

Chilean Peso (CLP)

Time zone

-5hrs compared to Italy

Area code for Italy

0039

Area code from Italy

0056

 

 Prevention

Yellow fever

Yellow fever vaccination is not required.

Hepatitis A and B

Hepatitis A is usually transmitted by contaminated food and water, or close physical contact with an infected person, whereas Hepatitis B is transmitted by exposure to infected body fluids and blood.

Rabies

Infection typically occurs through contact with the saliva of an infected animal, usually caused by bites, scratches or licks near open wounds or mucous membranes (e.g. mouth, nose, eyes). The most common vectors are dogs and bats, but cases of infection in other domestic animals have also been reported.

Tetanus

Caused by toxins released by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, the risk of tetanus infection is present throughout the country.

Typhus

Bacterial in origin, typhoid fever is transmitted through contaminated food and drink, especially in regions with inadequate sanitary conditions.

Diseases such as Chikungunya, Leishmaniasis, American trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease) and West Nile virus are present in South America. As these diseases are transmitted by insect bites and there are no vaccines, it is important to adopt careful behavioural and preventive measures.

The following vaccinations are strongly recommended as these diseases can be contracted anywhere in the world. Experts advise that you protect yourself and other travellers by making sure you are up-to-date with all of the recommended vaccinations. This will allow you to travel safely, while minimising the risk of exposure to infection.

 Territory and climate

Chile is a state in South America. From north to south, the length of the territory extends for 4,000 km, yet it is only about 400 km at its widest point. The country borders Peru to the north, Bolivia and Argentina to the east; and overlooks the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. The world-renowned Easter Island, located more than 3,500 km from the Pacific coast, also forms part of the Chilean territory.

Proceeding from east to west, the territory has three distinct morphological regions the cordillera, the valley area and the coastal reliefs. The Cordillera de los Andes runs along the entire eastern side of the country, and has extremely high peaks (many of which exceed 6,000 m), while the central region features numerous volcanic reliefs. In Central Andes there is an upland region that extends westward, where most of the larger inland human settlements are found.

The coastline is mostly high and, although the reliefs that immediately overlook the sea may not be significantly large, they can reach a height of 2,000 m. These landmasses often continue into the sea, especially in the south of the country, giving rise to mountainous islands and fjords, which together with its numerous rocks and islets make this coastline extremely rugged. The territory is a high risk earthquake and volcanic zone. In fact, 15% of the world’s active volcanoes are located in Chile.

Due to the country’s unusual length, the climate varies greatly from place to place. The entire Andean region is strongly influenced by altitude, while the southern area has a temperate-cold oceanic climate with abundant rainfall all year round. Moving towards the north, temperatures become increasingly milder with Mediterranean characteristics, discreet rainfall and summer droughts. In the north, however, the climate is tropical arid.

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