Chile facts

Atacama. The Atacama is the driest of all deserts, with some places having recorded no rain in living memory. It extends along the Pacific coast, forming a huge strip of arid, hostile beach. The average rainfall in the Antofagasta region is 1 millimeter (0.04 in) per year.

Inland. There is only one ahu (group of statues), Ahu Akivi, with moai facing the ocean. It is unusual also by being one of the few inland ahus. At all other ahus (including all coastal ones) moai face inland.

Atacama Desert. In the 19th century, there were no clear borders defined between Peru, Bolivia and Chile in the area of the Atacama desert. This became a problem with the discovery of valuable sodium nitrate deposits in the area.

Argentina maintains the most permanent polar stations - 6, Chile - 5, Russia - 5.

Santiago de Chile. The city is flanked by the main chain of the Andes to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west. The mountains around Santiago are quite tall; the tallest is the Tupungato volcano at 6,570 m (21,555 ft).

Santiago is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's largest and most densely populated conurbation, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose total population is 7 million. The city is entirely located in the country's central valley.

Santiago is located between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.

Texas. The flag of Texas is the official flag of the U.S. state of Texas. It is well known for its prominent single white star which gives the flag its commonly-used name: "Lone Star Flag". This lone star, in turn, gives rise to the state's nickname: "The Lone Star State."