To the South the first area you'll come across is the Lakes District, home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The land is green and lush due to the frequent rainfall and is home to Chile's dairy industry. It is similar to the Alpine scenery in parts of Switzerland and Germany but with mountains that are twice as tall and active volcanoes smoking in the background. There are a large number of huge, crystal clear lakes that reflect the snow-capped mountains and volcanoes. The area is home to many of Chile's best national parks.

South of the Lakes District and Patagonia starts. Patagonia is a land of fresh, lush, rainy forests, fyords and mountains. It is one of the most unbelievable and unmissable landscapes found on Earth. The entire area is surrounded by pristine forest and mountain and intersected by dozens of rivers and streams. By the time you reach the far South of the country you're just a short trip away from Antarctica.

Where do people live?

Due to the immense size of Chile and small population the country has a very low population density. The majority of people live in cities (6 million alone in Chile and another million a couple of hours away in Gran Valparaiso). Other large cities include Concepcion and Puerto Montt in the South and Arica, Antofagasta and La Serena in the North. The rest of the country is made up of small towns and villages and thousands of square miles of unpopulated countryside.

Why is Chile internationally known?

Chile is probably best known as the country where General Augusto Pinochet ruled as leader of a military dictatorship. The dictatorship murdered 3-4000 people and tortured up to 30,000 more. However, the military rule ended almost 20 years ago and Chile is making great strides to overcome the horror inflicted on its people. Chile has far and away the most stable democracy in Latin America and the possibility of a return to autocracy is practically none.

Chile is now famous for other things. The country is the world's largest producer of copper. It is internationally recognised as the best place on Earth for grape growing and has a huge and thriving wine market. Chilean wines are famous throughout the world. Fruit and vegetables are also exported in huge quantities and Chile is second only to Norway in the production of salmon.

The country is also becoming more and more famous as a holiday destination- not surprising given the geographic variations and amount of activities that they permit. Tourism will play an increasingly important role in Chile's economic future. The country is perfect for every type of tourism imaginable.