James Baquet

If you look at a map of South America, the first thing that you’ll notice about the nation of Chile is its long, narrow shape. Located on the southern portion of that continent’s west coast, it is squeezed in between the Pacific Ocean on its west and the Andes Mountains — the highest mountain range outside of Asia, and the longest continental mountain range in the world — to the east. Argentina in the south and Bolivia in the north lie on the other side of the mountains; Peru has a small border with northern Chile.

Chile also embraces several Pacific islands of note, including the Juan Fernandez group, which was once home to Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, whose account of being marooned there may have inspired Daniel Defoe’s novel, “Robinson Crusoe.” Today, two of the three main islands are named Alejandro Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe; they were renamed in 1966 to promote tourism. The group was originally named after its discoverer, the Spanish sailor Juan Fernandez, who may also have been the first European to reach New Zealand.

Another important island in the possession of Chile is Easter Island, famed for its monumental statues of heads, called “moai.” The island is over 3,500 kilometers from the continent, placing it firmly in Oceania. By contrast, the Juan Fernandez Islands are from 670 to 850 kilometers from the mainland.

Yet another interesting aspect of Chile’s geography is Drake Passage, named after the intrepid English sea captain (and privateer) Sir Francis Drake. It separates Cape Horn from Antarctica, and connects the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean to the southwestern part of the Atlantic. Both of these are considered part of the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica.

Cape Horn is part of Tierra del Fuego, the “Land of Fires,” named after the native bonfires spotted by the early sailors. Chile also claims a significant portion of Antarctica, though all such claims are suspended under the Antarctica Treaty System, which sets up an international zone for scientific exploration.

Vocabulary:

Which word above means:

1. very large

2. pirate, especially one who works for a government

3. large, outdoor fire

4. book-length fictional story

5. placed tightly between

6. well-known

7. asserts the right to something

8. fearless, dauntless

9. piece of land sticking out into the sea

10. stranded, left without aid or resources