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Chile 33 A nation as spicy and complex as the red wine it's known for, Chile is full of subtle surprises. Sharing the Patagonian border with Argentina—where extraordinary wildlife makes ice fields, glaciers, parks, over 2,000 volcanoes, and the towering Andes home—this 4,000-mile long, narrow country is diverse in every way. Only 5% of the population is indigenous, and European influence is evident even beyond the vineyards of Maipo Valley. In the capital city of Santiago, jumping into that mix is easy with public transportation that leads to an unofficial museum district, jazz and salsa venues, huge shopping malls, and the bohemian Barrio Lastarria; a short car ride leads to the Valparaíso region, where "The Garden City" of Viña del Mar sits. Near the end of the Pan-American Highway, fjords, canals, snow-capped volcanoes, and agricultural fields decorate the horizon, while the extremely valuable lapis lazuli, the woolen clothing, and leather goods embellish the people of the Puerto Montt lake district. Pelluco is the most common base for travelers to this region, a beachfront resort area that provides access to rarities like the Punta Pelluco Fossil Forest and stilt-legged houses on Chiloé Island. Even farther south, in Punta Arenas, the world's southernmost major city, is Tierra del Fuego, where views of historic mansions can be exchanged for those of penguin and whale colonies in minutes. The nearby Magellan Forest Reserve is another adventurer's treasure, as are Torres del Paine's 12-million-year-old towers, caves, and monolithic rock formation—a rugged finish to a zesty vintage. CHILE 0 500 miles 0 500 km Santiago Asunción La Paz Montevideo Buenos Aires Valparaiso Iquiqui Punta Arenas Cape Horn Falkland Islands S O U T H P A C I F I C O C E A N S O U T H A T L A N T I C O C E A N BRAZIL PE RU ARGENTI NA PARAGUAY U RUGUAY BOLIVIA Brasília CH I LE

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