View source for Central Chile

{{Short description|Natural region of continental Chile}}
{{about|the natural region between Aconcagua and Bío-Bio River in Chile|the valley between the Chilean Coast Range and the Andes|Chilean Central Valley}}
{{Ref improve|date=February 2024}}
{{Annotated image | float=right | caption=Natural regions of Chile.| image=Natural Regions of Chile.svg | width=200 | image-width=200 | image-left=0 | image-top=0
 | annotations =
 {{Annotation|86|50|'''[[Norte Grande]]'''}}
 {{Annotation|65|125|'''[[Norte Chico, Chile|Norte Chico]]'''}}
 {{Annotation|45|190|'''Zona Central'''}}
 {{Annotation|45|250|'''[[Zona Sur]]'''}}
 {{Annotation|15|360|'''[[Zona Austral]]'''}}
  }}
[[File:Nevados del longavi.JPG|right|thumb|[[Nevado de Longaví]] is one of many volcanoes that rise out of the Andes in Central Chile.]]

'''Central Chile''' (''Zona central'') is one of the five [[Natural regions of Chile|natural regions]] into which [[CORFO]] divided [[continental Chile]] in 1950. It is home to a majority of the [[Chile]]an population and includes the three largest metropolitan areas—[[Santiago]], [[Valparaíso]], and [[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]]. It extends from 32° south latitude to 37° south latitude.

==Geography==
Central Chile is one of the five main geographical zones in which Chile is divided. The [[Chilean Central Valley]] lies between the [[Chilean Coast Range|coastal range]] ("Cordillera de la Costa") and the [[Andes]] Mountains. To the north is the [[semi-desert]] region known as [[Norte_Chico,_Chile|El Norte Chico]], (the "little north"), which lies between 28° and 32° south [[latitude]]. To the south lies the cooler and wetter [[Valdivian temperate rain forests]] [[ecoregion]], in [[Los Lagos Region]]; (the latter includes most of [[South America]]'s temperate rain forests). The Central valley is a [[fertility (soil)|fertile]] [[region]] and the [[agriculture|agricultural]] [[:wikt:heartland|heartland]] of Chile.

==Climate==
[[File:Palmar de Ocoa, Chile.jpg|left|thumb|Endangered [[Chilean Wine Palm]]s in [[La Campana National Park]]]]
[[File:SRTM-W71.70E69.90S33.00N32.00.Quillota.png|thumb|right|Quillota, Reñaca, Pichidangui , Aconcagua Valley]]
[[File:SRTM-W72.00E69.70S34.00N33.00.Talagante.png|thumb|right|Valparaiso,Talagante, Santiago, San Antonio]]
[[File:SRTM-W72.30E69.70S35.00N34.00.Chimbarongo.png|thumb|150px|right|Chimbarongo, Rancagua]]
The climate is of the temperate Mediterranean type, with the amount of rainfall increasing considerably and progressively from north to south. In the Santiago area, the average high temperatures are about {{Convert|30|C||abbr=}} in the summer months of January and February and {{Convert|15|C||abbr=}} in the winter months of June and July. The average monthly precipitation is no more than a trace in January and February and {{Convert|69.7|mm}} in June and July. By contrast, in Concepción the average hightemperatures are somewhat lower in the summer at {{Convert|23|C}} but higher in the winter at {{Convert|13|C}}, and the amount of rain is much greater. In the summer, [[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]] receives an average of twenty millimeters of rain per month; in June and July, the city is pounded by an average of {{Convert|253|mm}} per month. The numerous rivers greatly increase their flow as a result of the winter rains and the spring melting of the Andean snows, and they contract considerably in the summer. The combination of abundant snow in the Andes and relatively moderate winter temperatures creates excellent conditions for Alpine skiing.

The annual mean temperature in [[Santiago de Chile|Santiago]] is {{Convert|57|F}}. The temperate action of the [[ocean]] prevents temperatures from dropping drastically, and if snow falls in the area it does not usually stay on the ground for more than a few hours.

In Santiago the annual [[rainfall]] is {{Convert|13|in}} and in Valparaíso, it amounts to {{Convert|15|in}}. Along the Central Valley rainfall increases gradually southward until it reaches {{Convert|52|in}} in [[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]].

The area has experienced a significant drought since 2010, and mean rainfall reduced by 20–40% between 2010 and 2018.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Garreaud | first=René D. | last2=Boisier | first2=Juan P. | last3=Rondanelli | first3=Roberto | last4=Montecinos | first4=Aldo | last5=Sepúlveda | first5=Hector H. | last6=Veloso‐Aguila | first6=Daniel | title=The Central Chile Mega Drought (2010–2018): A climate dynamics perspective | journal=[[International Journal of Climatology]] | volume=40 | issue=1 |year=2020| doi=10.1002/joc.6219 | page=421}}</ref>

==Topography==
[[File:SRTM-W73.00E70.00S36.00N35.00.Talca.png|150px|left|Talca, Linares]]
[[File:SRTM-W73.30E70.33S37.00N36.00.Chillan.png|150px|left|Chillán, Tomé]]
[[File:SRTM-W74.00E71.00S38.00N37.00.Nacimiento.png|150px|left|Nacimiento, Concepción, Los Angeles]]
[[File:SRTM-W74.00E70.70S39.00N38.00.Temuco.png|150px|left|Temuco, Puerto Saavedra, Isla Mocha]]

The [[topography]] of central Chile includes a [[Chilean Coast Range|coastal range]] of mountains running parallel to the Andes. Lying between the two mountain ranges is the so-called Central Valley, which contains some of the richest agricultural land in the country, especially in its northern portion. The area just north and south of Santiago is a large producer of fruits, including the grapes from which the best [[Chilean wine]]s are made. Exports of fresh fruit began to rise dramatically in the mid-1970s because Chilean growers had the advantage of being able to reach markets in the Northern Hemisphere during that part of the world's winter. Most of these exports, such as grapes, apples, and peaches, go by refrigerator ships, but some, such as berries, go by air freight.

The southern portion of central Chile contains a mixture of some excellent agricultural lands, many of which were covered originally with [[old-growth forest]]s. They were cleared for agriculture but were soon exhausted of their organic matter and left to erode. Large tracts of this worn-out land, many of them on hilly terrain, have been reforested for the lumber, especially for the cellulose and paper industries. New investments during the 1980s in these industries transformed the [[rural economics|rural economy]] of the region. The pre-Andean highlands and some of the taller and more massive mountains in the coastal range (principally the Cordillera de Nahuelbuta) still contain large tracts of old-growth forests of remarkable beauty, some of which have been set aside as national parks. Between the coastal mountains and the ocean, many areas of central Chile contain stretches of land that are lower than the Central Valley and are generally quite flat. The longest beaches can be found in such sections.

==Demography and economy==
[[File:Chilean vineyard in Andes foothills.jpg|thumb|Many of [[Chilean wine|Chile's vineyards]] are found on flat land within the foothills of the Andes.]]
From north to south; the following regions are traditionally considered as being part of Chile's central Valley:
* [[Valparaíso Region]]
* [[Santiago Metropolitan Region]]
* [[O'Higgins Region]]
* [[Maule Region]]
* [[Ñuble Region]]
* [[Bío-Bío Region]]

Historically, the Central valley has been the heartland of the country with the highest concentration of population (two thirds of the country's population) and, in addition, the area where the greater proportion of the [[economy|economic]] [[productivity]] of the country is concentrated. Its economy is characterized by its diversity and the strongest pillars lie in the use of natural resources, through the [[copper mining]], [[logging]], [[agriculture]] and [[Chilean wine|wine producing]], [[fishing]], and [[manufacturing]] sector.

The main cities are: [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]], [[Valparaíso, Chile|Valparaíso]], [[Viña del Mar, Chile|Viña del Mar]], [[Quilpué, Chile|Quilpué]], [[Villa Alemana, Chile|Villa Alemana]], [[Quillota, Chile|Quillota]], [[Puente Alto, Chile|Puente Alto]], [[San Antonio, Chile|San Antonio]], [[Melipilla, Chile|Melipilla]], [[Rancagua, Chile|Rancagua]], [[Curicó, Chile|Curicó]], [[Talca, Chile|Talca]], [[Linares, Chile|Linares]], [[Chillán, Chile|Chillán]], [[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]], [[Talcahuano, Chile|Talcahuano]], [[Coronel, Chile|Coronel]] and [[Los Ángeles, Chile|Los Ángeles]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://local.google.com/local?f=q&hl=en&q=Chile&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=-35.335293,-70.72998&spn=4.426899,10.722656  An aerial Google view of the Chilean Central Valley. Argentina lies to the east of the Andes range]

{{Natural regions of Chile}}

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[[Category:Geography of Chile]]
[[Category:Natural regions of Chile]]