Occupying a narrow strip of land of the South American continent between the Andean range and the Pacific Ocean, the Republic of Chile has a number of climatic features and a variety of geographical landscapes that significantly influence the development of the state. Depending on the climatic zone and the terrain, the country is divided into three regions:
• the northern region with the Andes plateau and the arid areas of the Atacama Desert;
• middle belt with Mediterranean climate and lush vegetation of valleys;