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Overview map of Chile's long north-south geography

Maps of Chile

On a map of Chile, the north–south scale is decisive. The same country contains hyper-arid desert, Mediterranean landscapes, temperate rainforest, fjords, glaciers and subantarctic environments.

Chile is administratively divided into 16 regions, 56 provinces and 346 communes. For travellers, the formal map is only the beginning. The Andes run along the eastern side, the Pacific along the west, and climate changes dramatically with latitude.

This page therefore separates the administrative map, physical geography and the travel zones that actually work in an itinerary.

· SambaTravel

Political map of Chile's 16 regions

16 regions from Arica to Magallanes

Chile has 16 administrative regions, from Arica y Parinacota in the far north to Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena in the far south. The Región Metropolitana de Santiago lies in the central part of the country, while Rapa Nui is administratively part of the Valparaíso Region.

The regions are useful for orientation, but a traveller's natural geographic areas do not always follow their boundaries.

North, central Chile, the Lake District and Patagonia

For travel planning, a four-part broad map is often more useful. Northern Chile includes the Atacama and the highlands around San Pedro. Central Chile brings together Santiago, Valparaíso and the main wine areas. Farther south comes the Lake and Volcano District around Araucanía and Los Lagos, followed by Patagonia through Aysén and Magallanes.

Rapa Nui lies far out in the Pacific and is geographically a journey of its own.

Political map of Chile's 16 regions

The Andes, Coastal Range and Central Valley

Mainland Chile is shaped as a long corridor between sea and mountains. The Andes form the eastern backbone, while the Coastal Range runs along much of the western side. Between them, the Central Valley contains a large share of the population and infrastructure.

In the south, the mainland breaks up into islands, fjords and channels. There a road map quickly becomes insufficient: ferries and flights become part of the basic geography.

Distances create separate travel blocks

San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago, Puerto Varas and Torres del Paine may appear to sit on the same vertical line, but in practice they work as separate geographic blocks. Flights are normally used between the north, central Chile and the far south.

Within each block, however, overland travel can be very logical: Santiago–Valparaíso–wine regions, Puerto Varas–Chiloé, or Punta Arenas–Puerto Natales–Torres del Paine.

Political map of Chile's 16 regions

How we use maps of Chile

We first build the journey in geographic blocks and then check flights and roads between them. Climate and season are added on top of the map: Atacama, central Chile and Patagonia can have completely different conditions on the same date.

Sources: the political-administrative division follows Chile's INE, SUBDERE and Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional. Our travel zones are practical planning areas, not official regions.

Graphic showing Chile's regions from Atacama to Patagonia

10 map facts about Chile

  • Chile has 16 regions, 56 provinces and 346 communes.
  • The mainland lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes.
  • Chile shares land borders with Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
  • The Atacama Desert lies in northern Chile.
  • Santiago lies in the Metropolitan Region.
  • Valparaíso and Viña del Mar lie west of Santiago on the Pacific coast.
  • Rapa Nui is administratively part of the Valparaíso Region.
  • Chilean Patagonia includes above all the southern regions of Aysén and Magallanes.
  • In southern Chile, fjords and islands make ferries as important as roads in some areas.
  • A map of Chile should always be read together with latitude, season and the flight network.