Tricontinental Chile (Spanish: Chile tricontinental) is a geopolitical concept denoting Chile's unique position with its mainland in South America, Easter Island in Oceania (Polynesia) and the Chilean Antarctic Territory in Antarctica.[1]
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Main article: Continental Chile |
Continental Chile corresponds to the strip of territory along the southwestern coast of South America and its adjacent islands. Almost the entire population lives in continental Chile, which extends from 17°30’ S, at the border with Peru and Bolivia, to the Diego Ramírez Islands at 56°30’ S. The maximum width of 445 km (277 mi) is at 52°21’ S, at the Strait of Magellan, whilst the minimum width is at 31°37’ S between Punta Amolanas and Paso de la Casa de Piedra.
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Main article: Insular Chile |
Insular Chile consists of a group of islands of volcanic origin in the South Pacific, far from the continental coast. In the eastern group are the Juan Fernández Islands and the Desventuradas Islands, which are grouped with South America, while Easter Island and the Isla Salas y Gómez geographically belong to Polynesia in Oceania. Easter Island (or Rapa Nui), is the westernmost part of Chile, situated at 27°S and 109°W.
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Main article: Chilean Antarctic Territory |
The Chilean Antarctic Territory is a claim of 1,250,000 km2 (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica between 53°W and 90°W and from 60°S to the South Pole, overlapping with the claims of Argentina and the United Kingdom. As a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty System, Chile has accepted the suspension of its claims of sovereignty without renouncing them, as well as the establishment of a conservation zone for scientific development.
If the Antarctic claim was included, the total area of Chile would be 2,006,096 km2 (774,558 sq mi), while the distance between the northern and southern extremes would be more than 8,000 km (5,000 mi).
Between these three distinct zones is the so-called Chilean Sea; portions of the continental shelf lie within the exclusive economic zone of 370 km (230 mi).