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Chile
Chile's Volcanoes - Of the 2,085 volcanoes in Chile, 55 are active. This site gives all the information you may ever want to know about them, including great aerial photos. Two of these volcanoes, located in the Lake Country region of Chile, are continuously smoking today. Based on the eruptive history detailed here, Volcan Villarrica has had an "event" about once every ten years. As its last major eruption was in 1984, Villarrica may be due for another big one any time soon. During the summer season, it is estimated that as many as 150 tourists a day climb this volcano, despite the potential danger at the active crater (maybe they forgot to read this Web site!).
Easter Island - The inhabitants of the island call their land Rapa Nui, but Dutch Admiral Roggeveen called this lonely, South Pacific island Easter Island, in honor of the day he encountered it in 1722. How people first found this small, volcanic island is only one of its mysteries. Rapa Nui is 2,485 miles (4,000 kilometers) from South America and 1,243 miles from the nearest neighboring island. Even more curious are the peculiar stone statues, or moais . These 10- to 20-feet-tall giants all face inward toward the island. They have short bodies with long heads and ears and are made of a yellow-gray volcanic rock, topped with red rock hats. Despite the island's annexation by Chile in 1888, the people of Rapa Nui continue to preserve their Polynesian culture and identity. Come visit this unique island, learn its history, and meet its friendly people!
Lonely Planet - Destination Chile & Easter Island - Described by some as an extravaganza of "crazy geography," Chile is characterized by a little bit of everything, from fertile river basins to snowcapped volcanoes to some of the driest desert on Earth. Zoom in and out of the interactive map. Read facts about Chile's climate, history, and culture. Or just flip through the photo album to view some of the most spectacular mountain peaks you'll ever see. If you're planning on more than a virtual visit to Chile, be sure to bring warm- and cold-weather gear! Are you still looking for more adventure? Take a detour to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the world's most remote inhabited island.
Rapa Nui: Colors Through Clouds of Mystery - This wonderfully illustrated site covers many aspects of the Rapa Nui, best known as Easter Island. The site has sections on history, culture, religion, geography, and more. Each page includes a brief description and are scattered with colorful artwork which makes the experience both pleasing to view as well as informative. This site was created by students for the ThinkQuest competition.
Spotlight on Chile - In an ancient tradition that lives on today, the Mapuche people of this region still honor the Machi. The Machi are spiritual leaders that have unique talents--some are healers, some are seers of the future. People come from miles around to speak with the Machi to discuss their ailments and receive advice. Read about the Mapuche, Chilean society, its poets, and much more at this site.
The Chilean Government's Network - This official site discloses lots of information tourists need, plus unusual tidbits like the following on Chilean cuisine: "Chileans enjoy an enviable variety of fish, particularly the conger eel, trout, sole, corvina and salmon cultivated in the south. Cooks prepare shellfish, including locos (abalone), the world's only edible barnacle, and the unique machas (similar to razor clams), mussels and `shoe-sized' mussels, with a variety of recipes, soups hot and cold being among the most common."
Virtual Galapagos - The Galapagos are islands off the coast of Ecuador. Some unusual plants and animals here aren't found anywhere else on Earth. Movies show a giant tortoise eating (what an appetite!) or lizards doing push-ups (lizard aerobics?). As you journey through the islands in virtual reality movies, you can even walk among the tortoises!
Virtual World Jamboree `99 - "Building Peace Together"--what could be a better theme? In 1999, thousands of young people from more than a hundred countries gathered at a hacienda just outside Chile's capital city of Santiago. These youngsters wore colorful uniforms, and many of them had kerchiefs around their necks. Welcome to the Virtual World Scouting Jamboree! This site provides information, multimedia presentations, and lots of images from the Jamboree site before, during, and after the actual event. In addition to the Jamboree, you'll find facts about the geography, history, people, and economy of Chile. Plus, there is an interesting map showing flying times and the different land regions of Chile from north to south. Did you know it takes more than five hours to fly from the northernmost city of Arica to Chile's southernmost city of Punta Arenas?
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