The world's longest country, the ribbon-like Republic of Chile extends for about 2,650 miles (4,265 km) along the Pacific coast of southwestern South America. A land of great beauty and contrasts, Chile features the snow-capped volcanic peaks of the Andes to the east, the extremely dry Atacama Desert to its north, and rainy, thick forests to the south. Most of the approximately 18 million Chileans live in the mild climate of the Central Valley, where farms produce abundant crops and industrial cities thrive. Mining is an important part of the country's economy, with Chile annually producing about one-third of the world's copper. The country is also known for exports of fresh fruit. Today, Chile is one of the most stable and democratic nations of South America. There's a lot to discover about Chile! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each book and provide readers with suggestions for projects and reports that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.