Geography of Chile regions: the far north, the near north, central Chile, the south, and the far south. Each has its own characteristic vegetation, fauna, climate, and, despite the omnipresence of both the Andes and the Pacific, its own distinct topography. The far north (Norte Grande), which extends from the Peruvian border to about 27° south latitude, a line roughly paralleled to the Copiapó River, is extremely arid. It mainly contains the Atacama Desert, one of the driest areas in the world. In certain areas, this desert does not register any rainfall at all. Geographically, the aridity can be explained by the following
Sport in Chile two time champion of the Tour of Chile; and champion of the 2004 World Cup in Russia. As for women, the most prominent international athlete is Bernardita Pizarro, who in 2006 was fifth in the Union Cycliste Internationale rankings. In addition to Marco Arriagada, a number of other cyclists have excelled internationally. Usually the best riders in Chile are from the city of Curicó, which is known as the "capital of cycling". Horse racing in Chile has been well developed since the end of the 19th century. Major racetracks include the Club Hípico de Santiago, the Hipódromo Chile and the