Environmental issues in Chile Environmental issues in Chile This page covers environmental issues in Chile. The country of Chile is a virtual continental island bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Andes Mountains on the east, and the Atacama Desert in the north; it is home to several important ecoregions, such as the Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests, a biodiversity hotspot that harbors richly endemic flora and fauna, and the Tropical Andes, which stretches into northern Chile. There are endangered species in Chile, including the South Andean huemul, tundra peregrine falcon, puna rhea, Chilean woodstar, ruddy-headed goose, and green sea turtle. As of
Sahara Desert (ecoregion) that crosses the ecoregion is the Nile River, which originates in central Africa and empties northwards into the Mediterranean Sea. Some areas encompass vast underground aquifers resulting in oases, while other regions severely lack water reserves. The Sahara Desert features a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification "BWh"). The Sahara Desert is one of the driest and hottest regions of the world, with a mean temperature sometimes over and the average high temperatures in summer are over for months at a time, and can even soar to . In desert rocky mountains such as the Tibesti in Libya or the