Stretched along the western edge of South America lies Chile, a country spanning over 4,620 km (2647 mi) from north to south and taking the claim of the longest country in the world. Here are some other spicy facts about Chile:

• Chile is the location of the driest place on Earth. Some parts of the Atacama desert have never received a single drop of rain, and the desert is quite possibly the oldest on Earth—it’s been around for about three million years!
• Chile is one of the only countries whose government funds UFO research. It’s also one of the best places in the southern hemisphere for astronomers since northern Chile can have over 300 cloudless nights a year.
• Chile also has amazing biodiversity. Native animals range from penguins to flamingos, and from pumas to chinchillas. It’s also home to the world’s smallest deer, the pudú, which weighs in at a tiny 6.4 to 13.4 kg (14 to 30 lbs).

Among the nearly 1,000 currently active caches in Chile are: Continue reading →