An interesting comparison is Canada. Chile is about as long as Canada is wide, and most of Canada lives within a short distance of the US border, so the population distribution is similar to Chile’s.
Full country for those interested
It is a very thick but even taller strip of land.
The point of reference for it’s thinness shouldn’t be it’s own height, but rather the sizes of countries in general.
I mean, it’s still be thin, but the UK has no place throwing stones from within that glass house lol
It just looks skinny because of how long it is baby I promise it’s more than thicc enough for you 😏
It’s not very thick, it is thin, but it’s extremely long. Chile that is.
Not many countries outside of Europe are as small east-to-west as Chile. Even in Europe the major countries like France, Germany, Spain and even the UK are bigger east-to-west. Italy is bigger east-to-west, but mostly because it’s angled. If it were oriented vertically like Chile it would be thinner along most of the boot, but still wider than Chile along the top from the coast near Nice to Venice.
Also worth noting that although the UK isn’t all that wide, it has major port cities on both east and west coasts. Chile has an inhospitable mountain range on its eastern side, so really the population is concentrated in an area that’s much thinner than the geographic boundaries of the country.
I recognize that I didn’t present a very coherent comment, but that’s basically what I meant with my last sentence, lol
I feel like this is stretching the definition of “thin” to make sure nobody feels insecure about the proportions of the land claimed by local government.
What are we doing here, folks?
Geoshaming
Yao Ming isn’t thin. He’s wider than almost anyone you know. It’d be crazy to call him thin.
But he is still lanky, because of his proportions.
Italy looks like the thin strip of land in this comparison.
It is, undoubtedly, a thin strip of land.
Yeah! Thanks. I was shouting “Zoom out! Zoom out!” at my screen.
Does that normally work?
“Enhance!” does. I saw it on every movie and television show with law enforcement on computers.
You have been Mercatored
Why does that give me an urge to want to walk the length of it.
I’m not sure this is malintended
High aspect ratio just doesn’t roll off the tongue does it?
It’s 2600 miles/420km long. It’s 2300 miles NYC to Los Angeles, for perspective.
Maybe narrow would be better wording, given that it’s about proportions rather than absolute size
I think both narrow and thin are relative, rather than absolute terms. It’s a country, not a pipe.
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Svelte Mr. Bediker
Viva chile mierda!
Somos el mejor país de Chile CTM!
It is a relatively thin strip of land. I drove down the Carretera Austral a few years ago, you even have to drive through Argentina, because there are the sea and mountains and not enough space to “fit” a highway (alternatively you could take the ferry).
bro do you know how topographic maps relate to reality?
I’m sorry, but at no point does Chile get too thin to fit a highway. It is just that part meets a gulf and wildlife territory. They are all national parks. The alternative (to going into Argentina or the ferry) would be to deforest hundreds of hectares and blow up mountains just so tourists get an scenic car ride (that is already pretty scenic and spectacular as it is).
That’s why I put the “fit” in quotes. There is no space for a highway because of gulf, mountains and national parks, and that is a good thing.
If it was wider they would have built a highway for sure.
I get what you meant. But it would be more apt to say that they don’t want a highway there, it’s not like it wouldn’t fit if they wanted. The whole thing is a biosphere reserve, new infrastructure is not allowed. It has nothing to do with the geographical wideness of Chile. To only have a ferry there is a choice. Bypassing through Argentina actually skips a good third of the official highway.
What are you talking about? Chile gets wider at the bottom…
You should zoom in and check the topography.
I did that one day! That place is buck wild!
thin is a good description honestly, Snow in the Andes by the morning, and beach by the afternoon.
I like it here 10/10, would be born here again.
Now show the population density
Looks pretty thin to me:
The narrow point is about as wide as driving to my nearest beach and that’s a reasonable day trip distance.
Well they’re not wrong
It’s enormous, but relatively speaking, a thin strip, yeah
You mean the media outlet from the insignificant island in the North Sea?
John Oliver on The Bugle podcast had the best description of its shape. “Chile. The country most likely to crack if baked into a biscuit.”
And the BBC is headquartered on a damp rock.
As a Brit… … yeah actually
Yeah this is 100% correct. Today it’s a damp and humid rock.
Wish I was on some far off thin strip of land, if I’m honest.
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