Valparaíso Region, Administrative region along Pacific coast, central Chile
The Valparaíso Region stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes in central Chile, covering eight provinces. This territory also includes Easter Island, located over 3,500 kilometers west of the mainland coast.
The ports here became major trading hubs in the 19th century, when ships moved between the Atlantic and Pacific through the Straits of Magellan. This sea trade brought European settlers and shaped the coastal cities.
The region maintains four traditional universities and numerous educational institutions, forming a substantial academic center with diverse research programs and student communities.
Most visitors focus on the coastal cities and then travel inland toward the mountains. Port facilities, vineyards, and mining areas mark the landscape, while the island territories require separate travel plans.
The Juan Fernández archipelago, home to fur seals, inspired Daniel Defoe's novel about Robinson Crusoe. Alexander Selkirk actually lived on one of these islands for four years before being rescued in 1709.
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