Chile is located on the extreme southwestern coast of South America.
It is bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Argentina to the east, Bolivia to the northeast and Peru to the northwest. The country can be divided into three longitudinal and six latitudinal regions. The central valleys which begin below the northern Atacama Desert and have deep alluvial soils as well as extensive natural irrigation which makes it one of the most fertile regions of Chile. Chile is vulnerable to earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, floods, avalanches and landslides due to its location in an area of geological instability. Around 30 rivers flow from the Andes and include the Loa, Huasco, Coquimbo, Limari, Mapocho, Maule, Maipo and Bio-Bio.