Other significant immigrant groups are Italian, Croatian, French, and Middle Eastern. About 800,000 Native Americans, mostly of the Mapuche tribe, reside in the south-central area. The northern Chilean desert contains great mineral wealth, primarily copper and nitrates. The relatively small central area dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural resources. This area also is the historical center from which Chile expanded until the late 19th century, when it incorporated its northern and southern regions.
Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes.
The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas, and islands.