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AND MOUNTAINOUS GLACIAl.! • • • • AREA: Since Patagonia is a region not a country, there are no defined boundaries. If you take Puerto Montt as its northern tip, the region is roughly 750.000 square miles. HIGHEST PEAK: Volcan Domuyo (15,449 feet) CLIMATE: Patagonia's eastern coastal area is mild year-round, while the south can often be buried under snow and storm-be prepared for subzero temperatures and fierce winds in the south near Ushuaia during the South American winter (June-August). The best time to visit is in their summer (December-February). Chilean Patagonia has summer averages of 52·F, but don't be deceived-the windchill can take the temperature down to freezing. HISTORY: The name Chile derives from the Indian word Tchi li, meaning "the deepest point of the Earth." Gaining independence in 1818, Chile has undergone distinct political changes. Most recently, a three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a despotic military regime. This form of rule lasted until 1990 when a freely elected president was installed . A market-oriented economy. Chi le depends on a high level of foreign trade . Copper, fish, fruits, and paper are among the chief exports. while beans, tea, wool and timber are also high commodities. The economy grew between 1991 and 1997. but due to the overall global recession of 1999 and a severe drought during the same year. Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Having rebounded from the recession. Chile maintains its reputation as a strong financia l government. However, President Lagos currently battles with a stubbornly high unemployment rate. Like Chile, Argentina has a democratic form of government. Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political unrest for many years. In 1976 a military Junta took power and caused the "dissappearance" of thousands of people unsympathetic to the ruling faction. When democracy finally took hold in 1983 many government officials and military leaders involved in the so-called "Dirty War" retained power, casting serious doubt on the legitimacy of the new government. In December 2001. Argentine economic woes spiraled into a full-scale crisis when the country's currency, once linked one- to-one with the US dollar, was devalued and people with $100 in the bank found they now had only $65. Crisis ensued, causing the resignation of President Fernando de la Rua. The Argentine government's top men played a brief game of "not it!" President Eduardo Duhalde has now held office since January I, 2002. Unemployment hovers around 20 percent. In the first quarter of 2002 the country's GDP declined around 14 percent and minor street crime is on the rise. MONEY MATTERS: Though the Chilean and Argentine peso are the official currencies, the US dollar is increasingly becoming the norm (especially in Argentina where ATMs dispense US dollars). ATMs are as abundant in the major cities of South America as they are in the US. But the farther you venture from urban centers, the farther you venture from ATMs. Note: The Argentine currency is extremely unstable. Travelers are advised to convert as little as possible. LANGUAGE: Habla espanoT! If the answer is no, then get a phrasebook because most of the people in the Patagonian countryside speak only Spanish. Even if it's only bad Spanish you're speaking, the locals will love you for it. You ' ll also hear English, Italian, German and French. GETTI NG THERE: When choosing how to fly into Patagonia, consider what your final destination will be. If you want to go to Puerto Montt in the Lake District, or to Punta Arenas in southern Patagonia, fly into Santiago, Chile. If you want to hit Bariloche in the north or Rio Gallegos in the southeast, go in through Buenos Aires, Argentina. From these capital cities, domestic flights service other towns in Patagonia. www.lanchile.com). Most flights go from NYC. LA or Miami. LanChile (800-735-5526, Aerolineas Argentinas (800-333-0276, www.aerolineas.com .ar), American Airlines (800-433-7300, www.aa.com) and United Airlines (800-241 -6522, www.ual.com) are the major carriers . LanChile has a daily direct flight from NYC to Santiago with numerous connections to Puerto Montt and other major Chilean destinations. Flying from the United States to Patagonia is the easiest long trip you'll ever take. It's 10- plus hours but you'll leave the US just before bed, and wake up at the normal time just before landing. The time change isn't more than a few hours, so you won't feel jet-lagged. Better still, LanChile offers very cheap one-way links inside Chi le: often US$50-$70 per segment. Ticket prices from NYC range from US$600 to $1,000, depending on the season. Take advantage of the domest ic air passes; a good deal is the Aerolineas Argentinas/LanChile ticket called the Southern Lake Crossing, which takes you from Buenos Aires-Bariloche- Puerto Monlt-Buenos Aires for about $320. For travel within Patagonia, take local vans or buses to get to the smaller towns. These are remote areas. so it's quite possible to wait hours for the next bus. Several ferry companies and bus companies operate and there is no need to reserve before arriving in Patagonia. A multiple-entry visa is the most convenient for travel in Patagonia so you can go back and forth over the Chilean- Argentine border, but if you're a US citizen, you won't need one. TREKKING: Torres del Paine National Park in southern Patagonia has magnificent stone formations. mountains, wildlife and glaciers. Here, you'll find ice fields, lakes, llamas, ostriches, mountain lions and more. Check out Adventures International (www.exploreyourplanet.com) for more information on guides. The Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina is a must see. Sheer ice walls rise from Rico Lake; both the glacier and the lake are sandwiched between towering snowy mountains shrouded in misty clouds. This is storybook Patagonia. Geographic Expeditions offers trips in the area (www.geoex.com). Temperate rainforests. volcanoes and waterfalls that drop Into clear streams are what you'll find when you trek in the Lake District of Chile. Puyehue National Park has mixed terrain for all levels. For longer trips through valleys, rivers and mountains try Andes Mountain Expediciones (www.andesmountain.cl). PADDLING: Chiloe Island off the coast of Chile is a haven for sea kayaking. Around the Castro Fjords there are tranquil waters and mesmerizing surroundings. You'll find secluded beaches, rolling hills and no signs of civilization (unless you count the penguins). For a guided tour check out www.intrans-premiumtravel.com. The Futaleufu River in northern Patagonia, Chi le has great whitewater for rafters and expert kayakers (rapids reach Class V). Earth River Expeditions offers tours, see www_earthriver.com for more information. FLY FISHING: Both Argentina and Chile have an abundance of valley rivers in which you can flick your wrist and pull in a fish. Patagonia Adventures runs guided fishing expeditions in Chilean Patagonia and the Lake District from November to April (www.argentinachileflyfishing.com). Possible catches include Atlantic Salmon, Brook, Brown and Rainbow trout. For an outfitter that accesses 20 rivers throughout Argentinian Patagonia try Fly Fishing La Patagonia (www.flyfishingpatagonia.com). LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Trying to distance themselves from the economic choas that is Argentina, in late August, 2002, some reSidents of Argentine Patagonia started talking of seceding from the rest of the country. An independent Argentine Patagonia would be a sparsely populated but prosperous nation. The region accounts for much of Argentina's water supply and hydroelectric power and 80 percent of its oil and gas.