Chile has a diverse range of wildlife (animals, fungi and plants) in large extent due to the country's elongated shape, which spans a wide range of latitude, and also its altitude, ranging from the Pacific coast on the west to high Andes mountains in the east. Thus, there are many distinct ecosystems. Chile is often divided into five natural regions. In the north, there is the harsh Atacama desert with typical desert wildlife such as cacti. In the country's middle, there is a temperate Mediterranean climate, while the south has cold mountainous regions and numerous islands.
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