The Southern Chile region is south of central Chile, but not as far south as Patagonia.
known for its adventure sports and natural beauty
great surfing and spas
the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago is home to a collection of churches that form a UNESCO World Heritage site
the Lake District of Chile draws visitors to its ski resorts, hot springs and recreational fishing
rivers, lakes, mountains, volcanoes, virgin forests, ecological parks and ocean beaches
The Southern Chile region consists of the four local government regions of Araucanía, Biobío, Los Lagos (which includes Chiloé Island) and Los Ríos.
Bfeore Spanish colonization, Southern Chile was populated by indigenous Mapuches from Toltén River northwards and by Huilliches south of the river, both groups are classified as Araucanian. The mountainous zones in the east were populated by Pehuenches Puelches. Until the Battle of Curalaba and the following Destruction of Seven Cities around 1600, the southern zone was part of the General Captaincy of Chile and Spanish Empire. After 1600, the Spanish settlements were destroyed or abandoned with the exception of Valdivia that was re-founded in 1645 with heavy fortifications. The zone between Valdivia and Chiloé was gradually incorporated into Chile by a series of agreements with local Huilliches and founding of settlements. By 1850 this process was culminated with the immigration of thousands of German immigrants to Valdivia, Osorno and Llanquihue. The zone north of Valdivia was incorporated into Chile in the 1880s during the occupation of the Araucania.
Spanish is widely spoken in all the region, but the southern people speak a bit slower than Santiaguinos. In the Araucanía region, the Mapudungun (the dialect spoken by Mapuche people) is used in rural communities, especially between elders.