The region’s topography maintains the four traditional forms of relief found between the coast and the Andes mountains.
– Coastal plains: they are not very developed, except for the deltas of the Imperial river and lake Budi, where they can span up to 25 km. They present numerous ravines, which create a group of hillocks up to 200 masl.
– Coastal Mountain Range: in the northern part of the region, this mountainous formation is called the Nahuelbuta mountain range. It is massive and its maximum height is found atop Alto Nahuelbuta hill (1,565 masl). To the south, this mountain chain’s peaks begin to drop before disappearing completely around the mouth of the Imperial river.
This topography is replaced by an undulating relief that barely breaks the 300 masl barrier.
– Intermediate depression: in this area, it isn’t as flat as it is to the north. It becomes quite narrow in the northern part of the region due to the Nahuelbuta mountain range.
Then, it starts widening, achieving its maximum amplitude between the comunas of Temuco and Gorbea.
In a place called Lastarria, it is abruptly cut-off by the Afquintue mountain chain, but then it resurfaces, albeit weakly, in Loncoche.
– Andes Mountains: the pre-cordilleran zone is sedimentary in origin. Peaks only rise up to between 300 and 850 masl. The Andean chain preserves its massive appearance, but average altitudes decrease. The highest peak is found atop Lanin volcano (3,747 masl), which is located in the southern part of the region, right on the border with Argentina. Then come Llaima volcano (3,125 masl), Conico hill (3,060 masl), Lonquimay volcano (2,865 masl), Villarrica volcano (2,847 masl), Tolhuaca volcano (2,806 masl) and Quetrupillan volcano (2,360 masl).
Four types of climate can be distinguished in the Region of Araucania:
– Warm temperate climate with a short, four month dry season: this climate is present in the central-western part of the intermediate depression. It spreads onwards to the south until the area around Nueva Imperial. There is abundant precipitation in winter, but nearly none during summer.
– Rainy temperate climate with Mediterranean influence: it appears along the coastal plains, some sectors of the intermediate depression and parts of the mountains lower than 900 masl. It rains year round, although there is a considerable drop in precipitation during summer.
– Temperate cold and rainy climate: it develops on the Andean and Coastal slopes at altitudes between 900 and 2,000 masl. Annual precipitation fluctuates between 2,000 to 3,000 mm.
– Icy climate due to high altitude: it is present above 1,800 masl and is characterized by snowy precipitation and low temperatures year round (lower than 0ºC).
