▁American ▁states , ▁Chile ▁border ed ▁at ▁its ▁north ▁with ▁Boliv ia ▁in ▁the ▁At ac ama ▁Des ert ▁and ▁at ▁its ▁east ▁with ▁Argentina . ▁To ▁the ▁south , ▁Chile ▁claimed ▁all ▁lands ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁And es ▁and ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁Pat ag onia ▁( pr inci p ally ▁for ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Mag ellan ), ▁but ▁in ▁practice ▁controlled ▁only ▁the ▁area ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁B ío ▁B ío ▁River ▁plus ▁the ▁area ▁between ▁Val div ia ▁and ▁Ch ilo é — the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁territory ▁being ▁either ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁independent ▁Map uche ▁of ▁Ara uc an ía ▁or ▁sp ars ely ▁populated ▁by ▁other ▁ind igen ous ▁tribes . ▁▁ ▁The ▁u ti ▁poss id et is ▁system ▁proved ▁e ph em eral , ▁non eth eless ; ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁formal ▁border ▁treat ies ▁caused ▁territorial ▁disput es ▁throughout ▁the ▁continent . ▁This ▁uncertainty ▁presented ▁both ▁challeng es ▁and ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁Chile , ▁with ▁regional ▁inst ability ▁creating ▁a ▁prec ari ous ▁state ▁of ▁diplom atic ▁affairs ▁but ▁also ▁allowing ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁Chile an ▁power ▁amb itions . ▁The ▁Chile an ▁national ▁el ite ▁sought ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁the ▁country ' s ▁territorial ▁limits ▁and ▁the ▁regional ▁balance ▁of ▁power ▁would ▁favor ▁their ▁economic ▁and ▁political ▁asp ir ations . ▁Tow ards ▁this ▁end , ▁the ▁country ▁increased ▁its ▁military ▁power , ▁especially ▁its ▁naval ▁presence , ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁policy ▁of ▁int im id ation ▁and ▁force . ▁ ▁To