Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region
Encyclopedia
The XII Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region (Spanish
: XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena, literally in Spanish
: Region of Magellan and Chilean Antarctica) is one of Chile
's 15 first order administrative division
s. It is the southernmost, largest and second least populated region of Chile
.
This region has many globally known places and geographical features including Torres del Paine, Cape Horn
, Tierra del Fuego
island, and the Strait of Magellan
. It also includes the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile.
The main economic activities are bovine farming, oil extraction and tourism. This region is also home of the Patagonian Expedition Race.
s in the far north, including elements of the Patagonian Ice Sheet
. Further south there are other mountain ranges such as the Cerro Toro
and numerous surface waters including the Seno Última Esperanza
, Eberhard Fjord
and Lago Grey. Protected areas include the Torres del Paine National Park and the Cueva del Milodon Natural Monument
, at the latter of which have been discovered remains of the extinct Giant Sloth as well as of prehistoric man dating to circa 10,000 BC.
, as one of the last regions colonized and populated.
In the 1854 census counted 158 settlers, who belonged to the people of Punta Arenas, the native population, according to King, amounted in 1830, approximately 2,200 (about 400 in western Patagonia and south approximately 1,600 Strait).
The census of 1875 was aware of 1,144 inhabitants and in 1895 the population had risen to 5170 inhabitants, mostly concentrated in the city of Punta Arenas and its surroundings.
The installation of the cattle ranches attracted people from Europe
(mostly Croatians, British
, Swiss
and Italian
) and southern Chile
(mostly Chiloé), which greatly increased the population of the region.
Punta Arenas is said to have the largest percentage of Croatians in the world outside Croatia and the former Yugoslavia
. There is a higher proportion of non-Spanish
Europeans there as well (esp. Scots
and Greeks
), and descendants of Germans, Dutch
, Danes
and other Scandinavian
s, Russians and Portuguese
peoples.
From the late 18th century to the opening of the Panama Canal
in 1914, thousands of trans-oceanic voyages stopped by Punta Arenas as the most convenient strait between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The settlement of Punta Arenas and the Magallanes region is a result of its past being a hub to international travel.
Already in the 1907 census, the Territory of Magallanes had 17,330 inhabitants, distributed as follows:
- City of Punta Arenas: 12,785 hab.
- Patagonia Chilena: 1,094 hab.
- Pen. of Brunswick: 1062 hab.
- Tierra del Fuego: 1626 hab.
- Beagle Channel: 184 inhabitants.
- Last Hope: 392 inhabitants.
- Baker River: 187 inhabitants.
This proportion has remained until our days to focus the bulk of the regional population in the city of Punta Arenas, and in the provincial capital Puerto Natales
, Porvenir
(Spanish for "future") and Puerto Williams
, one of the world's southernmost cities.
In the past 50 years the population has maintained a moderate increase, as shown below, keeping one of the lowest population densities in the country and since this is mostly urban, mostly concentrated in Punta Arenas.
Census
The most populated cities (2002 census) are: Punta Arenas (116,005 inhab.), Puerto Natales (16,978 hab.) Porvenir (4734 pop.), Puerto Williams (1952 pop.), and Cerro Sombrero
(687 pop.).
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena, literally in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Region of Magellan and Chilean Antarctica) is one of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
's 15 first order administrative division
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
s. It is the southernmost, largest and second least populated region of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
This region has many globally known places and geographical features including Torres del Paine, Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
island, and the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
. It also includes the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile.
Geography
This region contains mountainous peaks and glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s in the far north, including elements of the Patagonian Ice Sheet
Patagonian Ice Sheet
350px|thumb|right|Map showing the extent of the Patagonian Ice Sheet in the [[Strait of Magellan]] area during the [[last glacial period]]. Selected modern settlements are shown with yellow dots...
. Further south there are other mountain ranges such as the Cerro Toro
Cerro Toro
Cerro Toro is a Cretaceous landform of the Magallanes Foreland the Patagonian region of southeastern Chile. The Cerro Toro is an element of the southern Andes Mountain Range. The Andes fundamentally are the result of plate tectonics processes, caused by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath...
and numerous surface waters including the Seno Última Esperanza
Última Esperanza Sound
Última Esperanza Sound is an inlet stretching from the mouth of Eberhard Fjord to the outskirts of Monte Balmaceda, within the Magallanes Basin. This inlet, known within Chile as Seno Última Esperanza, has the characteristics of a tidewater river and drains an extensive basin...
, Eberhard Fjord
Eberhard Fjord
Eberhard Fjord is an arm of Seno Ultima Esperanza in the Patagonian region of Chile. This surface water body was named for Hermann Eberhard, the first European to explore this region. Eberhard used the fjord to find the Cueva del Milodón, where he discovered remains of the extinct Giant sloth;...
and Lago Grey. Protected areas include the Torres del Paine National Park and the Cueva del Milodon Natural Monument
Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument
Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument is a Natural Monument located in the Chilean Patagonia, northwest of Puerto Natales and north of Punta Arenas. The monument is situated along the flanks of the Cerro Benitez Mountains...
, at the latter of which have been discovered remains of the extinct Giant Sloth as well as of prehistoric man dating to circa 10,000 BC.
Demographics
The population of the region is one of the lowest in ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, as one of the last regions colonized and populated.
In the 1854 census counted 158 settlers, who belonged to the people of Punta Arenas, the native population, according to King, amounted in 1830, approximately 2,200 (about 400 in western Patagonia and south approximately 1,600 Strait).
The census of 1875 was aware of 1,144 inhabitants and in 1895 the population had risen to 5170 inhabitants, mostly concentrated in the city of Punta Arenas and its surroundings.
The installation of the cattle ranches attracted people from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(mostly Croatians, British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
, Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
) and southern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(mostly Chiloé), which greatly increased the population of the region.
Punta Arenas is said to have the largest percentage of Croatians in the world outside Croatia and the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. There is a higher proportion of non-Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
Europeans there as well (esp. Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
), and descendants of Germans, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, Danes
Danes
Danish people or Danes are the nation and ethnic group that is native to Denmark, and who speak Danish.The first mention of Danes within the Danish territory is on the Jelling Rune Stone which mentions how Harald Bluetooth converted the Danes to Christianity in the 10th century...
and other Scandinavian
Scandinavians
Scandinavians are a group of Germanic peoples, inhabiting Scandinavia and to a lesser extent countries associated with Scandinavia, and speaking Scandinavian languages. The group includes Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, and additionally the descendants of Scandinavian settlers such as the Icelandic...
s, Russians and Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
peoples.
From the late 18th century to the opening of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in 1914, thousands of trans-oceanic voyages stopped by Punta Arenas as the most convenient strait between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The settlement of Punta Arenas and the Magallanes region is a result of its past being a hub to international travel.
Already in the 1907 census, the Territory of Magallanes had 17,330 inhabitants, distributed as follows:
- City of Punta Arenas: 12,785 hab.
- Patagonia Chilena: 1,094 hab.
- Pen. of Brunswick: 1062 hab.
- Tierra del Fuego: 1626 hab.
- Beagle Channel: 184 inhabitants.
- Last Hope: 392 inhabitants.
- Baker River: 187 inhabitants.
This proportion has remained until our days to focus the bulk of the regional population in the city of Punta Arenas, and in the provincial capital Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales is a city in Chilean Patagonia. Puerto Natales is the capital of both the commune of Natales and the province of Última Esperanza, , one of the four provinces that make up the Magallanes and Antartica Chilena Region in the southernmost part of Chile...
, Porvenir
Porvenir
Founded in 1883 by immigrants from Croatia and Chiloé during a minor nineteenth century gold rush, Porvenir is the capital of both the homonymous commune and the Chilean Province of Tierra del Fuego of the Magallanes and Antartica Chilena Region...
(Spanish for "future") and Puerto Williams
Puerto Williams
Puerto Williams is a Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antartica Region...
, one of the world's southernmost cities.
In the past 50 years the population has maintained a moderate increase, as shown below, keeping one of the lowest population densities in the country and since this is mostly urban, mostly concentrated in Punta Arenas.
Census
- 1952: 55,206 hab.
- 1960: 73,358 hab.
- 1970: 89,443 hab.
- 1982: 131,914 hab.
- 1992: 143,198 hab.
- 2002: 150,826 hab.
The most populated cities (2002 census) are: Punta Arenas (116,005 inhab.), Puerto Natales (16,978 hab.) Porvenir (4734 pop.), Puerto Williams (1952 pop.), and Cerro Sombrero
Cerro Sombrero
Cerro Sombrero is a village in southern Chile, in the Primavera commune, on the Northern part of Tierra del Fuego, in Magallanes Region, about 125 km from Porvenir. According to the 2002 census, it had 687 inhabitants....
(687 pop.).