Puerto Toro
Encyclopedia
Puerto Toro, founded 1892 by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret is a hamlet
on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile
.
It belongs to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, in Antártica Chilena Province
of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region. Excluding research stations in Antarctica, Puerto Toro is the southernmost permanently inhabited community on the globe, located at 55°05′00"S 067°04′30"W and some 3,900 km off the South Pole
. Puerto Toro is inhabited by 36 people according to INE's 2002 census, including fishermen and their families.
Over a hundred years ago, Puerto Toro was one of the most important towns in the region of the Beagle Channel
as a result of "gold fever." Once interest in exploring for gold
passed, however, Puerto Toro's importance diminished. Today, Puerto Toro is known for "centolla," the prized southern king crab
.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, 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...
.
Antártica Chilena Province
Antártica Chilena Province is the southernmost and one of four provinces in Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region . The capital is Puerto Williams...
of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region. Excluding research stations in Antarctica, Puerto Toro is the southernmost permanently inhabited community on the globe, located at 55°05′00"S 067°04′30"W and some 3,900 km off the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
. Puerto Toro is inhabited by 36 people according to INE's 2002 census, including fishermen and their families.
Over a hundred years ago, Puerto Toro was one of the most important towns in the region of the Beagle Channel
Beagle Channel
thumb|right|300px|Aereal view of Beagle Channel. The Chilean [[Navarino Island]] is seen in the top-right while the Argentine part of [[Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego]] is seen at the bottom-left....
as a result of "gold fever." Once interest in exploring for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
passed, however, Puerto Toro's importance diminished. Today, Puerto Toro is known for "centolla," the prized southern king crab
King crab
King crabs, also called stone crabs, are a superfamily of crab-like decapod crustaceans chiefly found in cold seas. Because of their large size and the taste of their meat, many species are widely caught and sold as food, the most common being the red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus.King...
.