MAGELLAN AND CHILEAN ANTARCTIC REGION: CHARACTERISTICS - GEOGRAPHY - 2024

The Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region is located in the southern part of the country. It is one of the 15 regions in which Chile is administratively divided. Geographically, it is located in Patagonia and borders the Aysén region, Argentina, the South Pole and the Pacific Ocean.

The capital of this region, also known as Magallanes, is the city of Punta Arenas. This is the most populous locality within a region, with 164,661 inhabitants. Its 132,297 km² are divided into four provinces: Chilean Antarctica, Magallanes, Tierra del Fuego and Ultima Esperanza.

Given its geographical location, the region has five main climates, although all characterized by low temperatures. Thus, the cold temperate climate with high humidity, the cold steppe, the perpetual ice, the tundra and the polar are found in this.

Traditionally, the most important economic activity has been livestock. In the shelter of this, textile companies and the food industry have begun to settle there. It also has quite a lot of mining and extractive wealth, highlighting oil, gas and coal.

Weather

The great extension of this region, together with its geographical location, causes several different types of climates to appear. Other factors that contribute to this variety are the relief, the winds and the sea.

Cold temperate climate

This type of climate occurs on the western coast of the region. Average temperatures are low, while humidity levels are very high. Similarly, the presence of strong westerly winds and great cloudiness are characteristic.

As for rain, the rainfall rate is very high, reaching 4794 mm per year in some areas.

Cold steppe climate

The area in which this climate predominates is the plains of Patagonia. Temperatures are low, especially during the harsh winter. The rains are less abundant than in the temperate cold, although they are constant throughout the year.

Perpetual ice weather

Typical of the southern ice field and the glaciers of the Darwin mountain range, the continuous ice climate has snow as its main protagonist. This usually falls throughout the year.

Temperatures, generally low, show a great difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures.

Tundra climate

The tundra climate is found in the southwestern parts of the region, starting from Duke of York Island. The rains are very frequent and abundant, occurring throughout the year.

To this must be added an average of quite cold temperatures, without exceeding 10 ºC during the 12 months of the year. This climate also occurs in the Evangelista Islands; There the annual average temperature is 6.4 ºC.

Polar climate

This climate, typical of the Chilean Antarctic Territory, presents very low temperatures, as well as abundant rainfall in the form of snow.

Population

The Magallanes Region is one of the least populated in the entire country. This is due to geographical and climatic conditions, since it was the last to be colonized.

The best example of this late occupation is found in the 1854 census. In this census there were only 158 settlers in Punta Arenas and one 2,200 natives in the different areas of the region. It was not until the establishment of cattle ranches that the population began to grow.

Present

According to the 2015 census, the population of the region is 164,661 inhabitants. This makes it the second with the least population among the 15 regions that make up Chile.

On the other hand, the large unpopulated areas also make it one of those with the lowest population density, with 1.14 inhabitants / km² (not counting the Chilean Antarctic Territory).

The most populated city is the capital, Punta Arenas, with 119,496 inhabitants. Two other important towns are Porvenir and Puerto Natales. Between the three they add up to 90% of the entire population of the region.

Regarding the population distribution between the countryside and the city, the data show a great imbalance. No less than 92% live in urban areas, while the other 8% is distributed among areas dedicated to fishing or livestock.

Despite the importance of the latter sector in the region, livestock farms never required much labor. In addition, the workers did not usually move with their families, so they did not settle permanently in the area. This, which also happened with mining, explains the small rural population.

Flora

The flora of the region, the southernmost of the entire continent, is marked by the climate. The hardness of this only allows the presence of species adapted to the cold.

In the western zone there is a vegetation typical of archipelagos and fjords, although the cold causes it to be spaced out and the specimens are smaller than in other areas. In the southern zone the vegetation begins to be scarce, until it almost disappears.

To the south of the southern ice field, as well as to the east of the archipelagos, there are deciduous forests, deciduous, with an important presence of lenga. The most abundant species in the southernmost area are the coihue de Magallanes and the cinnamon, with the sporadic appearance of the chaura, the tchelia and the maillico.

For its part, in the eastern part of this deciduous forest, the dominant are grasses and shrubs. Already in the beginning of Antarctica the only thing found in some areas are lichens.

The region has several protected areas under the figure of parks, reserves and national monuments. These include the Torres del Paine, Cabo de Hornos (the southernmost in the world) and Pali Aike National Parks, as well as the Laguna Parrillar and Magallanes national reserves.

Fauna

The fauna, like the flora, is highly influenced by the climate of the region, varying according to the area. Among the land mammals, the guanaco stands out, while in the valleys you can find examples of puma and huemul, similar to the European deer.

The steppe area has its own dominant predator: the bobcat. The red fox, the gray fox, the chingue and the Magellan armadillo coexist with this feline.

The bird population is quite abundant. The ñandú is the most representative of the region, along with the alpine condor. Bustards, swans or wild geese also inhabit the area. Further south, from October to March, there are several Magellanic penguin colonies, which have become a major tourist attraction.

The terrestrial fauna practically disappears when entering the Antarctic continent. Only in the sea can life be found, highlighting the whales, albatrosses and sea lions and elephants.

Economy

Although the population of the region is quite scarce and its density is very low, economic activity is quite dynamic. Furthermore, in recent years the sectors are diversifying, favoring the growth of economic data.

According to the report for the year 2000 prepared by the National Institute of Statistics, the Gross Domestic Product of the region at that date was 135,000 million pesos.

Livestock, the most important activity in the area, contributes in an essential way to this GDP. In fact, this region is home to 50% of the country's sheep cattle, reaching 3 million copies.

Another of the sectors with the greatest presence are mining and hydrocarbon extraction. Oil and natural gas reserves are an important source of wealth for the area, although some fields show signs of depletion.

The fishing industry is another one that is in full growth, making the region a great exporter of seafood.

tourism

The last decades have meant a great increase in tourist activity in the region. According to the data, this industry is becoming one of the most beneficial for the economy of the area, although there is concern that it will end up affecting natural attractions.

The most important destinations are the Torres del Paine National Park, the southern ice fields and the activities for whale watching and other animals typical of the southern regions.

Relief

The glaciations were those that determined the current relief that the continental zone of the region presents. The most prominent mountainous system corresponds to the Patagonian Andes, which run through the Andean cord itself, the archipelago area and the pampas.

This Andean mountain range connects with the Chilean Antarctic through the South Antillean Arc, through the O'Higgins Land, in the Antarctic peninsula. The highest peak is Torres del Paine, at 2,670 meters.

Other landmarks in the orography of the region are the Sarmiento de Gamboa and Darwin mountain ranges. In the southern ice fields, there are mountains such as Cerro Chaltén (3406 m), Huemul (2877 m), Murallón (3600 m) and Bertrand (3270 m).

On the plateaus to the east of these mountains, there are numerous glacial valleys, with several lakes such as Elizalde or La Paloma.

Coasts

The Magellan coastline is very rugged, with very jagged coasts. In these there are several fjords, gulfs, channels, estuaries and islands.

Both geographically and historically, the Strait of Magellan stands out. With about 350 km in length, it is the only natural passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific. To the west of the strait there are several islands, such as Desolación or Santa Inés, with a large ice field.

References

1. Library of the National Congress of Chile. Climate and vegetation Region of Magallanes. Obtained from bcn.cl
2. Icarito. Geography of Chile: Regions, History, Geography and Social Sciences. Obtained from icarito.cl

3. Buchot, Emmanuel. Economy of the Magallanes and Antarctic region in Chile. Retrieved from voyagesphotosmanu.com
4. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Magallanes and La Antarctica Chilena. Retrieved from britannica.com
5. Silva, Raul. Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region. Retrieved from uncharted101.com
6. Chile-Travel. Patagonia And Antarctica. Obtained from chile.travel
7. MercoPress. Magallanes region has the most dynamic and fastest growing economy of Chile. Retrieved from en.mercopress.com