Puerto Williams in Tierra del Fuego

Puerto Williams is a small Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. Its latitude and longitude are 54°56′S 67°37′W. Cities of Tierra del Fuego This map was created with this online map creation tool. ... Cities of Tierra del Fuego This map was created with this online map creation tool. ... Sea lions on La Isla de Los Lobos in the Beagle Channel Glacier on the north shore of the Beagle Channel Beagle Channel is a strait separating islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, in extreme southern South America. ... Latitude, sometimes denoted by the Greek letter φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... Map of Earth showing lines of longitude, which appear curved and vertical in this projection, but are actually halves of great circles Longitude, sometimes denoted by the Greek letter λ, describes the location of a place on Earth east or west of a north-south line called the Prime Meridian. ...

Puerto Williams is the capital of Antártica Chilena Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellanes Region. The much smaller village of Puerto Toro shares Isla Navarino with Puerto Williams, and lies to the southeast. Puerto Williams sometimes is said to be the southernmost "town" in the world, on the basis of this distinction in size. In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Region Magellanes of Chile Flag of the region Antártica Chilena Province is a province of Chile in the southernmost region, Magallanes, being one of four provinces in that region. ... This article is about political regions. ... Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena is the southernmost, largest and second least populated region of Chile. ... Puerto Toro is a small Chilean town on Navarino Island. ...

At one time Argentina claimed Isla Navarino (Navarino Island). Chile won control over it following an international dispute. Chile and Argentina have generally agreed that where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet should serve as the border between the two countries, at least in the waters off the mainland. In the dispute with Argentina regarding Isla Navarino, Chile maintained that the island properly lay in the Pacific Ocean. Chile had previously used similar arguments in other boundary disputes with Argentina over territory in the waters surrounding the continent's Southern Cone. Today Isla Navarino is internationally recognized as a part of Chile.

The town was named after Admiral Juan Williams, who founded Fuerte Bulnes (Fort Bulnes) on Tierra del Fuego in the 19th century. Puerto Williams, started as a naval base in the early 20th century, has a population of nearly 1,900, including both naval personnel and civilians. Access is by air or barge service from Punta Arenas, 350 kilometers to the north in Chile, or by private yacht charter from Ushuaia, Argentina. There is, however, no direct, continuous commercial link with Argentine territory.

Tourism to Puerto Williams and Isla Navarino is being encouraged. The community is home to both an airport and lodging services. There are several trails for multi-day hikes and back-packing trips in the mountains south of Puerto Williams. Remains of the native peoples' campsites and fishtraps may been viewed along the coast east of Puerto Williams. Puerto Williams is home to the Martín Gusinde Museum, which depicts the lives of the Yamana and Selknam peoples who once inhabited Tierra del Fuego. The Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) National Park, which was created in 1945 and includes the Wollaston Archipelago and the Hermite Islands, may be reached by boat from Puerto Williams. The town serves as a useful jumping-off point for exploring this and other far-flung destinations. The Yaghan or Yamana were an indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego. ... Selknam Indians lived in the Tierra del Fuego islands, in southern Chile and Argentina. ... Tierra del Fuego (Spanish: Land of Fire) is an archipelago at the southernmost tip of South America. ...

External Links

[1]Information from the Chilean Tourism Service regarding activities in Puerto Williams and Cabo de Hornos National Park.