Punta Arenas, Chile

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Punta Arenas (literally in Spanish: "Sandy Point") is the most prominent
settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of the Magallanes y la
Antártica Chilena Region, Chile. Due to its location and size it is
sometimes considered the southernmost city in the world.

Etymology

The 17th century explorer John Byron is sometimes given credit for the
naming. But it was not until much later than any sort of city was settled by
the Chilean government (1843). The name Punta Arenas grew out of the Spanish
term Punta Arenosa, which was a literal translation of the English name
Sandy Point'. The city has also been known as "Magallanes" though today that
term is normally used to describe the administrative region which includes
the city. Punta Arenas has also been called "the city of the red roofs" for
the red-painted metal roofs that characterised the city for many years,
although since about 1970 the availability of other colours in protective
finishes for the characteristic metal roofing has resulted in greater
variety.

Geography

Located on the Brunswick Peninsula, Punta Arenas is the southernmost city of
its size in the world. (Ushuaia, Argentina, also makes this claim and is
further south, but has only half the population of Punta Arenas). Punta
Arenas is the third largest city in the entire Patagonian Region, after the
more northerly Argentine cities of Neuquén and Comodoro Rivadavia. In 2002,
it had a population of 120,000. It is roughly 1418.4 km from the coast of
Antarctica.

The Magallanes region is considered part of Chilean Patagonia. Magallanes is
Spanish for Magellan, the Portuguese explorer who, while circumnavigating
the earth for Spain, passed close to the present site of Punta Arenas in
1520. Early English navigational documents referred to its location as
Sandy Point".

The city proper is located on the northeastern shore of Brunswick Peninsula.
Besides the eastern shore, with the settlements of Guairabo, Rio Amarillo
and Punta San Juan, the peninsula is largely uninhabited. The municipality
(commune) of Punta Arenas includes all of Brunswick Peninsula, as well as
all islands west of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and north of
Cockburn Channel and Magdalena Channel. The largest of those are:

* Santa Inés Island
* Desolación Island
* Dawson Island
* Aracena Island
* Clarence Island
* Carlos Island
* Wickham Island

Except Dawson Island, with a population of about 301 in 2002, the islands
are largely uninhabited. Clarence Island had a population of just five.

History

Two early Spanish settlements attempted along this coast (on the Straits of
Magellan), including the first (1584), called Nombre de Jesús, failed in
large part due to the harsh weather and difficulty in obtaining food and
water, and the enormous distances from other Spanish ports. A second colony,
Rey don Felipe, was attempted at another location some 80 kilometres south
of Punta Arenas. This became known later as Puerto Hambre, sometimes
translated as Port Starvation or Famine Port. These Spanish settlements had
been established with the intent to prevent piracy by English pirates, by
controlling the Straits of Magellan. Ironically it was an English pirate
captain, Thomas Cavendish, who rescued the last surviving member of Puerto
Hambre in 1587.

As said above, in the year 1843 the Chilean government sent an expedition
with the appointed task of establishing a permanent settlement on the shores
of the Strait of Magellan. For this it built and commissioned a small sail
ship called Goleta Ancud, which under the command of the British sailor John
Williams transported a crew of 21 people (captain, eighteen crew, two women)
plus cargo, to accomplish the mandate of the Chilean government. The
founding act of the settlement took place on 21 September 1843.

Although the site was perfectly suited for a military garrison with the
mission of coastal defence, since it is located on top of a small rocky
peninsula, it was ill prepared to become a proper civilian settlement. With
this in mind the Military Governor, José de los Santos Mardones, decided in
1848 to move the settlement to its current location, on the sides of the Las
Minas river, renaming it Punta Arenas.

In the mid-19th century, Chile used Punta Arenas as a penal colony and a
disciplinary posting for military personnel with "problematic" behaviour, as
well as a place for immigrant colonisation. In December 1851, a prisoners'
mutiny led by Lieutenant Cambiaso, resulted in the murder of Governor Muñoz
Gamero and the priest, and the destruction of the church and the hospital.
The mutiny was put down by Commander Stewart of HMS Virago assisted by two
Chilean ships: Indefatigable and Meteoro. In 1877 a mutiny, known as "El
motín de los artilleros" (Mutiny of the Artillerymen) led to the destruction
of a large part of the town and the murder of many civilians not directly
associated with the prison. In time the city was restored and with the
growth of the sheep industry and the discovery of gold, as well as
increasing trade via sailing ships, began to prosper. Between about 1890 and
1940, the Magallanes region became one of the world's most important
sheep-raising regions, with one company (Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del
Fuego) controlling over 10,000 square kilometres in southern Chile and
Argentina. The headquarters of this company and the residences of the owners
were in Punta Arenas. Visitors today can get a glimpse of the economic
stature of the city, or at least of its leading citizens, by touring the
Sarah Braun museum (sometimes called Braun-Menéndez mansion) in the centre
of Punta Arenas. Other popular attractions include the two nearby rookeries
for Magellanic penguins, and the rebuilt site of the failed Fuerte Bulnes
settlement.

The Punta Arenas harbour, although exposed to storms, was considered one of
the most important in Chile before the construction of the Panama Canal,
because it was used as a coaling station by the steamships transiting
between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Today it is mostly used by tourism
cruises and scientific expeditions. The city is often a jumping-off point
for Antarctic expeditions, although Ushuaia (Argentina) and Christchurch
(New Zealand) are also common starting points.

Economy

By 2006 the economy of Punta Arenas and the region had diversified
considerably, and the city is vibrant and modern. Chile's principal oil
reserves, though small, are located here, along with some low-grade coal. A
modern methanol plant is located a short distance from the city.
Agricultural production, including sheep and cattle, continues to play a
significant role, while tourism has contributed to its popularity and steady
growth. Fisheries and silviculture are also significant here. A regular
ferry service connects Punta Arenas with the main island of Tierra del Fuego
and a less frequent ferry runs to the Chilean town of Puerto Williams. A
modern airport serves international connections and is often a stopping
point for aircraft going to or coming from Antarctica. Paved highways
connect Punta Arenas with Argentina.

Since the Falklands War, when transport ties were severed between the
Falkland Islands and continental Argentina, Punta Arenas has become a major
outside link to the archipelago.

Demography

Punta Arenas has a population of over 154,000 inhabitants (2008). The city
has its roots among the population origin of the European colonists
(Croatian and Spanish) that populated the area at mid-nineteenth century.
You can also mention some colonies of descendants of people from other
countries (i.e. German, English, Italian, Swiss and others).

Croatian immigration in Punta Arenas was a crucial development in the region
of Magallanes and the city in particular. Currently, you can see this
influence in the names of shops and many buildings. According to some
references to 50% of the population of Punta Arenas would be descendants of
Croats.

The most important are the port, the oil industry and trade and services,
followed by livestock, mostly sheep, fishing and forestry. Depart from Punta
Arenas that address some cruises to Antarctica, and its port reaching the
majority of European and transatlantic cruise tours as well as flights from
the airport to leave the Falkland Islands, Antarctica and the rest of the
country with daily flights to the capital Santiago and other cities such as
Puerto Montt and Concepción.

Climate

The seasonal temperature in Punta Arenas is greatly moderated by its
proximity to the ocean, with specifying average lows in July near −1 °C (30
2 °F) and highs in January of 14 °C (57 °F). This is not to say that it is
known for stable constant temperatures, only small variability with season.
Rainfall is most plentiful between April and May and snow season goes all
through Chilean winter (June till September), although the average
temperature does not descend below the 1°C. Among Chileans the city is also
known for its strong winds (up to 130 km/hour). Winds tend to be strongest
during the summer when city officials put up ropes in the downtown area to
assist with unique wind currents created by the buildings.

Since 1986, Punta Arenas has been the first significantly populated city in
the world to be directly affected by the hole in the ozone layer, exposing
its residents to potentially damaging levels of ultraviolet radiation.

Access

Punta Arenas can be accessed by sea, by land or air.

Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport (IATA: PUQ, ICAO:
SCCI), located 20 km north of the city, is the main gateway to the region
and serves Punta Arenas. Transport, rental car, duty free shops and custom
office services are available in the building. Airlines serving the airport
include LAN Chile, Sky Airlines and Aerolineas del Sur as well as charter
flights.

By road, passing through Argentine territory is mandatory as there are no
direct routes within Chilean territory.

By sea, several cruises and ferries can take you to the city, although the costs are much higher because they include stops at tourist sites along the route.