Magallanes Region

The Magallanes Region (locally [maɣaˈʝanes]), officially the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region (Spanish: Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena) or Magallanes and the Chilean Antarctica Region in English, is one of Chile's 16 first order administrative divisions. It is the southernmost, largest, and second least populated region of Chile. It comprises four provinces: Última Esperanza, Magallanes, Tierra del Fuego, and Antártica Chilena. The region takes its name from the Strait of Magellan which runs through it, which was in turn named after Ferdinand Magellan, the leader of the European expedition that discovered it. Magallanes's geographical features include Torres del Paine, Cape Horn, Tierra del Fuego island, and the Strait of Magellan. It also includes the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile. Despite its large area, much of the land in the region is rugged or closed off for sheep farming, and is unsuitable for settlement. 80% of the population lives in the capital Punta Arenas, a major market city and one of the main hubs for Antarctic exploration. The main economic activities are sheep farming, oil extraction, and tourism. It is also the region with the lowest poverty level in Chile (5.8%); households in Magallanes have the highest income of any region in Chile. Since 2017, the region has had its own time zone. It uses the summer time for the whole year (UTC−3). Geography The region contains mountainous peaks and glaciers 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, remains have been discovered of the extinct ground sloth as well as of prehistoric man dating to circa 10,000 BC. The topography can be divided in four regions: an outer archipelago region (Spanish: Región Archipielágica) to the west and south, a mountain region in the west and south (Spanish: Región Cordillerana), a plains region (Spanish: Región de las Planicies Orientales) in the northeast plus a sub-Andean zone in-between the last two zones (Spanish: Región Sub-Andina Oriental). Climate The region is characterized by low temperatures and strong winds throughout the year. The region has five different climatic types, owing to the diversity in altitudes and the width of the region. Owing to its proximity to 60°S (a zone characterized by low pressure systems and subpolar cyclones), frontal systems regularly pass through the region. The westernmost islands have a cold, humid and rainy climate, being exposed to strong winds and low temperatures throughout the year. Precipitation averages 3,500 mm (140 in) per year, while the mean annual temperature on these islands is 9 °C (48.2 °F) with a low thermal amplitude due to the maritime influences and the strong winds. Precipitation decreases and temperatures increase moving eastwards. These islands are the wettest places in Chile, particularly on Guarello Island where it can record 9,000 mm (350 in) during the wettest years. Precipitation is high throughout the year though fall tends to be the wettest season. Immediately to the east of the westernmost islands, east of the Andes and bordered by the Cordillera Paine to the north and the Brunswick Peninsula to the south, the climate is much drier. The Andes to the west block most of the precipitation, causing most of the air coming in to be dry. Mean annual precipitation ranges between 250 and 400 mm (9.8 and 15.7 in) which is fairly evenly distributed through the year. During winters, precipitation mainly falls as snow. Mean annual temperatures are between 6 and 7 °C (42.8 and 44.6 °F). Due to the close proximity to the ocean, winters are not cold and snow cover does not last long. In the easternmost parts of the region, including much of Tierra del Fuego province, a cold steppe climate prevails. Temperatures are cold while precipitation is lower than areas to the west. Mean precipitation is between 250 and 500 mm (9.8 and 19.7 in), decreasing eastwards and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. Mean annual temperatures range between 8 and 9 °C (46.4 and 48.2 °F). From December to March, mean temperatures exceed 10 °C (50.0 °F) while during winter, they reach down to 2 °C (35.6 °F). Corresponding to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, located at higher altitudes, temperatures are cold enough to maintain permanent ice fields. Mean temperatures are below 0 °C (32.0 °F) in all months while precipitation (mostly as snow) is abundant year-round, receiving 2,000 mm (79 in). These areas have a polar climate. In the southernmost islands, south of Tierra del Fuego and the Strait of Magellan, a tundra climate prevails. These islands are strongly influenced by the surrounding Pacific Ocean to the west and southwest and the Drake Passage to the south, resulting in constant temperatures throughout the year. Mean annual temperatures are between 5 and 7 °C (41.0 and 44.6 °F) while precipitation is high, with most places receiving 1,000 mm (39 in). In sheltered areas, precipitation is below 600 mm (24 in). Summers are the warmest and the wettest season in these islands. History Administratively, the region has its origins in the former Province of Magallanes, which existed between 1928 and 1974. This province, in turn, originated from the Territory of Magallanes, which reached its greatest extent in 1878, bordering de facto to the north with the Santa Cruz River and to the east with the Atlantic Ocean. Following the 1881 Boundary Treaty and the 1902 arbitration award, its definitive boundaries were established. Political and administrative divisions The Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, whose capital is the city of Punta Arenas, is divided for purposes of government and internal administration into four provinces: Chilean Antarctic Province (Provincia Antártica Chilena), with its capital at Puerto Williams Magallanes Province (Provincia Magallanes), with its capital at Punta Arenas Tierra del Fuego Province (Provincia Tierra del Fuego), with its capital at Porvenir Última Esperanza Province (Provincia Última Esperanza), with its capital at Puerto Natales These provinces are further subdivided into 11 municipalities: Antártica, Cabo de Hornos, Laguna Blanca, Punta Arenas, Río Verde, San Gregorio, Porvenir, Primavera, Timaukel, Natales, and Torres del Paine. Demographics The population of Magallanes is one of the lowest in Chile, as one of the last regions colonized. In the 1854 census counted 158 settlers, concentrated in Punta Arenas. The native population in 1830, according to King, amounted to approximately 2,200, with about 400 in western Patagonia and approximately 1,600 in the southern Straits. The census of 1875 recorded 1,144 inhabitants and in 1895 the population had risen to 5,170 inhabitants, mostly concentrated in the city of Punta Arenas and its surroundings. The installation of the cattle ranches attracted people from Europe (mostly Croats, British, Swiss and Italians) and southern Chile (mostly from Chiloé Archipelago), 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; Punta Arenas also has the largest percentage of residents of British descent in Chile. There is a higher proportion of non-Spanish Europeans there as well (especially Scots and Greeks), and descendants of Germans, Dutch, Danes and other Scandinavians, 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 Magellan and Chilean Antarctica Region is a result of its historic use as a hub for international travel. In the 1907 census, the Territory of Magellan had 17,330 inhabitants, distributed as follows: – City of Punta Arenas: 12,785 hab. – Patagonia Chilena: 1,094 hab. – Pen. of Brunswick: 1,062 hab. – Tierra del Fuego: 1,626 hab. – Beagle Channel: 184 inhabitants. – Last Hope: 392 inhabitants. – Baker River: 187 inhabitants. This proportional distribution has persisted, with the bulk of the regional population in the city of Punta Arenas, and in the provincial capitals Puerto Natales, Porvenir (Spanish for "future") and Puerto Williams, one of the world's southernmost cities. In the past 50 years, the population has increased moderately as shown below, but the region still has one of the lowest population densities in the country. The population remains mostly urban and 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. 2017: 165,593 hab. 2024: 166,537 hab. The most populated cities are Punta Arenas (132,363 inhabitants), Puerto Natales (24,152) Porvenir (6,809), Cabo de Hornos (1,750) and Primavera (431). Economy Despite its small population, the region is economically quite dynamic. In recent years, it has experienced a diversification of economic activities as well as a consolidation of its traditional sectors. In recent years, the region has also shown strong macroeconomic performance. In 2024, Magallanes ranked among the top three regions in Chile for economic growth, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanding by approximately 5.6%, well above the national average of 2.6%. This growth was driven mainly by manufacturing (especially chemical products), construction, and fishing, alongside increases in tourism activity and employment. During the December 2024–February 2025 period, Magallanes recorded one of the highest employment rates in the country, at about 63.4%, while maintaining a low unemployment rate of 5.0%, among the lowest in Chile. The region also stood out for having the lowest rate of informal employment, at 18.2%. This economic momentum continued into 2025, with a sharp rise in exports. In the first half of the year, exports reached approximately US$766 million, representing growth of more than 45% compared with the same period of the previous year. The economy of the Magallanes Region is strongly oriented toward livestock farming, which forms the backbone of its traditional productive structure. The region has more than 3 million sheep, accounting for over 50% of Chile’s total, as well as approximately 400,000 head of cattle. Because of the region’s geographic isolation, these livestock populations form a genetically isolated zone, giving meat, wool, and other derived products qualities that are highly valued in European and Asian markets. Horse, pig, and poultry farming play a smaller role, although horse breeding has shown growing potential in recent years. Livestock activity has also encouraged the development of textile and food-processing industries, particularly in the province of Tierra del Fuego. Exports from this sector total US$6 million, mainly sheep meat (US$5 million), with the United States, Brazil, and Denmark as the main destinations. Mining and energy are another pillar of the regional economy, especially oil, natural gas, and coal. Oil was discovered in 1945, leading to the construction of major infrastructure in the northern steppe of Magallanes Province and northern Tierra del Fuego, and to the emergence of new settlements such as Cerro Sombrero and Posesión. In recent years, oil production by ENAP Magallanes has declined, leaving natural gas as the primary output. However, the approval in 2006 of a gas extraction project at Lake Mercedes, in southern Tierra del Fuego, reinforced the region’s role as an energy-producing area. In the first quarter of 2025, regional exports (excluding copper and lithium) increased by 42.6%, reaching approximately US$366 million. Closely linked to mining and energy, a major petrochemical industrial hub has developed in Cabo Negro, about 30 km north of Punta Arenas. This area hosts large-scale investments, including the largest methanol plant in the world. Coal extraction has also resumed in Otway Sound due to domestic demand, while limestone is mined on Guarello Island. The fishing and aquaculture sector is one of the most dynamic components of the regional economy and the largest contributor to exports. Shipments from this sector total US$198 million, representing 13.5% growth. The main products are salmon and trout (US$162 million), followed by king crab (centolla) (US$17 million), Patagonian toothfish (US$8 million), and southern hake (US$6 million). The principal export markets are the United States, Brazil, and China. The region is also Chile’s leading exporter of king crab and false king crab (centollón), both highly valued in international cuisine. Manufacturing is the second most important export sector in Magallanes, with exports totaling US$158 million and a strong growth rate of 114%. This sector is dominated by ethanol production (US$151 million), followed by maritime transport equipment (US$4 million) and sheep wool (US$3 million). The main destination markets are Brazil, South Korea, and China. The forestry sector has also been revitalized in recent years and has been efficiently regulated, resulting in substantial exports of Nothofagus timber. Alongside these productive activities, services and commerce—characterized by the presence of a free trade zone—have supported regional tourism, which has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in recent years. This growth is driven by the area’s natural beauty, including glaciers and ancient ice fields, Andean formations, extensive lenga and coigüe forests, large lakes and navigable rivers, plains, as well as a cosmopolitan history, open to the world, distant from the rest of the country, yet marked by a unique sense of identity. This has opened new development opportunities in the region, with new infrastructure and a strong emphasis on environmental protection. For this reason, the region includes the Cabo de Hornos Biosphere Reserve, the southernmost in the world. Tourism activity showed positive trends in 2024, with 716,351 overnight stays, an 11% increase over the previous year, and 397,389 tourist arrivals, up 20% from 2023. Major tourist destinations in the region include the village of Puerto Edén, the Patagonian channels, the Southern Ice Fields, Torres del Paine National Park, the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers, Fort Bulnes, Puerto Williams, the Canal of the Mountains, the Río Verde area, livestock estancias, the city of Puerto Natales, Cape Froward (the southernmost point of South America), Francisco Coloane Marine Park with whale watching, penguin colonies in Otway Sound and on Magdalena Island, and the lighthouses of Punta Delgada, Punta Dungeness, and San Isidro. Fishing is also practiced in numerous rivers, including the San Juan, Tranquilo, Serrano, Paine, de las Chinas, Baguales, Vizcachas, Penitente, Rubens, Pérez, Pescado, Grande, Marazzi, Rasmussen, del Oro, Verde, O’Higgins, and Azopardo rivers, among others. The region also contains many lakes, such as Lake Pingo, Laguna Azul, Laguna Amarga, Lake Grey, Lake Sarmiento, Lake Nordenskjöld, Lake Pehoé, Lake del Toro, Lake Porteño, Laguna Verde, Lake Dickson, Laguna Figueroa, Laguna Sofía, Laguna Diana, Lake Balmaceda, Lake Aníbal Pinto, Laguna Blanca, Laguna del Toro, Laguna de los Cisnes, Laguna Santa María, Laguna Parrillar, Lake Lynch, Lake Chico, Lake Blanco, Lake Deseado, Lake Fagnano, Lake Mercedes, Lake Navarino, Lake Windhond, and Lake Lovenborg. As significant as Torres del Paine National Park, the Fuegian channels, the Darwin Cordillera, the Beagle Channel, and the legendary Cape Horn are of global importance. Education University of Magellan (UMAG) is a university in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. It is part of the Chilean Traditional Universities. The University of Magellan was established in 1981 during the economic reforms of Chile's military regime as the successor of Universidad Técnica del Estado's Punta Arenas section. Universidad Técnica del Estado had established the Punta Arenas section in 1961. The University of Magellan have campuses in Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales as well as a university centre in Puerto Williams. University of Magellan publishes the humanities and social sciences journal Magallania twice a year. Gallery See also Media related to Category:Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region at Wikimedia Commons Chilean Antarctic Territory Cerro Toro Eberhard Fjord Flag of Magallanes Tierra del Fuego Gold Rush Governorate of New León Southern Patagonian Ice Field dispute Notes References Sources C. Michael Hogan (2008) Cueva del Milodon, The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham The Megalithic Portal Pisano Valdés, E. (1977). "Fitogeografía de Fuego-Patagonia chilena. I.-Comunidades vegetales entre las latitudes 52 y 56º S". Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia (in Spanish). Vol. VIII. Punta Arenas.: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) External links Gobierno Regional Magallanes y Antártica Chilena official website (in Spanish) Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve BBC article: "Lake disappears suddenly in Chile"