Punta Arenas

Nighttime summer view of Punta Arenas. In the background the Strait of Magellan and the north coast of Tierra del Fuego (Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego)

Memorial to Ferdinand Magellan in Punta Arenas.

Punta Arenas (English: "Sandy Point") is a commune and the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antartica Chilena. The city was officially renamed Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to Punta Arenas. It is the largest city south of the 46th parallel south. As of 1977 Punta Arenas has been one of only two free ports in Chile.

Located on the north shore of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas was originally established in 1848 as a tiny penal colony. During the remainder of the 1800's Punta Arenas grew in size and importance due to the increasing maritime traffic and trade destined to the the west coast of both South and North America. This period of growth also coincided with the a gold rush and sheep farming boom in the 1880's and early 1900's. Chile effectively used Punta Arenas to firm up it's sovereignty in this southernmost part of South America, which lead to the Strait of Magellan subscuently being recognized as Chilean territory in the Boundary treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina. The geopolitical importance of Punta Arenas has remained high in the 20th and 21st centuries because of it's logistic importannce in accessing the Antarctic Peninsula.

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 among the largest cities in the entire Patagonian Region. 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, father of Juan Williams Rebolledo, 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.

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Panoramic view of northern Punta Arenas

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Demography

Punta Arenas has a population of over 154,000 inhabitants (2008). According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, the Punta Arenas commune has 119,496 inhabitants (60,616 men and 58,880 women). Of these, 116,005 (97.1%) lived in urban areas and 3,491 (2.9%) in rural areas. The population grew by 5.1% (5,830 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.

The city has its roots among the population origin of the European colonists (Croatian and Spanish) that populated the area at mid-nineteenth century. One can also find colonies of descendants of people from other countries (i.e. German, English, Italian, Swiss, Irish 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, streets and many buildings. According to some references to 50% of the population of Punta Arenas would be descendants of Croats.

Economy

Ice breaker RV Laurence M. Gould in Punta Arenas. Punta Arenas is an important point in the supply of Antarctic bases in West Antarctica

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.

Some cruise ships to Antarctica depart from Punta Arenas's port, which also serves as a hub for many cruise lines that travel along the channels and fjords of the region. The city is served by Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport, which has flights operated by LAN Airlines, Aerovías DAP and Sky Airline; most flights are to other destinations within Chile, although Ushuaia (Argentina) and Mount Pleasant (Falkland Islands) are also served.

Education

University of Magallanes (UMAG) is a university in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. It is part of the Chilean Traditional Universities. The University of Magallanes was established in 1981 during the neoliberal reforms of the 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 Magallanes have campuses in Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales as well as a university centre in Puerto Williams. University of Magallanes publishes the humanities and social sciences journal Magallania twice a year.

Culture

Nao Victoria, Magellan's ship Replica in the Museo Nao Victoria Punta Arenas

Nao Victoria Museum

Main article: Museo Nao Victoria (Chile)

It is located 7.5 km north on Route Y-565 to Rio Seco. It exhibits a full-size replica of the first ship ever to circumnavigate the world: Ferdinand Magellan's ship replica Nao Victoria. From 1 October 2011 the museum has added a full-size replica of the "James Caird" used by Ernest Shackleton during his unfortunate Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition with the Endurance.

Climate

Punta Arenas has a semi-arid, ocean-moderated climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). The seasonal temperature in Punta Arenas is greatly moderated by its proximity to the ocean, with specifying average lows in July near -1 °C and highs in January of 14 °C. 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.

Climate data for Punta Arenas, Chile
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	14.7	14.4	12.8	9.8	6.4	4.2	3.7	5.3	7.9	10.6	12.5	14.1	9.7
Daily mean °C (°F)	10.6	10.3	8.9	6.5	3.7	1.8	1.3	2.6	4.5	6.6	8.5	9.9	6.3
Average low °C (°F)	6.5	6.2	5.0	3.2	1.0	−0.7	−1.1	−0.1	1.0	2.6	4.4	5.7	2.8
Rainfall mm (inches)	38.9	27.8	29.6	36.0	41.6	28.2	30.2	30.2	24.2	28.7	31.7	28.6	375.7
Avg. rainy days	15	14	15	14	14	9	12	11	10	9	11	14	148
% humidity	74	74	78	82	83	84	83	83	81	75	73	74	78.7
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)

Administration

File:Comuna de Punta Arenas.svg

Map of the Punta Arenas commune in Magallanes Region

As a commune, Punta Arenas is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008–2012 alcalde is Vladimiro Mimica Carcamo (Ind.).

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Punta Arenas is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Carolina Goic (PDC) and Miodrag Marinovic (Ind.) as part of the 60th electoral district, which includes the entire Magallanes and Antartica Chilena Region. The commune is represented in the Senate by Carlos Bianchi Chelech (Ind.) and Pedro Muñoz Aburto (PS) as part of the 19th senatorial constituency (Magallanes Region).

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 and Sky Airline, 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.

Sister cities

Punta Arenas has the following sister city relationships, according to Bellingham Sister Cities Association, and Sister Cities International:

• Bellingham, Washington, United States
• Split, Croatia

Recently, Punta Arenas had a trans-national cultural exchange programme with Scotland.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• 1949 Tierra del Fuego earthquake
• Croatian Chilean
• Immigration to Chile

External links

• portal de la ciudad
• Portal de la Ciudad
• Municipalidad de Punta Arenas
• La Prensa Austral
• Satellite picture by Google Maps