Puerto Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Puerto Williams
—  Town  —
View of Puerto Williams with Dientes de Navarino mountains behind
Puerto Williams is located in Chile
Puerto Williams
Location in Chile
Coordinates (city): 54°56′S 67°37′W / 54.933°S 67.617°W / -54.933; -67.617Coordinates: 54°56′S 67°37′W / 54.933°S 67.617°W / -54.933; -67.617
Country Chile
Region Magallanes
Province Antártica Chilena
Founded as Puerto Luisa
Founded 21 November 1953
Government
 • Type Municipality
 • Alcalde Hugo Henriquez Matus
Population (2002)
 • Total 2,262
Time zone CLT [1] (UTC-4)
 • Summer (DST) CLST [2] (UTC-3)

Puerto Williams (Spanish for "Port Williams") is a Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antartica Region and administers the communes of Chilean Antarctic Territory and Cabo de Hornos. It has a population of 2,874, including both naval personnel and civilians. Puerto Williams is in some contexts referred to as the world's southernmost city.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

The settlement was named after John Williams Wilson, who founded Fuerte Bulnes, the first settlement in the Strait of Magellan since 1587. Puerto Luisa was its original name. Since its foundation in 1953 the settlement has served primarily as a naval base. But recently navy personnel living in Puerto Williams have decreased while civil population has increased. In recent years tourism has contributed to an increase in economic activity at Puerto Williams. Universidad de Magallanes has a university centre in Puerto Williams.

Contents

Overview [edit]

Puerto Williams is port of entry and major hub for scientific activity linked to Antarctica and the islands south of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. The University of Magallanes has a university centre in Puerto Williams and weather stations and lighthouses in Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez Islands are supplied from Puerto Williams. Puerto Williams has been instrumental for asserting sovereignty around Cape Horn and supporting Chile's Antarctic bases. The port is also frequently visited by tourists going to Cape Horn or Antarctica and has a tourism industry developed around the concept of "the world's most southern city". The Chilean Navy runs the Guardiamarina Zañartu Airport and hospital as well as nearby meteorological stations. Puerto Williams also serves as provision and service centre for fishermen and has and is also used by the Chilean navy to enforce the Chile's fishing rights in the Exclusive economic zone around the southern part of Tierra del Fuego where lucrative lithodes santolla fishing is an important industry.

History [edit]

See also: Tierra del Fuego Gold Rush

The Yahgan people were the first inhabitants of the region that became known to Europeans in the early sixteenth century, but it was not until the 19th century that Europeans started to be interested in the zone and its peoples. In 1890 there were approximately 300 goldminers in the Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and Puerto Toro which was founded in 1892.[11] Puerto Navarino, on the west side of the Navarino island, was founded in June 1938. Puerto Williams itself was founded 1953 and its naval hospital was inaugurated in 1960 with 463 m2 (today 638 m2).[12] In 2002 the electrical power supply was transferred from the Chilean Navy to a private provide.[13]

According to the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina Puerto Williams is the start point for vessels of all nations in traffic between the Straits of Magellan and Argentine ports in the Beagle Channel.

Demography [edit]

Based on some definitions of what a city is Puerto Williams could be the southernmost city in the world. Chilean media and Puerto Williams administration report it to be the southernmost city in the world.[5][6][7][8] Between 1982 and 2002 the population of Puerto Williams grew from 1,059 to 2,874.[14] Puerto Williams, since 1982, is considered an urban entity by Chile's National Statistics Institute (INE),[14] although the department itself classifies a city to be an urban entity with more than 5,000 residents[15][16]

Demographic evolution of Puerto Williams[17]
Year population
2002 1,952
1992 1,550
1982 1,047
1970 696
1960 302

Local celebrations [edit]

Glorias Navales Regata: In the last week of May,there is a sailing competition with sailors from all parts of the world. The competition is on its 7th session and has more than 300 participants every year.The journey starts from the city's port and take the fjords route. The regatta is part of the Chilean Navy's Month of the Sea activities that conmemorates the Naval battle of Iquique in 1879.
Fiesta de la nieve: Celebrating the winter season on July, the city celebrates the winter with snow games, cars and rodeos, in a celebration that last 6 days.[18]

Climate [edit]

See also: Climate of Chile

The climate of Puerto Williams is a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) according to the Köppen climate classification. The summers are short, cool while the winters long, wet, but yet moderated. Rainfall is around 3,000 mm (118 in) a year and temperatures are steady throughout the year. Snowfall can occur in summer. The cold and wet summers help preserve glaciers. Exposed areas around Puerto Williams possess subantarctic climate typical of tundra that makes the growth of trees impossible. Regions in the world with similar climates to southern Tierra del Fuego are: Aleutian islands, Iceland, Alaska Peninsula and Faroe Islands.

Climate data for Puerto Williams (1977-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 15.1
(59.2)		 14.5
(58.1)		 12.7
(54.9)		 10.1
(50.2)		 7.2
(45)		 5.2
(41.4)		 3.9
(39)		 5.8
(42.4)		 8.5
(47.3)		 9.6
(49.3)		 12.3
(54.1)		 14.5
(58.1)		 10
(50)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.5
(50.9)		 10.0
(50)		 8.8
(47.8)		 6.7
(44.1)		 3.9
(39)		 2.6
(36.7)		 1.3
(34.3)		 3.1
(37.6)		 4.6
(40.3)		 5.9
(42.6)		 7.9
(46.2)		 9.8
(49.6)		 6.3
(43.3)
Average low °C (°F) 5.9
(42.6)		 5.6
(42.1)		 4.9
(40.8)		 3.2
(37.8)		 0.6
(33.1)		 0
(32)		 −1.3
(29.7)		 0.4
(32.7)		 0.6
(33.1)		 2.1
(35.8)		 3.5
(38.3)		 5.1
(41.2)		 2.6
(36.7)
Source: geodata.us[19]

Tourism [edit]

Tourism is one of the main economic activities of Puerto Williams. Most lodgings for tourists are hostels. There are several trails for multi-day hikes and back-packing trips in the Dientes de Navarino mountains south of Puerto Williams. Remains of Indian campsites and fishtraps can be found along the coast east of the city. Puerto Williams is home to the Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum, which depicts the lives of both the Yamana or Yahgan and Selknam peoples who once inhabited Tierra del Fuego. For easy exploration of some of the subantarctic forest, the Omora Ethnobotanical Park is five kilometres down the road to the west.

Beagle Channel seen from above Puerto Williams.

There is a five day hiking circuit around the jagged pinnacles known as the Dientes de Navarino. The trail passes peaks known as Cerro Clem and Montes Lindenmayer, named in 2001 by the Chilean Ministry of Natural Resources for the author of the Lonely Planet guide.[20]

Transport [edit]

Access is by daily air service provided by Aerovías DAP or by weekly ro-ro ferry 'Bahía Azul' from Punta Arenas, 350 kilometres (220 mi) to the north. There is no regular link with Argentina and connection to Ushuaia is restricted.[21]

Naval base [edit]

The bow section of the Yelcho

Puerto Williams is one of the principal naval bases of the Chilean Navy. The base is used as start point for patrol, reconnaissance missions and rescues in the areas of Beagle Channel, Cape Horn, Drake's Passage and the Antarctic Peninsula. The Chilean Navy operates Guardia Marina Zañartu Airport and the Naval Hospital of Puerto Williams in Puerto Williams. Navy personnel makes up a considerable portion of the population although the navy personnel population has diminished in recent years. The following patrol boats and ships are stationed at Puerto Williams:[22]

  • PSG Sibbald
  • PSG Isaza
  • LSG Hallef
  • LSG Alacalufe
  • PM Puerto Williams

The bow section of the Yelcho, the tug used by Ernest Shackleton to rescue men stranded on Elephant Island can be seen at the front of the Naval headquarters.[23]

Services and facilities [edit]

Church of Puerto Williams

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Chile Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 
  2. ^ "Chile Summer Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 
  3. ^ http://edant.clarin.com/diario/1998/06/30/e-04801d.htm
  4. ^ Puerto Williams: ubicada entre Tierra del Fuego por el norte y el Cabo de Hornos por el sur , por lo tanto es la cuidad mas Austral del país y del mundo
  5. ^ a b http://www.infinito-sur.com/, retrieved 9 April 2012
  6. ^ a b Puerto Williams espera una gran temporada de centolla, retrieved 9 April 2012
  7. ^ a b Escritorio Estudiantes, retrieved 9 April 2012
  8. ^ a b dibam, retrieved 9 April 2012
  9. ^ Times Online
  10. ^ Website thisischile.cl Puerto Williams, the southernmost town in the world
  11. ^ Gastón Droguett Valdivia, Historia de Puerto Williams, Capital de la Provincia Antártica Chilena, retrieved on 13 April 2012
  12. ^ Historia Hospital Naval de Puerto Williams, retrieved on 13 April 2012
  13. ^ Edelmag, 1897 La luz llega a Magallanes
  14. ^ a b EL POBLAMIENTO RURAL EN MAGALLANES DURANTE EL SIGLO XX. REALIDAD Y UTOPÍA. Mateo Martinic. Magallania, 2006.
  15. ^ (Spanish) National Statistics Institute (PDF): 10 http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/territorio/division_politico_administrativa/pdf/dpa2001.pdf |url= missing title (help), retrieved 12 March 2011  Unknown parameter |published= ignored (help)
  16. ^ (Spanish) "División Político Administrativa" (PDF). 2007. p. 351. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  17. ^ Plan Regional de Desarrollo Urbano, XIIª Región de Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena - Memoria Explicativa
  18. ^ Puerto Williams Article in Letsgochile.com
  19. ^ "Puerto Williams Climate Data" (in eng). geodata.us. Retrieved June 17, 2011. 
  20. ^ Lindenmayer, C.(2003) Trekking in the Patagonian Andes Lonely Planet ISBN 978-1-86450-059-2 p.257
  21. ^ Fishing for social realities—Challenges to sustainable fisheries management in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve
  22. ^ Armada de Chile, Tercera Zona Naval: Unidades Dependientes.
  23. ^ John F.Mann, The "Endurance obituaries, The S.S. Yelcho, retrieved on 15 April 2012

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Puerto Williams
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Puerto_Williams&oldid=539925128"