Ushuaia

For other uses, see Ushuaia (disambiguation).

Template:Placebox-begin Template:City-header-ar Template:Placebox-begin-data Template:City-poli-ar Template:Placebox-coor Template:Placebox-people Template:Placebox-phone-ar Template:Placebox-postal-code-ar Template:City-authority Template:Placebox-map Template:Placebox-end-data Template:Placebox-end Ushuaia (pronounced [uˈswa.ja]) is the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, and one of the world's southernmost cities. It is located at 54°48′S 68°18′W on the southern coast of the island of Tierra del Fuego, in a setting surrounded by mountains and overlooking the Beagle Channel. It has 45,430 inhabitants as per the 2001 census [INDEC].

The city of Ushuaia in early spring.

Other contenders to southermost city are Puerto Williams in Chile (further south but has fewer inhabitants); and Punta Arenas, Chile (much larger and slightly further north). Several continuously inhabited settlements also south of Ushuaia include Puerto Toro on Isla Navarino, Chile, Orcadas in the South Orkney Islands, and Esperanza in the Argentine Antarctic territory. Each of these settlements has fewer than 100 residents. Orcadas and Esperanza are merely considered bases by nations that do not recognise Argentina's Antarctic territorial claim, but they are considered as communities by the Argentine government.

Satellite view of the city and its bay.

The city was originally named by early British colonists after the name that the native Yámana people had for the area. For most of the first half of the 20th century, the city was centered around a prison for serious criminals. The Argentine government set up this prison following the example of the British with Australia: being a remote island, escape from a prison on Tierra del Fuego would have been impossible. The prisoners thus became forced colonists and spent much of their time cutting wood in the lands around the prison and building the town. They built a railway from the forests to the settlement, now used as a tourist train as the Tren del Fin del Mundo (End of the Earth Train), the southernmost railway in the world.

Tourism

A lighthouse near Ushuaia

The tourist attractions include the Tierra del Fuego National Park (to see Lapataia Bay) including by using the Tren del Fin del Mundo; hiring a boat charter to Cape Horn (in Chilean waters); and local birds, penguins and seawolves on the islands in the Beagle Channel. Some tours also visit the Lighthouse at the End of the World (Faro del fin del mundo) at the Isla de los Estados, made famous by Jules Verne in the novel of the same name.

It is also a key access point to the southern regions; it receives regular flights from Buenos Aires, (at Ushuaia International Airport), and cruise ships visiting the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and Antarctica dock at the port. There are a number of ski areas nearby, like Cerro Castor and Glaciar Martial.

TV programme

"Ushuaïa, le magazine de l'Extrême" was the name of a television programme, presented by Nicolas Hulot and broadcast on the French TV channel TF1 from September 1987 to June 1995.

Gallery

Panorama of Ushuaia

Panorama of Ushuaia from 2005-02-06.

External links

• Template:Es icon Municipality of Ushuaia (official website).
• Template:En icon Tourist information.
• Template:Fr icon Template:En icon Ushuaïa, le magazine de l'Extrême (TV programme website).