Puerto Williams

Puerto Williams (Spainyie for "Port Williams") is a Chilean port, locatit on Isla Navarino facin the Beagle Channel. It is the caipital o the Chilean Antarctic Province, ane o fower provinces locatit in the Magallanes an Antártica Chilena Region an admeenisters the communes o Chilean Antarctic Territory an Cabo de Hornos. It haes a population o 2,874, includin baith naval personnel an civilians. Puerto Williams is in some contexts referred tae as the warld's soothmaist ceety.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

Puerto Williams
View o Puerto Williams wi Dientes de Navarino muntains ahint
View o Puerto Williams wi Dientes de Navarino muntains ahint
Puerto Williams is located in Chile
Puerto Williams
Puerto Williams
Location in Chile
Coordinates (city): 54°56′S 67°37′W / 54.933°S 67.617°W / -54.933; -67.617
KintraChile
RegionMagallanes
ProvinceAntártica Chilena
Foondit asPuerto Luisa
Foondit21 November 1953
Govrenment
 • TeepMunicipality
 • AlcaldeHugo Henriquez Matus
Population
 (2002)
 • Total2,262
Time zoneUTC-4 (CLT [1])
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (CLST [2])

The dounset wis namit efter John Williams Wilson, who foondit Fuerte Bulnes, the first dounset in the Strait o Magellan syne 1587. Puerto Luisa wis its oreeginal name. Syne its foondation in 1953 the dounset haes servit primarily as a naval base. But recently navy personnel livin in Puerto Williams hae decreased while civil population haes increased. In recent years tourism haes contributit tae an increase in economic activity at Puerto Williams. Universidad de Magallanes haes a varsity centre in Puerto Williams.

Puerto Williams is port o entry an major hub for scienteefic activity linkit tae Antarcticae an the islands sooth o Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. The Universidad de Magallanes haes a varsity centre in Puerto Williams an wather stations an lichthooses in Cape Horn an Diego Ramírez Islands are suppleed frae Puerto Williams. Puerto Williams haes been instrumental for assertin sovereignty aroond Cape Horn an supportin Chile's Antarctic bases. The port is frequently visitit bi tourists goin tae Cape Horn or Antarctica an aw an haes a tourism industrie developit aroond the concept o "the warld's maist soothren ceety". The Chilean Navy runs the Guardiamarina Zañartu Airport an hospital as well as nearbi meteorological stations. Puerto Williams serves as proveesion an service centre for fishermen an aw an haes an is uised bi the Chilean navy an aw tae enforce the Chile's fishin richts in the Exclusive economic zone aroond the soothren pairt o Tierra del Fuego whaur lucrative lithodes santolla fishin is an important industrie.

History

eedit

The Yahgan fowk wur the first indwallers o the region that became kent tae Europeans in the early sixteenth century, but it wis no till the 19t century that Europeans stairtit tae be interestit in the zone an its fowks. In 1890 thare war approximately 300 goldminers in the Picton, Lennox an Nueva islands an Puerto Toro which wis foondit in 1892.[11] Puerto Navarino, on the wast side o the Navarino island, wis foondit in Juin 1938. Puerto Williams itsel wis foondit 1953 an its naval hospital wis inauguratit in 1960 wi 463 m2 (the day 638 m2).[12] In 2002 the electrical pouer supply wis transferred frae the Chilean Navy tae a private provide.[13]

Accordin tae the Treaty o Peace an Friendship o 1984 atween Chile an Argentinae Puerto Williams is the stairt pynt for vessels o aw naitions in traffec atween the Straits o Magellan an Argentine ports in the Beagle Channel.

Demografie

eedit

Based on some definitions o wha a ceety is Puerto Williams coud be the soothmaist ceety in the warld. Chilean media an Puerto Williams admeenistration report it tae be the soothmaist ceety in the warld.[5][6][7][8] Atween 1982 an 2002 the population o Puerto Williams grew frae 1,059 tae 2,874.[14] Puerto Williams, syne 1982, is considered an urban entity bi Chile's Naitional Statistics Institute (INE),[14] awtho the depairtment itsel classifees a ceety tae be an urban entity wi mair nor 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

eedit

Glorias Navales Regata: In the last week o Mey, thare is a sailin competeetion wi sailors frae aw pairts o the warld. The competeetion is on its 7t session an haes mair nor 300 pairticipants ivery year. The journey stairts frae the ceety's port an tak the fjords route. The regatta is pairt o the Chilean Navy's Month o the Sea activities that conmemorates the Naval battle o Iquique in 1879.
Fiesta de la nieve: Celebratin the winter saison on Julie, the ceety celebrates the winter wi snaw gemmes, caurs an rodeos, in a celebration that last 6 days.[18]

Climate

eedit

The climate o Puerto Williams is a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) accordin tae the Köppen climate classification. The simmers are short, ceul while the winters lang, wet, but yet moderatit. Rainfaw is aroond 3,000 mm (118 in) a year an temperaturs are steady throuoot the year. Snawfaw can occur in simmer. The cauld an wet simmers help preserve glaciers. Exposed auries aroond Puerto Williams possess subantarctic climate teepical o tundra that maks the growthe o trees impossible. Regions in the warld wi seemilar climates tae soothren Tierra del Fuego are: Aleutian islands, Iceland, Alaska Peninsulae an Faroe Islands.

Climate data for Puerto Williams (1977-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average heich °C (°F) 15.1
(59.2)
14.5
(58.1)
12.7
(54.9)
10.1
(50.2)
7.2
(45.0)
5.2
(41.4)
3.9
(39.0)
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
(50.0)
8.8
(47.8)
6.7
(44.1)
3.9
(39.0)
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 law °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

eedit

Tourism is ane o the main economic activities o Puerto Williams. Maist lodgins for tourists are hostels. Thare are several trails for multi-day hikes an back-packin trips in the Dientes de Navarino muntains sooth o Puerto Williams. Remains o Indie campsteids an fishtraps can be foond alang the coast east o the ceety. Puerto Williams is hame tae the Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum, which depicts the lifes o baith the Yamana or Yahgan an Selknam fowks who ance inhabitit Tierra del Fuego. For easy sploration o some o the subantarctic forest, the Omora Ethnobotanical Park is five kilometres doun the road tae the wast.

 
Beagle Channel seen frae abuin Puerto Williams.

Thare is a five day hiking circuit aroond the jaggit pinnacles kent as the Dientes de Navarino. The trail passes peaks kent as Cerro Clem an Montes Lindenmayer, namit in 2001 bi the Chilean Meenistry o Natural Resoorces for the author o the Lonely Planet guide.[20]

Transport

eedit

Access is bi daily air service providit bi Aerovías DAP or bi weekly ro-ro ferry 'Bahía Azul' frae Punta Arenas, 350 kilometre (220 mi) tae the north. Thare is nae regular link wi Argentinae an connection tae Ushuaia is restrictit.[21]

eedit
 
The bow section o the Yelcho

Puerto Williams is ane o the principal naval bases o the Chilean Navy. The base is uised as stairt pynt for patrol, reconnaissance missions an rescues in the auries o Beagle Channel, Cape Horn, Drake's Passage an the Antarctic Peninsulae. The Chilean Navy operates Guardia Marina Zañartu Airport an the Naval Hospital of Puerto Williams in Puerto Williams. Navy personnel maks up a considerable portion o the population awtho the navy personnel population haes diminished in recent years. The follaein patrol boats an ships are stationed at Puerto Williams:[22]

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

The bow section o the Yelcho, the tug uised bi Ernest Shackleton tae rescue men strandit on Elephant Island can be seen at the front o the Naval heidquairters.[23]

Services an facilities

eedit
 
Kirk o Puerto Williams

See an aw

eedit

References

eedit
  1. "Chile Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Archived frae the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 29 Julie 2010.
  2. "Chile Summer Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Archived frae the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 29 Julie 2010.
  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". Archived frae the original on 4 Mairch 2016. Retrieved 22 Februar 2013.
  5. a b http://www.infinito-sur.com/ Archived 2013-04-22 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 9 April 2012
  6. a b Puerto Williams espera una gran temporada de centolla[deid airtin], retrieved 9 April 2012
  7. a b Escritorio Estudiantes Archived 2009-02-28 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 9 April 2012
  8. a b dibam Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 9 April 2012
  9. "Times Online". Archived frae the original on 8 September 2011. Retrieved 14 Julie 2009.
  10. Website thisischile.cl Puerto Williams, the southernmost town in the world Archived 2020-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Gastón Droguett Valdivia, Historia de Puerto Williams, Capital de la Provincia Antártica Chilena Archived 2013-04-20 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved on 13 April 2012
  12. Historia Hospital Naval de Puerto Williams Archived 2015-01-11 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved on 13 April 2012
  13. Edelmag, 1897 La luz llega a Magallanes Archived 2015-01-11 at the Wayback Machine
  14. a b EL POBLAMIENTO RURAL EN MAGALLANES DURANTE EL SIGLO XX. REALIDAD Y UTOPÍA. Mateo Martinic. Magallania, 2006.
  15. (in Spaingie) "CHILE: División Político-Administrativa y Censal 2001" (PDF), National Statistics Institute, p. 10, 2001, retrieved 12 Mairch 2011
  16. (in Spaingie) "División Político Administrativa" (PDF). 2007. p. 351. Retrieved 12 Mairch 2011.
  17. Plan Regional de Desarrollo Urbano, XIIª Región de Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena - Memoria Explicativa
  18. Puerto Williams Article Archived 2013-05-24 at the Wayback Machine in Letsgochile.com
  19. "Puerto Williams Climate Data" (in eng). geodata.us. Archived frae the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 17 Juin 2011.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  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[deid airtin]
  22. Armada de Chile, Tercera Zona Naval: Unidades Dependientes.
  23. John F.Mann, The "Endurance obituaries, The S.S. Yelcho Archived 2012-03-06 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved on 15 April 2012

Freemit airtins

eedit