Puerto Williams (;

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

for "Port Williams") is the city, port and naval base on

Navarino Island Navarino Island () is a Chilean island located between Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, to the north, and Cape Horn, to the south. The island forms part of the Commune of Cabo de Hornos, the southernmost commune in Chile and in the world, belong ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

. It faces the

Beagle Channel Beagle Channel (; Yahgan: ''Onašaga'') is a strait in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago, on the extreme southern tip of South America between Chile and Argentina. The channel separates the larger main island of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego fr ...

. It is the

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four

provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

in the Magellan and Chilean Antarctica Region, and administers the communes of

Chilean Antarctic Territory The Chilean Antarctic Territory or Chilean Antarctica (Spanish: ''Territorio Chileno Antártico'', ''Antártica Chilena'') is the territory in Antarctica claimed by Chile. The Chilean Antarctic Territory ranges from 53° West to 90° West and f ...

and

Cabo de Hornos Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramírez ...

. It has a population of 2,874, including both naval personnel and civilians. Puerto Williams claims the title of world's southernmost city.http://www.infinito-sur.com/
, retrieved 9 April 2012Escritorio Estudiantes
, retrieved 9 April 2012 The settlement was founded in 1953, and was first named ''Puerto Luisa.'' The town was later named after

John Williams Wilson John Williams Wilson (1798–1857), also known as Juan Guillermos, was an English- Chilean sailor and politician. Born in Bristol, he entered the newly founded Chilean navy in 1824 and rose to the rank of commander. He was appointed governor of ...

, a British man who founded

Fuerte Bulnes Fuerte Bulnes is a Chilean fort located by the Strait of Magellan, 62 km south of Punta Arenas. It was founded in 1843 on a rocky hill at Punta Santa Ana, and named after President Manuel Bulnes Prieto. The fort was built to further the ...

, the first settlement in the

Strait of Magellan The Strait of Magellan (), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural pass ...

. It has served primarily as a naval base for Chile. The Chilean Navy runs the

Guardiamarina Zañartu Airport Guardia Marina Zañartu Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Guardia Marina Zañartu) is an airport serving the town of Puerto Williams on the north shore of Navarino Island in the Magallanes Region of Chile. The island is at the southern tip of Chile, and i ...

and hospital, as well as nearby meteorological stations. Since the late 20th century, the number of navy personnel has decreased in Puerto Williams and the civilian population has increased. In that period, tourism and support of scientific research have contributed to an increase in economic activity. The port attracts tourists going to

Cape Horn Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramírez ...

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

; its tourism industry developed around the concept of "the world's southernmost city". Based on some definitions of what a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

is, Puerto Williams could in fact be the southernmost city in the world. However, others dispute this because of the town's small size and population in favour of

Ushuaia Ushuaia ( , ) is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina. With a population of nearly 75,000 and a location below the 54th parallel south latitude, Ushuaia claims the title of world's southern ...

Punta Arenas Punta Arenas (; historically Sandy Point in English) is the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena. The city was officially renamed as Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to "Punta Aren ...

. Chilean and Argentinian

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

, a bilateral agreement between Chile and Argentina, and the Puerto Williams administration identify it as the southernmost city in the world. Puerto Williams is the port of entry and major hub for scientific activity linked to

and the islands south of

Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (English: ''Big Island of the Land of Fire'') also formerly ''Isla de Xátiva''University of Magallanes University of Magallanes (UMAG) is a university in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. It is a public state university and it is part of the Chilean Traditional Universities. The University of Magallanes was established in 1981 during the ...

has a university centre in Puerto Williams. Weather stations and

lighthouses A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark ...

and

Diego Ramírez Islands The Diego Ramírez Islands ( es, Islas Diego Ramírez) are a small group of subantarctic islands located in the southernmost extreme of Chile. History The islands were first sighted on 12 February 1619 by the Spanish Garcia de Nodal expedition, ...

are supplied from Puerto Williams. The town has been a base for Chile to assert sovereignty around Cape Horn and support its Antarctic bases. Puerto Williams also serves as a provision and service centre for fishermen. The Navy is based here in part to enforce national fishing rights in the exclusive economic zone around the southern part of Tierra del Fuego, where lucrative ''

Lithodes santolla ''Lithodes santolla'', also known as the southern king crab, king crab or centolla, is a species of king crab, found off southern South America including the Falklands/Malvinas. On the Pacific side, it is found in Chile from Valdivia at around 4 ...

'' fishing is an important industry.

History

The

Yahgan people The Yahgan (also called Yagán, Yaghan, Yámana, Yamana or Tequenica) are a group of indigenous peoples in the Southern Cone. Their traditional territory includes the islands south of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, extending their presence in ...

, indigenous to southern Chile, are believed to have migrated to this area more than 10,000 years ago and established their traditional hunter-gatherer culture. Europeans first came across them and the area in the early sixteenth century. It was not until the 19th century that Europeans began to be interested in the area for development; its towns had sometimes supplied whaling ships. At the end of the 19th century, gold was discovered in the region, attracting masses of migrants and immigrants seeking fortunes. By 1890 there were approximately 300 goldminers in the

Picton, Lennox and Nueva __NOTOC__ Picton, Lennox and Nueva () form a group of three islands (and their islets) at the extreme southern tip of South America, in the Chilean commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Reg ...

islands and

Puerto Toro Puerto Toro is a hamlet on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile. Puerto Toro was founded in 1892 during the Tierra del Fuego Gold Rush by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret.Bascopé Julio, JoaquínSENTIDOS COLONIALES I. EL ORO Y LA VIDA SALVA ...

which was founded in 1892.

Puerto Navarino Puerto Navarino is a Chilean port on the Beagle Channel in western Navarino Island opposite Ushuaia in Argentina. Puerto Navarino is part of Cabo de Hornos commune. It is 54km west of Puerto Williams along a gravel road. It is one of the most south ...

, on the west side of the Navarino island, was founded in June 1938. In addition, some of the islands were developed to support sheep ranching, and meat and wool exports became important. Puerto Williams was founded 1953, developed primarily as a naval base for Chile. Its naval hospital of 463 m² (today 638 m²) opened in 1960. In 2002 the electrical power supply was transferred from the Chilean Navy to a private provider. According to the

Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina ( es, Tratado de Paz y Amistad de 1984 entre Chile y Argentina, see the text in thUnited Nations was signed into agreement at the Vatican on 29 November 1984. It was ratified ...

, Puerto Williams is the start point for vessels of all nations in traffic between the

Straits of Magellan The Strait of Magellan (), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural pass ...

and Argentine ports in the

Demography

Between 1982 and 2002, the population of Puerto Williams grew from 1,059 to 2,874.EL POBLAMIENTO RURAL EN MAGALLANES DURANTE EL SIGLO XX. REALIDAD Y UTOPÍA

Mateo Martinic Mateo Martinić Beroš (born 20 October 1931) is a Chilean historian, politician and lawyer of Croatian descent. He has primarily dealt with the history of Magallanes Region. He entered the University of Chile in 1953 studying briefly pedagogy befo ...

. ''

Magallania ''Magallania'' is an academic journal published by the University of Magallanes. It publishes articles on social sciences and humanities regarding Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least- ...

'', 2006. Since 1982, Puerto Williams has been classified as an urban entity by Chile's

National Statistics Institute National Institute of Statistics may refer to: *National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia *National Institute of Statistics of Cambodia *National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica *National Institute of Statistics and Census of Nica ...

(''INE''), although the department generally classifies a city as an urban entity with more than 5,000 residents.

Local celebrations

''Glorias Navales Regata'': In the last week of May, the city holds a sailing competition attracting international participants. The competition is on its 7th season and has more than 300 participants every year. The journey starts from the city's port and takes the fjords route. The

regatta Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...

is part of the Chilean Navy's ''Month of the Sea'' activities that commemorate the

Naval Battle of Iquique The Battle of Iquique was a naval engagement that occurred between a Chilean corvette under the command of Arturo Prat Chacón and a Peruvian ironclad under Miguel Grau Seminario on 21 May 1879, during the naval stage of the War of the Pacifi ...

in 1879. ''Fiesta de la nieve'' ("Snow Festival"): Celebrating the winter season in July, the city celebrates the winter with snow games, cars and rodeos, in a celebration that lasts 6 days.

Climate

The climate of Puerto Williams is a temperate

subpolar oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

(''Cfc'') bordering closely on a

tundra climate The tundra climate is a polar climate sub-type located in high latitudes and high mountains. undra climate https://www.britannica.com/science/tundra-climateThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2019 It is classified as ET according to Köppen ...

(''ET)'' according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

. The summers are short and cool while the winters are long, wet, but moderate. Rainfall is around a year and temperatures are steady throughout the year. Snowfall can occur in summer. The cold and wet summers help preserve

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...

s. Although the area around the town is well-forested, exposed areas at some distance from or altitude above it have a sub-Antarctic climate typical of

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless moun ...

, which makes the growth of trees impossible.

Tourism

Tourism is one of the main economic activities of Puerto Williams. Most lodgings for tourists are hostels. Several trails for multi-day hikes and back-packing trips have been developed in the Dientes de Navarino mountains south of Puerto Williams. A five-day

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

circuit passes 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 Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books. History Early years Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they embarked ...

'' guide. Remains of Yahgan Indian campsites and fishtraps can be found along the coast east of the city. Puerto Williams is home to the

Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum The Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum is an anthropology museum in Puerto Williams, Isla Navarino, in southernmost Chile. It is the southernmost museum of the world. The museum hosts artifacts, maps and photographs related to the 10,000-year hi ...

, which depicts the lives of both the Yahgan (or Yámana) and

Selk'nam The Selk'nam, also known as the Onawo or Ona people, are an indigenous people in the Patagonian region of southern Argentina and Chile, including the Tierra del Fuego islands. They were one of the last native groups in South America to be enco ...

peoples, who were indigenous to

Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of the Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla G ...

. For easy exploration of some of the subantarctic forest, the

Omora Ethnobotanical Park Omora Ethnobotanical Park is a protected area of Chile located west of Puerto Williams on Navarino Island in the extreme southern Magellan and Chilean Antarctica Region. The Omora Park is a research, education and conservation center for the C ...

is five kilometres down the road to the west.

Transport

Access is by daily air service from

provided by

Aerovías DAP DAP is a Chilean airline that operates charter and schedule flights, with its base in Punta Arenas, Chile. The DAP group is a consortium formed by Aerovías DAP, AeroRescate, Antarctic Airways, DAP Antarctica, DAP Helicópteros and Mineral Airway ...

or by the weekly

vehicle ferry Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their o ...

, ''Yaghan,'' from

, to the north. There is no formal public transport service, but an expensive transfer is possible using smaller boats to

on the main island of Tierra del Fuego, in Argentina.

Naval base

Puerto Williams is one of the principal naval bases of the

Chilean Navy The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso. History Origins and the Wars ...

. The base is used as start point for patrol, reconnaissance missions, and rescues in the areas of

Drake Passage The Drake Passage (referred to as Mar de Hoces Hoces Sea"in Spanish-speaking countries) is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atla ...

and the

Antarctic Peninsula The Antarctic Peninsula, known as O'Higgins Land in Chile and Tierra de San Martín in Argentina, and originally as Graham Land in the United Kingdom and the Palmer Peninsula in the United States, is the northernmost part of mainland Antarctic ...

. The Chilean Navy operates

Guardia Marina Zañartu Airport Guardia (Italian and Spanish, 'guard') may refer to: People *Guardia (surname), including a list of people with the name *Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia (1900–1970), Costa Rican politician *Francisco Calderón Guardia (1906–1977), Costa Ric ...

and the Naval Hospital of Puerto Williams in Puerto Williams. Navy personnel make up a considerable portion of the population, although their numbers have decreased in the 21st century. The following

patrol boat A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and the ...

s and ships are stationed at Puerto Williams: * PSG ''Sibbald'' * PSG ''Isaza'' * LSG ''Hallef'' * LSG ''Alacalufe'' * PM ''Puerto Williams'' The bow section of the ''

Yelcho The ''Yelcho'' was built in 1906 by the Scottish firm Geo. Brown and Co. of Greenock, on the River Clyde for towage and cargo service of the Chilean ''Sociedad Ganadera e Industrial Yelcho y Palena'', Puerto Montt. In 1908 she was sold to the Ch ...

'', the tug used by

Luis Pardo Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish language, Spanish form of the originally Germanic language, Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese language, Portuguese and ...

in the 20th century to rescue

Ernest Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of ...

's men stranded on

Elephant Island Elephant Island is an ice-covered, mountainous island off the coast of Antarctica in the outer reaches of the South Shetland Islands, in the Southern Ocean. The island is situated north-northeast of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, west-so ...

, has been installed at the front of the Naval headquarters.

Services and facilities

The city has a branch of

Banco de Chile Banco de Chile ( en, Bank of Chile), is a Chilean bank and financial services company with headquarters in Santiago. It is a commercial bank that provides a range of financial services to a client base. As of December 31, 2012, Banco de Chile ha ...

, and supports a

fire station __NOTOC__ A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire h ...

, and a

police station A police station (sometimes called a "station house" or just "house") is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, al ...

of the

Carabineros de Chile ( en, Carabiniers of Chile) are the Chilean national law enforcement police, who have jurisdiction over the entire national territory of the Republic of Chile. Created in 1927, their mission is to maintain order and enforce the laws of Chile. Th ...

. Children are educated at a

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

, and

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Works * ...

and

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

s, and a university centre of the

University of Magallanes University of Magallanes (UMAG) is a university in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. It is a public state university and it is part of the Chilean Traditional Universities. The University of Magallanes was established in 1981 during the ...

. The

, an airport,

seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

, and Micalvi Yacht Club are attractions. Puerto Williams is served by Radio Navarino.

Administration

Puerto Williams is administered by a municipal council, headed by a mayor who is directly elected every four years. Since 2016 the mayor is Jaime Fernández Alarcón (DC). The communal council has the following members: Daniel Fernando Valdebenito Contreras (PS) Ángela Barría Barrientos (RN) Juan Velásquez (PS) Carolina Guenel González (DC) Francis Delgado Ibaceta (RN) Paola Speake Ojeda (DC)

Gallery

File:Plaza O'Higgins, Puerto Williams, Chile.jpg, O'Higgins Plaza. File:Plaza Arturo Prat, Puerto Williams, Chile.jpg,

Arturo Prat Agustín Arturo Prat Chacón (; April 3, 1848 – May 21, 1879) was a Chilean lawyer and navy officer. He was killed in the Battle of Iquique, during the War of the Pacific. During his career, Prat had taken part in several naval engagements, ...

Plaza. File:Ilustre Municipalidad de Cabo de Hornos.jpg, Municipality of

. File:Gobernación Provincia Antártica Chilena.jpg,

Antártica Chilena Province Antártica Chilena Province ( es, Provincia Antártica Chilena) is the southernmost and one of four provinces in Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region (XII). The capital is Puerto Williams. The province comprises t ...

Governorate in Puerto Williams. File:Dientes de Navarino desde el Cerro Bandera, Chile.jpg, Dientes de Navarino From Cerro Bandera. File:Puerto-Williams.jpg, Puerto Williams from the port. File:Puerto Williams 4.jpg, Puerto Williams from the

. File:Puerto Williams 3.JPG, Puerto Williams in 1957. File:Puerto Williams (église).jpg, Catholic Church of Puerto Williams. File:Puerto Williams (base navale).jpg, Naval base of Puerto Williams. File:Puerto Williams, Chili.JPG, Puerto Williams from Cerro Bandera.

References

External links

{{commons category-inline, Puerto Williams
Information from the Chilean Tourism Service regarding activities in Puerto Williams and Cabo de Hornos National Park
* Spanish WP on Commune of Cabo de Hornos
Puerto Williams and Commune of Cabo de Hornos official website

Official website of Puerto Williams

Prensa Antártica - News of the Antártica Chilena Province

Museo Antropológico Martín Gusinde

Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve
Capitals of Chilean provinces Cities and towns in Tierra del Fuego Navarino Island Populated places established in 1953 Populated places in Antártica Chilena Ports and harbours of Chile Ports and harbours of the Atlantic Ocean Port cities in Chile Populated places in the fjords and channels of Chile 1953 establishments in Chile