This zone extends from the borders of the XI Region of Aysén to the borders of the XII Region of Magallanes and the Chilean Antarctica. The Patagonia is divided between Chile and Argentina, it is characterized for its heights ranging between the 2.000 - 4.000 meter high in comparison to the Andean central region. This part of the Patagonia is also recognized for its large ice fields, glaciers and cold climate with abundant rain.
The colonization in this zone started during the second half of the XIX century by means of the concession of large territories devoted to the cattle raising specially the sheep.

XII Region of Magallanes and the Chilean Antarctica

Punta Arenas is the regional capital and is located 3.090 kilometers to the south of Santiago.

Access Routes

By Air: Daily flights from Santiago, which last 4 hours approximately; and from Puerto Montt, the flight lasts about 2 hours.
By Sea: From Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales, the service is provided by the Navimag Shipping Company. The sailing lasts 3 days, the set off depends on the weather conditions. Normally, there are 4 sailings in a month.
By Land: From Osorno, driving by the International Highway to the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Cross and from there, by the Argentinean Territory, to the city of Punta Arenas. From Coyhaique, driving by the Southern Highway, passing by the city of Comodoro Rivadavia and other cities in Argentina to finally reach the city of Punta Arenas.

Surface

The region has a surface of 132.033,5 square kilometers (slightly higher to that of England), without taking into consideration the Antarctic Chilean territory, which has a surface of 1.250.000 square kilometers.

Population

According to the population census in 2002, it has a population of 150.826 inhabitants, the 91 per cent of whom live in the urban area.

Climate

There are three main elements that define the climate of this zone: its latitude (51° and 56° S), which corresponds to a region of low insolation, the strong marine influence, which regulates the temperature and the strong winds that blow from the Pacific. These winds blow against the Andean wall, where they bring their humidity and go on cold and dry through the pampas.
In the islands of the archipelago, the rain reaches 4.000mm in a year and at the Punta Dungenes, located at the eastern mouth of the Strait, it reaches only 254mm in a year.
This precipitation allows the growing of exuberant Magellan forest in the slopes of the cordillera and nearby, meanwhile in the pampa, it only grows a kind of grass like broom sedge.
The temperatures in the coastal areas show low fluctuations because of the regulating action of the sea, though they are relatively low considering the latitude. The highest average temperature in a year in Puerto Edén is 10°C (14°C in January and 5°C in July) and the lowest average is 5,4°C (7,8°C in January and 0,7°C in July); in Punta Dungenes, located at the Atlantic mouth of the Strait), the highest and lowest average temperatures are 10,2°C and 4°C respectively, while in Puerto Williams they are lower than 10°C.
In winter, the average level of snow reaches near the coast. Within the pampa, like in the Island of Tierra del Fuego, on the way to the city of Puerto Natales, Cerro Castillo and Torres del Paine, the plains are covered by a layer of snow.

Average temperature in the hottest and the coldest month			Place	Months of highest and lowest precipitation
Highest average temperature (°C)	Lowest average temperature (°C)	Month		Month	Rainfall in mm.
17,3	5,7	January	Puerto Natales	November	17,5
5,3	-2,8	July		March	33,2
10,5	6,8	Januar	Islote Evangelistas	October	195,2
5,2	2,5	July		March	263,8
15,3	7,3	Januar	Punta Dungenes	October	12,4
5,1	0,3	July		March	26,6
15,3	7,1	Januar	Punta Arenas	October	24,6
4,4	-0,3	July		April	41,6
12,4	5,8	January	Cabo San Isidro	July	60,9
4,5	0,2	July		March	86,1
12,8	5,9	January	Puerto Williams	October	25,7
4,8	-0,5	July		January	51,9

Economy

The main activities are the cattle raising, the oil extraction and natural gas, the methanol production and the forestry industry.
The first activity mentioned is developed in almost all the region, meanwhile the hydrocarbon industry is mainly located in the area of the Strait of Magellan. The forestry industry is mainly located in the southern part of the Tierra del Fuego Island.
The tourism is also an important income source in this zone, the southernmost in the world even though the Antarctic territory is not included.
This zone has legendary places like the Tierra del Fuego, the Strait of Magellan, the Cape Horn and the Patagonia, all of which have inspired the fiction literature from centuries ago.
Its natural attractions like the Torres del Paine National Park are worldwide known. The region is rich in Magellan forest, glaciers, fjords, channels, penguins' colonies, lakes, mountains and history and astounding national parks that preserve this patrimony.
The Antarctic territory, with its landscape full of glacier, sea, iceberg and its exotic bird fauna, is a complement to the regional tourist promotion.

Gastronomy

The typical asado de cordero (lamb roasted) and the kingcrab are part of the regional gastronomy. The salmon is also very popular and the rest of the cuisine includes lot of seafood, juice and marmalade made of calafate (a regional berry) and rhubarb.

Administrative Division

The region is divided into the Provinces of Ultima Esperanza, Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean Antarctica.

Province of Ultima Esperanza: The capital of this province is the city of Puerto Natales, a place full of cattle raising activities and the start point to visit the Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most beautiful Parks in America.
The city has a variety of tourist services, there is a casino and a Public Museum that shows the natural and human history of the region.
Nearby, it is the Cueva del Milodón (The Milodon Cave), a place where the remains of a prehistoric animal were found, an animal that inspired more than one writer.
From Puerto Natales, it is possible to sail to the Glaciers Serrano and Balmaceda, the Estancia Perales, the Canal de las Montañas (The Mountains' Channel) and other amazing fjords.

The southern ends of the Bernardo O'Higgins and the Campo de Hielo Sur (Southern Ice Field) National Parks, from which break off a number of glaciers that feed thousands of lakes, are located in this zone.

Undoubtedly, the main attraction is the Torres del Paine National Park with its incomparable landscape, fauna and fauna.
The worldwide known Torres del Paine are located within the Park, which is similar in size to the one located at Luxemburg. These mountains rise from the plains, which are full of lakes fed by glaciers. The Park has an abundant fauna that includes puma, guanacos, condors, wild geese, ñandú (Lesser Rhea) and black-necked swans, among other species, and a flora with dense forest of thick trees that resemble the Tolkien's tales.
A number of walking paths and first quality hotel facilities make of this Park an excellent target for those who love trekking.

Province of Magallanes: Punta Arenas, the regional capital, has lot of attractions: the Strait of Magellan, the Salesian Museum (Maggiorino Borgatello) and the regional Museum, a duty-free shopping center, the beautiful palaces (nowadays National Museums) of the old, wealthy cattle breeders like the Braun Menéndez and Sara Braun families, the Instituto de la Patagonia (an outdoor museum), the cemetery and the Muñoz Gamero Main Square.
Some nearby attractions are the Penguins' Colony located at the Seno Otway (Otway Inlet), the skiing center at the Cerro Mirador and the Hernando de Magallanes Forestry Reservation, the Fuerte Bulnes National Monument, the Pali Aike National Park (with archeological sites and caves), the Morro Chico (a hill of rock in the middle of the pampa), San Gregorio (former estancia, the oldest in the region) and the Magdalena Island, in the middle of the Strait of Magellan, with a large colony of Magellan Penguins.

Province of Tierra del Fuego: Some of its outstanding attractions are the D'Agostini National Park and the Glaciers Marinelli and Italia and the Beagle Channel.
Porvenir, the capital of the province, is located on the bank of the Laguna de los Cisnes Natural Monument, close to the Lagoons Verde and Deseada.
At the center of the Tierra del Fuego Island is the Lago Blanco, surrounded by beautiful Magellan forest and an excellent fishing.

Province of the Chilean Antarctica: Located about 965 kilometers to the south of Punta Arenas, it has two access routes: by sea and by air. Villa Las Estrellas is the only inhabited place of the Antarctic Continent. There are a lot of scientific stations from many countries, among which are the Presidente Frey Chilean Base, the Rey Jorge Island and others.
Its fauna is mainly formed by seals, sea lions, penguins, albatross, whales and the snowy Sheathbills.
The capital of this Province is Puerto Williams, located on the south bank of the Beagle Channel, which separates the Tierra del Fuego Island from the Navarino Island. Among its attractions are: the Martín Gusinde Museum, the Villa Ukika, the Beagle Channel and the islands Picton, Nueva and Lennox, among others.

REGIONAL DISTANCES

Aduana Monte Aymond
304	Cameron
408	458	Cerro Castillo
106	198	428	Cerro Sombrero
251	205	365	269	Fuerte Bulnes
357	105	569	251	344	Lago Blanco
189	199	305	209	106	310	Mina Pecket
243	290	165	263	200	401	140	Morro Chico
257	47	411	151	158	158	152	243	Onaisin
486	536	78	506	443	675	383	243	489	Pehoe
198	149	309	125	56	260	50	141	102	387	Porvenir
345	395	63	365	302	534	242	102	348	141	246	Pto Natales
195	149	309	215	56	260	50	144	102	387	307	246	Pta.Arenas
32	272	377	75	218	326	160	212	226	455	167	314	164	Punta Delgada
194	237	240	220	150	348	81	72	190	88	88	174	88	166	Río Verde
211	93	451	105	198	146	192	283	46	529	142	388	142	180	233	San Sebastian

DESCRIPTION OF SOME PLACES TO VISIT