Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego

Coordinates: 54°S 69°W / 54°S 69°W / -54; -69
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Tierra del Fuego (main island)
)
This article is about the Island. For the archipelago, see Tierra del Fuego. For the Argentine Province, see Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina.
Not to be confused with
Isla del Fuego
.
Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego
Magallanes Region
Largest settlementPorvenir (pop. 4,807)
Demographics
Population133,902

Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (

group of islands or archipelago also known as Tierra del Fuego
.

The island has an area of 47,992 km2 (18,530 sq mi), making it the largest island in South America and the 29th largest island in the world. Its two biggest towns are Ushuaia and Río Grande, both in Argentina. Other towns are Tolhuin, Porvenir, Camerón, and Cerro Sombrero. The Argentine side, Tierra del Fuego Province, has 127,205 inhabitants (2010), whereas the Chilean side, even though its area is significantly larger, has only 6,656 (2012), almost all located in the Tierra del Fuego Province.

Its highest point is unofficially named Monte Shipton (2,580 m (8,465 ft)), in Chile. Nearby Mount Darwin was previously thought to be the tallest mountain on the island, but is just less than a hundred metres shorter.[2] The northern parts of the island have oil deposits; Cerro Sombrero in Chile is the main extraction centre in the island.

On 17 December 1949, an earthquake occurred in the Chilean portion, near the Argentine border. Recorded as 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale, it was the most powerful ever recorded in the south of Argentina.[3]

Geography

Tierra del Fuego is bounded on the east by the

Magallanes–Fagnano Fault and is a continuation of the Cami Lake
depression in southern Tierra del Fuego.

The southwest part of the island, between the Almirantazgo Fjord and the Beagle Channel and extending west to end at Brecknock Peninsula on the Pacific Ocean, is mountainous with a heavily indented coastline, dominated by the Cordillera Darwin. Most of this part of the island is included in the Alberto de Agostini National Park of Chile.

History

See also:
Tierra del Fuego Gold Rush

The earliest human settlement occurred more than 10,000 years ago, as people migrated from the mainland, perhaps under pressure from competitors. The

Yaghan people were some of the earliest known humans settling in Tierra del Fuego. Certain archeological sites at locations such as Navarino Island
, within the islands of Tierra del Fuego, have yielded artifacts and evidence of their culture from the Megalithic era.

The name Tierra del Fuego derives from Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who was the first European to visit these lands in 1520, on his voyage to the Philippines from Spain. He believed he was seeing the many fires (fuego in Spanish) of the Amerindians, which were visible from the sea and that the "Indians" were waiting in the forests to ambush his armada. These were fires lit by the Yamana Indians who live in the northern part of the island, to ward off the low temperatures in the area. Originally called the "Land of Smoke", it was later changed to the more exciting "Land of Fire".

The British commander

Robert Fitzroy, on his first voyage aboard HMS Beagle in 1830, captured four native Fuegians after they stole a boat from his ship. The men included Orundellico, later named Jemmy Button by his crew. Fitzroy taught them English and took them with him on his return to England, where he took them to Court to meet the King and Queen in London. They became early celebrities. The surviving three were returned to Tierra del Fuego on the second voyage of Beagle, which included the naturalist Charles Darwin
, who made extensive notes about his visit to the islands.

In July 1881 the island was divided between Argentina and Chile, each of which had previously claimed it entirely.

The

Richter scale. Its epicenter was located in the east of the Chilean Tierra del Fuego Province, close to the Argentine border, at a depth of 30 km (19 mi).[3]

This was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the south of

Río Gallegos. Due to low population density, damage was limited.[3]

Climate

The region has a

Campbell Island, the Kerguelen Islands, the Scottish Highlands, and coastal areas of Norway
.

In August 1995 the island was hit by an event of intense winds, cold and snowfall known as the

Río Gallegos to be closed.[4] In Timaukel alone the mayor reported that 150 thousand sheep and 6,500 heads of cattle were threatened by the event.[5]

Climate data for
Ushuaia Airport (1981–2010, extremes 1901–present)[a]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 29.5
(85.1) 		28.9
(84.0) 		25.6
(78.1) 		22.2
(72.0) 		20.3
(68.5) 		19.0
(66.2) 		17.5
(63.5) 		18.0
(64.4) 		22.3
(72.1) 		21.2
(70.2) 		26.3
(79.3) 		29.0
(84.2) 		29.5
(85.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 14.5
(58.1) 		14.1
(57.4) 		12.1
(53.8) 		9.8
(49.6) 		6.9
(44.4) 		4.2
(39.6) 		4.6
(40.3) 		6.1
(43.0) 		8.1
(46.6) 		10.5
(50.9) 		12.2
(54.0) 		13.3
(55.9) 		9.7
(49.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.7
(49.5) 		9.5
(49.1) 		8.0
(46.4) 		6.0
(42.8) 		3.8
(38.8) 		1.7
(35.1) 		2.4
(36.3) 		2.9
(37.2) 		4.2
(39.6) 		6.3
(43.3) 		7.7
(45.9) 		8.8
(47.8) 		5.9
(42.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.6
(42.1) 		5.6
(42.1) 		4.3
(39.7) 		2.9
(37.2) 		1.1
(34.0) 		−1.2
(29.8) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		−0.3
(31.5) 		0.6
(33.1) 		2.3
(36.1) 		3.6
(38.5) 		4.6
(40.3) 		2.3
(36.1)
Record low °C (°F) −2.0
(28.4) 		−4.0
(24.8) 		−4.3
(24.3) 		−7.3
(18.9) 		−20.2
(−4.4) 		−18.2
(−0.8) 		−21.0
(−5.8) 		−19.6
(−3.3) 		−10.6
(12.9) 		−6.1
(21.0) 		−6.0
(21.2) 		−3.7
(25.3) 		−21.0
(−5.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 49.5
(1.95) 		42.1
(1.66) 		46.8
(1.84) 		55.9
(2.20) 		47.6
(1.87) 		56.4
(2.22) 		40.1
(1.58) 		36.0
(1.42) 		34.5
(1.36) 		36.1
(1.42) 		41.3
(1.63) 		50.7
(2.00) 		537.0
(21.14)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 17.1 14.2 14.9 15.8 14.0 14.2 15.3 14.4 13.3 14.4 16.0 16.8 180.4
Average snowy days 0.3 0.1 2 2 5 8 7 9 7 5 3 1 49.4
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		75 76 78 80 81 82 82 80 76 73 72 74 77
Mean monthly sunshine hours 167.4 146.9 133.3 102.0 68.2 42.0 55.8 83.7 123.0 164.3 180.0 167.4 1,434
Percent possible sunshine 32.0 34.5 33.5 31.5 25.7 18.5 22.5 27.5 34.0 37.5 37.0 28.5 30.2
Source 1:
NOAA (humidity 1961–1990),[6] World Meteorological Organization (average high and low, and precipitation),[7] Secretaria de Mineria (extremes and sun, 1901–1990)[8]
Source 2: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (extremes),[9] UNLP (snowfall data),[10] Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1981–2010)[11]
Climate data for Tolhuin (1991–2010 normals and extremes)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 24.8
(76.6) 		26.6
(79.9) 		22.8
(73.0) 		21.3
(70.3) 		13.0
(55.4) 		9.8
(49.6) 		9.3
(48.7) 		11.8
(53.2) 		18.3
(64.9) 		17.8
(64.0) 		22.4
(72.3) 		23.4
(74.1) 		26.6
(79.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 14.1
(57.4) 		13.9
(57.0) 		12.0
(53.6) 		8.9
(48.0) 		5.4
(41.7) 		2.7
(36.9) 		2.5
(36.5) 		4.3
(39.7) 		6.9
(44.4) 		9.9
(49.8) 		11.9
(53.4) 		13.2
(55.8) 		8.8
(47.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.4
(48.9) 		9.0
(48.2) 		7.1
(44.8) 		4.6
(40.3) 		1.6
(34.9) 		−0.9
(30.4) 		−1.3
(29.7) 		0.7
(33.3) 		2.8
(37.0) 		5.1
(41.2) 		6.9
(44.4) 		8.4
(47.1) 		4.5
(40.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.7
(40.5) 		4.0
(39.2) 		2.3
(36.1) 		0.3
(32.5) 		−2.2
(28.0) 		−4.5
(23.9) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−3.0
(26.6) 		−1.4
(29.5) 		0.3
(32.5) 		2.0
(35.6) 		3.6
(38.5) 		0.1
(32.2)
Record low °C (°F) −2.5
(27.5) 		−3.6
(25.5) 		−7.0
(19.4) 		−7.8
(18.0) 		−12.7
(9.1) 		−23.0
(−9.4) 		−23.5
(−10.3) 		−17.0
(1.4) 		−18.6
(−1.5) 		−7.4
(18.7) 		−7.2
(19.0) 		−6.0
(21.2) 		−23.5
(−10.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 64.4
(2.54) 		46.4
(1.83) 		54.1
(2.13) 		51.7
(2.04) 		52.0
(2.05) 		49.8
(1.96) 		41.6
(1.64) 		41.4
(1.63) 		38.1
(1.50) 		35.8
(1.41) 		40.7
(1.60) 		59.8
(2.35) 		575.8
(22.67)
Source: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional[12]
Climate data for Rio Grande, Argentina (1981–2010, extremes 1941–1950 and 1961–present)[b]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 27.5
(81.5) 		30.8
(87.4) 		27.0
(80.6) 		23.0
(73.4) 		15.4
(59.7) 		13.5
(56.3) 		11.6
(52.9) 		12.8
(55.0) 		17.5
(63.5) 		21.0
(69.8) 		23.4
(74.1) 		24.8
(76.6) 		30.8
(87.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.1
(61.0) 		15.7
(60.3) 		13.5
(56.3) 		10.5
(50.9) 		6.5
(43.7) 		3.1
(37.6) 		3.0
(37.4) 		5.2
(41.4) 		8.3
(46.9) 		11.4
(52.5) 		13.4
(56.1) 		15.1
(59.2) 		10.2
(50.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.9
(51.6) 		10.3
(50.5) 		8.1
(46.6) 		5.5
(41.9) 		2.6
(36.7) 		−0.1
(31.8) 		−0.2
(31.6) 		1.4
(34.5) 		3.5
(38.3) 		6.2
(43.2) 		8.4
(47.1) 		10.0
(50.0) 		5.6
(42.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.7
(42.3) 		5.4
(41.7) 		3.5
(38.3) 		1.6
(34.9) 		−0.8
(30.6) 		−3.2
(26.2) 		−3.1
(26.4) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		−0.2
(31.6) 		1.6
(34.9) 		3.3
(37.9) 		4.8
(40.6) 		1.4
(34.5)
Record low °C (°F) −5.1
(22.8) 		−6.0
(21.2) 		−8.2
(17.2) 		−13.2
(8.2) 		−13.1
(8.4) 		−20.0
(−4.0) 		−22.2
(−8.0) 		−14.9
(5.2) 		−10.7
(12.7) 		−8.2
(17.2) 		−6.6
(20.1) 		−5.5
(22.1) 		−22.2
(−8.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 36.0
(1.42) 		29.7
(1.17) 		27.2
(1.07) 		28.8
(1.13) 		29.4
(1.16) 		26.7
(1.05) 		23.9
(0.94) 		20.7
(0.81) 		17.1
(0.67) 		18.5
(0.73) 		27.0
(1.06) 		36.0
(1.42) 		321.0
(12.64)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 12.4 10.9 9.9 9.8 9.9 8.0 7.6 7.6 7.9 7.8 9.2 11.3 112.3
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		72.7 74.6 77.8 82.4 86.0 87.7 86.5 84.5 79.5 73.8 70.0 70.6 78.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 170.5 175.2 155.0 114.0 77.5 84.0 86.8 114.7 147.0 186.0 186.0 192.2 1,688.9
Percent possible sunshine 33 43 40 36 29 37 35 39 42 44 39 36 37.8
Source 1: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional[13][14]
Source 2: Secretaria de Mineria (extremes and sun 1941–1950 and 1971–1990)[15]

Flora

Only 30% of the islands have forests, which are classified as

semidesert
.

There are six species of tree found in Tierra del Fuego: Canelo or Winter's Bark (

flag-trees" for the shape that they need to take in the fight with the wind. Tree vegetation extends as far south as the Isla de los Estados, Navarino Island and the north of Hoste Island. At altitudes above, dwarf Nothofagus communities are found. Going further south, Wollaston Islands
and the south of Hoste Island are covered by subantarctic tundra.

The forests of Tierra del Fuego have been a source of trees that have been planted abroad in places with a similar climate but that were devoid of trees, such as the Faroe Islands and nearby archipelagos. Most species were gathered from the coldest places in Tierra del Fuego bordering the tundra. This resulted in positive changes, as the heavy winds and cool summers in the Faroe Islands had not formerly allowed the growth of trees from other regions in the world. In the Faroe Islands, the imported trees are used ornamentally, as curtains against wind, and for fighting erosion caused by storms and grazing.

Economy

The main industries are oil, natural gas, sheep farming and ecotourism. On the Argentine side several electronics companies have been established. Ushuaia is home to the small brewing company Cervecería Fueguina, which produces three beers under the Beagle brand name.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The record highs and lows are based on the Secretaria de Mineria link for the period 1901–1990 while records beyond 1990 come from the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional link since it only covers from 1961–present. When these 2 sources are used together, the record highs and lows are from the period 1901–present.
  2. ^ The record highs and lows are based on the Secretaria de Mineria link for the period 1941–1950 and from 1971–1990 while records beyond 1961 come from the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional link. When these 2 sources are used together, the record highs and lows are from the periods 1941–1950 and from 1961–present

References

  1. ^ Tierra de Fuego, antes «Isla de Xativa» Cercle Català d'Història, www.cch.cat, accessed 5 February 2021
  2. ^ John Shipton (2004). "Monte Shipton or Monte Darwin?" (PDF). Alpine Journal. London: Alpine Club: 132–142. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c (in Spanish) Instituto Nacional de Prevención Sísmica. Listado de Terremotos Históricos Archived 2011-09-29 at the Wayback Machine.gistering
  4. ^ "La Armada de Chile a 25 años del "Terremoto Blanco"". armada.cl (in Spanish). Chilean Navy. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  5. ^ A 24 años del terremoto blanco, que dejó una mortandad de 176 mil ovinos Archived 2020-06-24 at the Wayback Machine. Prensa Austral, 11 de agosto de 2019. Consultado el 23 de junio de 2020.
  6. ^ "Ushuaia AERO I Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  7. ^ "World Weather Information Service – Ushuaia". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Provincia de Tierra del Fuego – Clima Y Meteorologia: Datos Meteorologicos Y Pluviometicos" (in Spanish). Secretaria de Mineria de la Nacion (Argentina). Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Clima en la Argentina: Guia Climática por localidades". Caracterización: Estadísticas de largo plazo (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Datos bioclimáticos de 173 localidades argentinas". Atlas Bioclimáticos (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Normals Data: USHUAIA AERO - ARGENTINA Latitude: 54.80°S Longitude: 68.32°W Height: 28 (m)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Climatología general argentina" [Argentine general climatology]. gustfront.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Estadísticas Climatológicas Normales - período 1981-2010" (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Clima en la Argentina: Guia Climática por Río Grande (BA)". Caracterización: Estadísticas de largo plazo (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  15. ^ "Provincia de Tierra del Fuego – Clima Y Meteorologia: Datos Meteorologicos Y Pluviometicos" (in Spanish). Secretaria de Mineria de la Nacion (Argentina). Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2022.

External links

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