Melinka Isla Melinca |
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Aerial view of Melinka
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Coordinates: 43°53′52″S 73°44′38″W / 43.89778°S 73.74389°WCoordinates: 43°53′52″S 73°44′38″W / 43.89778°S 73.74389°W | ||||
Region | Aisén | |||
Province | Aisén | |||
Commune | Guaitecas | |||
Government | ||||
• Alcalde | Luis Antonio Miranda Chiguay | |||
Population (2002 census [1]) | ||||
• Total | 1,411 | |||
Time zone | Chilean Standard (UTC−04:00) | |||
• Summer (DST) | Chilean Daylight (UTC−03:00) | |||
Area code(s) | Country + town = 56 + ? | |||
Climate | Cfb |
Melinka is a Chilean town in Aysén Province, Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region. It is located on Ascención Island and is the administrative center of the commune of Guaitecas since 1979. Melinka was founded in 1860 by the German immigrant, Felipe Arnold Westhoff who settled in the area when it was still part of Chiloé Province.
According to a local legend the word melinka comes from Russian and means lovely. In fact, there is the Russian archaic colloquialism милёнка (transl. milyonka) which means "lovely."
The town is on a small peninsula off the main island, and shelters a small harbor. The island is in the Guaitecas Archipelago, at the southern end of the Gulf of Corcovado.
Melinka is served by Melinka Airport.
Melinka has a wet oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb).