Puerto Williams
| Puerto Williams | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town | |||||
View of Puerto Williams with Dientes de Navarino mountains behind
|
|||||
|
|||||
| Coordinates: 54°56′S 67°37′W / 54.933°S 67.617°WCoordinates: 54°56′S 67°37′W / 54.933°S 67.617°W | |||||
| Country |
 Chile
|
||||
| Region |
 Magallanes y Antártica Chilena
|
||||
| Province | Antártica Chilena | ||||
| Commune | Cabo de Hornos | ||||
| Founded as | Puerto Luisa | ||||
| Founded | 21 November 1953 | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Type | Municipality | ||||
| • Alcalde | Patricio Fernández | ||||
| Population (2002) | |||||
| • Total | 2,874 | ||||
| Time zone | CLT (UTC−4) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | CLST ([[UTC−3]]) | ||||
Puerto Williams (Spanish for "Port Williams") is a Chilean town, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antarctica Region, and administers the communes of Chilean Antarctic Territory and Cabo de Hornos. It has a population of 2,874, including both naval personnel and civilians. Puerto Williams claims the title of world's southernmost city.
The settlement was founded in 1953, and was first named Puerto Luisa. The town was later named for John Williams Wilson, a British man who founded Fuerte Bulnes, the first settlement in the Strait of Magellan since 1587. It has served primarily as a naval base for Chile. The Chilean Navy runs the Guardiamarina Zañartu Airport and hospital, as well as nearby meteorological stations. Since the late 20th century, the number of navy personnel have 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 or Antarctica; its tourism industry developed around the concept of "the world's most southern city". Based on some definitions of what a city 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. Chilean and Argentinian media, a bilateral agreement between Chile and Argentina, and the Puerto Williams administration identify it as the southernmost city in the world.
...
Wikipedia