Patagonia 65433 226119753 2008-07-16T22:14:51Z Michaf 104664 [[Image:pat map.PNG|thumb|''Patagonia'', as most commonly defined (in orange).]] [[Image:Pescaquellon2.JPG|thumb|250px|right|View of [[Corcovado volcano]] and Patagonia from [[Quellón]], [[Chiloé]]]] [[Image:Coyhaique10.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Panoramical view of [[Coihaique]]]] {{otheruses|Patagonia (disambiguation)}} '''Patagonia''' is a geographic region containing the southernmost portion of South America. Mostly located in [[Argentina]] and partly in [[Chile]], it comprises the [[Andes]] mountains to the west and south, and plateau and low plains to the east. The name Patagonia comes from the word ''[[patagon]]''<ref name="Pigafetta">[[Antonio Pigafetta]], ''[[:wikisource:it:Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo|Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo]]'', 1524: "Il capitano generale nominò questi popoli Patagoni." The original word would probably be in [[Ferdinand Magellan|Magellan]]'s native Portuguese (''patagão'') or the Spanish of his men (''patagón''). It has been interpreted later as "big foot" but the etymology is unclear.</ref> used by [[Ferdinand Magellan|Magellan]] to describe the native people who his expedition thought to be giants. It is now believed the Patagons were actually [[Tehuelche]]s and [[Aonikenk]] with an average height of 1.80 m (~5'11") compared to the 1.55 m (~5'1") average for Spaniards of the time.<ref>{{cite book |last= Fondebrider|first= Jorge|authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title= Versiones de la Patagonia|origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= 1st edition|series= |date= |year= 2003|month= |publisher= Emecé Editores S.A.|location= Buenos Aires, Argentina|language= Spanish|isbn= 950-04-2498-3|oclc= |doi= |id= |pages= 29|chapter= chapter 1 (Ámbitos y voces)|chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref> To the east of the Andes, it lies south of the [[Neuquén River]] and [[Río Colorado (Argentina)|Colorado]] rivers, and, to the west of the Andes, south of (39°S), excluding the [[Chiloé Island|Chiloé]] Archipelago.<ref name="Princeton">''Patagonia: Natural History, Prehistory and Ethnography at the Uttermost End of the Earth'', C. McEwan, L.A. Borrero and A. Prieto (eds), [[Princeton University Press]] with [[British Museum]] Press, 1997. ISBN 0-691-05849-0</ref> East of the Andes the Argentine portion of Patagonia includes the provinces of [[Neuquen Province|Neuquén]], [[Rio Negro Province|Río Negro]], [[Chubut Province|Chubut]], [[Santa Cruz Province, Argentina|Santa Cruz]], and [[Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina|Tierra del Fuego]], as well as the southern tips of the provinces of [[Buenos Aires Province|Buenos Aires]], [[Mendoza Province|Mendoza]] and [[La Pampa Province|La Pampa]]. The Chilean portion embraces the southern part of the region of [[Los Lagos Region|Los Lagos]], and the regions of [[Aisén Region|Aisén]] and [[Magallanes Region|Magallanes]]. It excludes those portions of [[Antarctica]] claimed by both countries. ==Population and land area== Population = 1,740,000 (2001 census).{{Fact|date=April 2008}}<br> Land Area = over 900,000 km² including [[Tierra del Fuego]]<ref name="Princeton"/><br> Population Density = 2.21 /km² (0.7 /km² in [[Santa Cruz Province, Argentina|Santa Cruz Province]])<ref name="time out">''Time Out Patagonia'', Cathy Runciman (ed), [[Penguin Books]], 2002. ISBN 0-14-101240-4</ref><br> SPIRO ==Physical geography== [[Image:Patagonian plains argentina.jpg|thumb|right|The flat plains of Patagonia, near Fitz Roy, Santa Cruz, Argentina.]] :''See also: [[Geography of Argentina]] and [[Geography of Chile]]'' Patagonia is for the most part a region of vast [[steppe]]-like plains, rising in a succession of abrupt [[wiktionary:terrace|terraces]] about 100 metres (330 ft) at a time, and covered with an enormous bed of [[Gravel|shingle]] almost bare of vegetation.<ref name="Princeton"/> In the hollows of the plains are [[lake|ponds or lakes]] of brackish and fresh water. Towards the Andes the shingle gives place to [[Porphyry (geology)|porphyry]], [[granite]], and [[basalt]] lavas, animal life becomes more abundant and vegetation more luxuriant, acquiring the characteristics of the [[Flora (plants)|flora]] of the western coast, and consisting principally of [[southern beech]] and [[conifer]]s. The high rainfall against the western Andes and the low sea surface temperatures offshore give rise to cold and humid air masses, contributing to the ice-fields and [[glacier]]s, the largest ice-fields in the [[Southern hemisphere]] outside of Antarctica.<ref name="Princeton"/> Among the depressions by which the [[plateau]] is intersected transversely, the principal are the [[Gualichu]], south of the [[Río Negro (Argentina)|Río Negro]], the [[Maquinchao]] and [[Valcheta]] (through which previously flowed the waters of lake [[Nahuel Huapi]], which now feed the river Limay); the [[Senguerr]] (spelled Senguer on most Argentine maps and within the corresponding region), the [[Deseado River]]. Besides these transverse depressions (some of them marking lines of ancient inter-oceanic communication), there are others which were occupied by more or less extensive lakes, such as the [[Yagagtoo]], [[Musters Lake|Musters]], and [[Lake Colhue Huapi|Colhue Huapi]], and others situated to the south of Puerto Deseado, in the centre of the country. In the central region [[volcanic eruption]]s, which have taken part in the formation of the plateau from the [[Tertiary]] period down to the present era, cover a large part with basaltic lava-caps; and in the western third more recent glacial deposits appear above the [[lava]]. There, in contact with folded [[Cretaceous]] rocks, uplifted by the [[Tertiary]] granite, [[erosion]], caused principally by the sudden melting and retreat of the ice, aided by [[tectonics|tectonic]] changes, has scooped out a deep longitudinal depression, which generally separates the plateau from the first lofty hills, the ridges generally called the pre-Cordillera, while on the west of these there is a similar longitudinal depression all along the foot of the snowy Andean Cordillera. This latter depression contains the richest and most fertile land of Patagonia. Lake basins along the Cordillera were also excavated by ice-streams, including [[Lake Argentino]] and [[Lake Fagnano]], as well as coastal bays such as [[Bahía Inútil]].<ref name="Princeton"/> ===Geology=== [[Image:Plume from eruption of Chaiten volcano, Chile.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[Ash cloud]] from the 2008 eruption of [[Chaitén (volcano)|Chaitén volcano]] stretching across Patagonia into [[San Jorge Basin]] in the Atlantic Ocean]] The geological constitution is in accordance with the orographic [[physiognomy]]. The Tertiary plateau, flat on the east, gradually rising on the west, shows Upper Cretaceous caps at its base. First come Lower Cretaceous hills, raised by granite and [[Diorite|dioritic]] rocks, undoubtedly of Tertiary origin, as in some cases these rocks have broken across the Tertiary beds, so rich in [[mammal]] remains; then follow, on the west, [[Metamorphic rock|metamorphic]] schists of uncertain age; then [[quartzite]]s appear, resting directly on the primitive granite and [[gneiss]] which form the axis of the [[Cordillera]]. [[Porphyry (geology)|Porphyritic]] rocks occur between the schists and the quartzites. The Tertiary deposits are greatly varied in character, and there is considerable difference of opinion concerning the succession and correlation of the beds. They are divided by Wilckensi into the following series (in ascending order): # Pyrotherium-Notostylops beds. Of terrestrial origin, containing remains of [[mammalia]]. [[Eocene]] and [[Oligocene]]. # Patagonian Molasse. Partly marine, partly terrestrial. Lower [[Miocene]]. # Santa Cruz series. Containing remains of mammals. Middle and Upper Miocene. # Paranfl series. [[Sandstones]] and conglomerates with marine [[fossils]]. [[Pliocene]]. Confined to the eastern part of the region. The Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary deposits have revealed a most interesting [[vertebrate]] fauna. This, together with the discovery of the perfect [[cranium]] of a chelonian of the genus [[Myolania]], which may be said to be almost identical with ''Myolania oweni'' of the [[Pleistocene]] age in [[Queensland]], forms an evident proof of the connection between the [[Australia]]n and South American continents. The Patagonian [[Myolania]] belongs to the Upper Chalk, having been found associated with remains of [[Dinosaur]]ia. One such dinosaur to be found in Patagonia is [[Argentinosaurus]], which may be the largest of all dinosaurs. Other specimens of the interesting fauna of Patagonia, belonging to the Middle Tertiary, are the gigantic wingless birds, exceeding in size any hitherto known, and the singular mammal [[Pyrotherium]], also of very large dimensions. In the Tertiary marine formation a considerable number of [[cetacea]]ns has been discovered. In deposits of much later date, formed when the physiognomy of the country did not differ materially from that of the present time, there have been discovered remains of pampean mammals, such as [[Glyptodon]] and [[Macrauchenia]], and in a [[Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument|cave]] near [[Última Esperanza Sound]], a gigantic [[ground sloth]] (''Grypoiherium listai''), an animal which lived contemporaneously with man, and whose skin, well preserved, showed that its extermination was undoubtedly very recent. With the remains of [[Grypotherium]] have been found those of the horse ([[Onoshippidium]]), which are known only from the lower pampas mud, and of the [[Arciotherium]], which is found, although not in abundance, in even the most modern Pleistocene deposits in the pampas of [[Buenos Aires]]. It would not be surprising if this latter animal were still in existence, for footprints, which may be attributed to it, have been observed on the borders of the rivers Tamangoand Pista, affluents of the Las Hefas, which run through the eastern foot-hills of the Cordillera in 47°S. [[Image:Perito Moreno Glacier - Satelite - NASA - ISS004-E-9707.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Satellite view of the [[Perito Moreno Glacier]] (Santa Cruz Province) and the Andean ice-sheet]] [[Image:Perito Moreno Glacier Patagonia Argentina Luca Galuzzi 2005.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[Perito Moreno Glacier]]]] [[Glacier]]s occupy the valleys of the main chain and some of the lateral ridges of the Cordillera, and descend to lakes [[San Martín Lake]], [[Lake Viedma]], [[Argentino Lake]] and others in the same locality, strewing them with [[iceberg]]s. In Patagonia an immense ice-sheet extended to the east of the present [[Atlantic (ocean)|Atlantic]] coast during the first ice age, at the close of the [[Tertiary]] epoch, while, during the second glacial age in modern times, the terminal moraines have generally stopped, 30 miles (50 km) in the north and 50 miles (80 km) in the south, east of the summit of the Cordillera. These ice-sheets, which scooped out the greater part of the longitudinal depressions, and appear to have rapidly retreated to the point where the glaciers now exist, did not, however, in their retirement fill up with their detritus the [[fjord]]s of the Cordillera, for these are now occupied by deep lakes on the east, and on the west by the [[Pacific]] channels, some of which are as much as 250 [[fathom]]s (460 m) in depth, and soundings taken in them show that the fjords are as usual deeper in the vicinity of the mountains than to the west of the islands. Several of the high peaks are still active volcanoes. Insofar as its main characteristics are concerned, Patagonia seems to be a portion of the [[Antarctic]] continent, the permanence of which dates from very recent times, as is evidenced by the apparent recent emergence of the islets around [[Chiloé Island|Chiloé]], and by the general character of the pampean formation. Some of the promontories of Chiloé are still called ''huapi'', the Araucanian equivalent for "islands"; and this may perhaps be accepted as perpetuating the recollection of the time when they actually were islands. They are composed of caps of shingle, with great, more or less rounded boulders, sand and [[volcanic]] ashes, precisely of the same form as occurs on the Patagonian plateau. From an examination of the pampean formation it is evident that in recent times the land of the province of [[Buenos Aires]] extended farther to the east, and that the advance of the sea, and the salt water deposits left by it when it retired, forming some of the lowlands which occur on the [[littoral]] and in the interior of the [[pampa]]s, are much more recent phenomena; and certain caps of shingle, derived from rocks of a different class from those of the neighboring hills, which are observed on the Atlantic coasts of the same province, and increase in quantity and size towards the south, seem to indicate that the caps of shingle which now cover such a great part of the Patagonian territory recently extended farther to the east, over land which has now disappeared beneath the sea, while other marine deposits along the same coasts became converted into bays during the subsequent advance of the sea. There are besides, in the neighbourhood of the present coast, deposits of volcanic ashes, and the ocean throws up on its shores blocks of [[basaltic]] [[lava]], which in all probability proceed from eruptions of submerged volcanoes now extinct. One fact, however, which apparently demonstrates with greater certainty the existence in recent times of land that is now lost, is the presence of remains of pampean mammals in [[Pleistocene]] deposits in the bay of [[Puerto San Julián|Puerto San Julian]] and in [[Santa Cruz Province, Argentina|Santa Cruz]]. The animals undoubtedly reached these localities from the east; it is not at all probable that they advanced from the north southwards across the plateau intersected at that time by great rivers and covered by the ice-sheet. With the exception of the discoveries at the inlet of [[Ultima Esperanza]], which is in close communication with the Atlantic valley of [[Río Gallegos]], none of these remains have been discovered in the [[Andean]] regions. ===Provinces and regions=== ==== Argentine Patagonia==== {{Regions of Argentina}} =====Neuquén===== {{main|Neuquén Province}} [[Neuquen Province|Neuquén]] covers 94,078 km² (36,324 sq. miles), including the triangle between the [[Limay River]] and [[Neuquén River]], which extends southward to the northern shore of [[Lake Nahuel-Huapi]] (41°S) and northward to the [[Colorado River (Argentina)|Río Colorado]]. On the upper plains of Neuquén territory thousands of cattle can be fed, and the forests around Lakes Traful and Nahuel-Huapi yield large quantities of valuable timber. The Neuquén river is not navigable, but as its waters are capable of being easily dammed in places, large stretches of land in its valley are utilized; but the lands on each side of its lower part are of little commercial value. As the Cordillera is approached the soil becomes more fertile, and suitable districts for the rearing of cattle and other agricultural purposes exist between the regions which surround the [[Tromen]] volcano and the first ridges of the Andes. [[Chos Malal]], the capital of the territory, is situated in one of these valleys. More to the west is the mining region, in great part unexplored, but containing deposits of [[gold]], [[silver]], [[copper]] and [[lignite]]. In the centre of the territory, also in the neighborhood of the mining districts, are the valleys of Norquín and Las Lajas, the general camp of the Argentine army in Patagonia, with excellent timber in the forest on the Andean slope. The wide valleys occur near [[Rio Malleo|Río Malleo]], [[Lake Huechulafquén]], the river [[Chimehuin]], and [[Vega de Chapelco]], near [[Lake Lacar]], where are situated villages of some importance, such as Junín de los Andes and San Martín de los Andes. Close to these are the famous apple [[orchard]]s supposed to have been planted by the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] in the 17th and 18th centuries. These regions are drained by the river [[Collon Cura]], the principal affluent of the river [[Limay]]. Lake Lacar is now a contributory of the Pacific, its outlet having been changed to the west, owing to a passage having been opened through the Cordillera. =====Río Negro===== {{main|Río Negro Province}} [[Rio Negro Province|Río Negro]] covers 203,013 km² (78,383 sq. miles), extending from the Atlantic to the Cordillera of the Andes, to the north of 42°S. The Río Negro River runs along a wide transverse depression, the middle part of which is followed by the railway which runs to the settlement of Neuquén at the confluence of the rivers Limay and Neuquen. In this depression are several settlements, among them [[Viedma]], the capital of the Río Negro territory, Pringles, General Conesa, [[Choele Choel]] and [[General Roca]]. To the south of the Río Negro the Patagonian plateau is intersected by the depressions of the Gualicho and Maquinchao, which in former times directed the waters of two great rivers (now disappeared) to the gulf of San Matias, the first-named depression draining the network of the Collon Cura and the second the Nahuel Huapi lake system. In 42°S there is a third broad transverse depression, apparently the bed of another great river, now perished, which carried to the Atlantic the waters of a portion of the eastern slope of the Andes, between 41° and 42°30;S. =====Chubut===== {{main|Chubut Province}} [[Chubut Province|Chubut]], covers 224,686 km² (86,751 sq. miles), embracing the region between 42° and 46°S; Chubut territory presents the same characteristics as the Río Negro territory. [[Rawson, Chubut|Rawson]], the capital, is situated at the mouth of the river Chubut on the Atlantic (42°30'S). The town was founded in 1865 by a [[Welsh settlement of Argentina|group of colonists from Wales]], assisted by the Argentine government; and its prosperity has led to the foundation of other important centres in the valley, such as [[Trelew, Patagonia|Trelew]] and [[Gaiman, Chubut|Gaiman]], which is connected by railway with [[Puerto Madryn]] on [[Bahia Nueva]]. Here is the seat of the governor of the territory, and by 1895 the inhabitants of this part of the territory, composed principally of Argentines, [[Welsh people|Welsh]] and [[Italian people|Italians]], numbered 552,585. The valley has been irrigated and cultivated, and produces the best wheat of the Argentine Republic. Between the Chubut and the Senguerr there are vast stretches of fertile land, spreading over the Andean region to the foot of the Cordillera and the lateral ridges of the Pre-Cordillera, and filling the basins of some desiccated lakes, which have been occupied since 1885, and farms and colonies founded upon them. The chief of these colonies is that of [[16 de Octubre]], formed in 1886, mainly by the inhabitants of Chubut colony, in the longitudinal valley which extends to the eastern foot of the Cordillera. [[Image:Chubut-PuntaTombo-P2220146b.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Penguins at Punta Tombo, Chubut]] Other rivers in this territory flow into the Pacific through breaches in the Cordillera, ''e.g.'' the upper affluents of the [[Futaleufú River]], Palena and Río Cisnes. The principal affluent of the Palena, the Carrenleufu, carries off the waters of Lake General Paz, situated on the eastern slope of the Cordillera. Río Pico, an affluent of the same river, receives nearly the whole of the waters of the extensive undulating plain which lies between the Río Tecka and the Río Senguerr to the east of the Cordillera, while the remainder are carried away by the affluents of Río Jehua: the Cherque, Omkel, and Appeleg. This region contains auriferous drifts, but these, like the auriferous deposits, veins of [[galena]] and [[lignite]] in the mountains farther west which flank the Cordillera, have not been properly investigated. At Lake Fontana there are auriferous drifts and [[lignite]] deposits which abound in fossil plants of the Cretaceous age. The streams which form the rivers Mayo and Chalia join the tributaries of the Río Aisén, which flows into the Pacific, watering in its course extensive and valuable districts where colonization has been initiated by Argentine settlers. Colonies have also been formed in the basin of Lakes Musters and Colhué Huapi; and on the coasts near the Atlantic, along Bahia Camarones and the Gulf of San Jorge, there are extensive farms. In addition it is one of the highest critically acclaimed group of rivers in the world for [[fly fishing]]. Every year thousands of fly fishermen flock there for the hope of catching "the big one". =====Santa Cruz===== Santa Cruz is the biggest province in Argentinan Patagonia. It covers 293,993 km<sup>2</sup> ====Chilean Patagonia==== :''See also: [[Zona Austral]]'' =====Palena===== {{main|Palena Province}} Palena Province is one of the provinces of the [[Los Lagos Region]], [[Chile]]. The capital of the Province is the town of [[Chaitén, Chile|Chaitén]]. The private [[Pumalín Park]] is located in the province as is the town and territory of [[Huinay]] which divides the park into two parts. Due to its location in front of [[Chiloé Island]] it is sometimes called Continental Chiloé (''Chiloé Continental''). =====Aisén===== {{main|Aisén Region}} [[Image:Lago Gral. Carrera 01.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[General Carrera Lake]], Aisén, [[Chile]]]] Aisén (also spelled Aysén) is Chile's eleventh [[Regions of Chile|administrative region]]. It is the least populated region in Chile and it remains a region with huge communication problems due to its lack of infrastructure. The region is known for its unique ecological characteristics including unspoiled habitat for numerous endemic species. Its terrain and form are very similar to those of the [[Alaska Panhandle]], the northern Norwegian coast, and New Zealand's [[Milford Sound]] region. [[Laguna San Rafael National Park]], reachable only by boat or plane, is one of its most popular tourist destinations. Until the construction of Route 7, the [[Carretera Austral|Southern Highway]], in the 1980s, the only overland routes from north to south through the region were extremely primitive tracks. The Spanish electric company Endesa has recently proposed building a series of hydro-electric dams in Aisén, based on water rights the company acquired before privatization during the military rule of Pinochet. The dams would first be built on the [[Baker River|Baker]] and [[Pascua River|Pascua]] Rivers, but additional dams have been proposed on a number of other previously intact rivers in the area, including the [[Futaleufú River|Futaleufú]]. The power would be transported 1200 miles north, via a high-tension transmission line through a number of national parks and protected areas to supply power to the Santiago area where much of the power is used for heavy industry and mining. A number of local, national and international environmental organizations oppose the dams, claiming they would destroy the natural heritage of the area and would lead to greatly increased electrical costs for Chilean consumers. =====Magallanes===== {{main|Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region}} [[Image:Cuernos del Paine from Lake Pehoé.jpg|thumb|right|300px|View of Cuernos del Paine from [[Pehoé Lake]], [[Chile]] ]] [[Magallanes and Chilean Antártica Region]] is the southernmost, largest and second least populated region of Chile. This region has many globally known places and geographical accidents like [[Torres del Paine]], [[Cape Horn]], [[Tierra del Fuego Province (Argentina)#Tierra del Fuego Island|Tierra del Fuego Island]], and the [[Strait of Magellan]]. It also includes the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile. The low population and vastness makes this region a good place for many native animal and plant species. It is relatively easy to find [[penguin]]s, [[ñandu|ñandú]]es, [[guanaco]]s, [[condor]]s, and other animals in their natural environment. The main economic activities are sheep farming, oil extraction and tourism. This region is also home to the one of the world's spectacular adventure races, the [[Patagonia Expedition Race]]. ===Tierra del Fuego=== {{main|Tierra del Fuego}} [[Image:NASA Tierra del Fuego image.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Satellite view of the archipelago]] [[Tierra del Fuego]] is an [[archipelago]] at the southernmost tip of Patagonia, divided between Argentina and Chile. It consists of the 47,992 km² of the [[Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego]], and several minor islands. == Climate == [[Image:Patagonia Snow.jpg|thumb|250px|NASA satellite image of Patagonia during the southern winter]] The climate is less severe than was supposed by early travelers. The east slope is warmer than the west, especially in summer, as a branch of the southern equatorial current reaches its shores, whereas the west coast is washed by a cold current. At [[Puerto Montt]], on the inlet behind Chiloé Island. The main annual temperature is 11 °C (52 °F) and the average extremes 25.5 °C (78 °F) and −1.5 °C (29.5 °F), whereas at [[Bahia Blanca]] near the Atlantic coast and just outside the northern confines of Patagonia the annual temperature is 15 °C (59 °F) and the range much greater. At Punta Arenas, in the extreme south, the mean temperature is 6 °C (43 °F) and the average extremes 24.5 °C (76 °F) and −2 °C (28 °F). The prevailing winds are westerly, and the westward slope has a much heavier precipitation than the eastern in a [[rainshadow]] effect;<ref name="Princeton"/> the western islands close to [[Torres del Paine]] receive an annual precipitation of 4,000 to 7,000 mm, whilst the eastern hills are less than 800 mm and the plains may be as low as 200 mm annual precipitation.<ref name="Princeton"/> The depletion of the [[ozone layer]] over the [[South Pole]] has been reported as being responsible for blindness and skin cancer in sheep in Tierra del Fuego, and concerns for human health and ecosystems.<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/10/10/radiation.chile.reut/index.html Southern Chile warned of high radiation levels under ozone hole], [[CNN.com]], [[October 10]], [[2000]], accessed [[2006-08-11]]</ref> ==Vegetation== Due to the wide variation in temperature, precipitation and altitude, there are clear vegetation patterns. [[Moorland]] with [[bog]]s and dwarf [[shrub]]s, termed Magellanic moorland, predominates along the south western coast where there are high winds and precipitation. Around the ice-fields, high rainfall in sheltered areas allows mixed evergreen [[temperate rain forest]] ([[Magellanic subpolar forests]]) of [[southern beech]] (''[[Nothofagus betuloides]]''). Mixed [[deciduous]] woodland ([[Valdivian temperate rain forests]]) is found in areas of lower precipitation, including ''[[Nothofagus pumilio]]'', ''Berberis'' and ''[[Gunnera magellanica]]''.<ref name="Princeton"/> On the eastern side of the mountains, there are also areas of rain forest and bog where precipitation is high. Beyond this zone on the wide [[steppe]] there is [[grassland]] with low shrubs, with tough ''[[Festuca]]'' tussock-grasses resistant to low precipitation and high winds.<ref name="Princeton"/> In spring and summer, the grassland is interspersed with low plants covered in small blossoms.<ref name="time out"/> The calafate (''[[Berberis buxifolia]]'') is considered the symbol of Patagonia. An evergreen shrub, its berries are edible and used to make a popular jam. A legend tells that eating the berry makes people certain to return to Patagonia.<ref name="time out"/> The large and long-living [[Alerce]] is an iconic tree of the Lake District, protected in [[Los Alerces National Park]].<ref name="time out"/> == Fauna == [[Image:Guanako.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Guanacos near [[Torres del Paine]], Chile]] The [[guanaco]], the [[cougar]], the ''zorro'' or Brazilian fox (''Canis azarae''), the ''zorrino'' or ''Mephitis patagonica'' (a kind of [[skunk]]), and the [[tuco-tuco]] or ''Ctenomys magellanicus'' (a subterranean [[rodent]]) are the most characteristic mammals of the Patagonian plains. The guanaco roam in herds over the country and form with the [[rhea (bird)|rhea]] (''Rhea americana'', and more rarely ''Rhea darwinii'') formerly the chief means of subsistence for the natives, who hunted them on horseback with dogs and [[bolas]]. [[Vizcacha]] (''Lagidum'' spp.) and [[Mara (mammal)|Mara]] (''Dolichotis'') are also characteristic of the steppe and the [[Pampas]] to the north. Bird-life is often wonderfully abundant. The [[Southern Caracara|carancho]] or carrion-hawk (''Polyborus tharus'') is one of the characteristic objects of a Patagonian landscape; the presence of long-tailed green [[parakeet]]s (''Conurus cyanolysius'') as far south as the shores of the strait attracted the attention of the earlier navigators; and [[hummingbird]]s may be seen flying amidst the falling snow. Of the many kinds of water-fowl it is enough to mention the [[flamingo]], the [[upland goose]], and in the strait the remarkable [[steamer duck]]. Signature marine fauna include the [[Southern right whale]], the [[Emperor penguin]], the [[Orca]] and [[elephant seal]]s. The [[Valdes Peninsula|Valdés Peninsula]] is a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] for its importance as a nature reserve. == History == :''See also: [[History of Argentina]], [[History of Chile]] and [[Argentina-Chile relations]] === Pre-Columbine Patagonia (10,000 BCE-1520 CE) === [[Image:SantaCruz-CuevaManos-P2210651b.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Cueva de las Manos]] site in Santa Cruz, Argentina.]] Human habitation of the region dates back thousands of years, with some early archaeological findings in the area dated to at least the [[13th millennium BCE]], although later dates of around the [[10th millennium BCE]] are more securely recognised. There is evidence of human activity at [[Monte Verde]] in [[Llanquihue Province]], Chile dated to around 12,500 BCE.<ref name="Princeton"/> The glacial period ice-fields and subsequent large meltwater streams would have made settlement difficult at that time. The region seems to have been inhabited continuously since 10,000 BCE, by various cultures and alternating waves of migration, the details of which are as yet poorly understood. Several sites have been excavated, notably caves in [[Última Esperanza]] in southern Patagonia, and [[Tres Arroyos]] on Tierra del Fuego, that support this date.<ref name="Princeton"/> Hearths, stone scrapers, animal remains dated to 9,400-9,200 BCE have been found east of the Andes.<ref name="Princeton"/> The ''[[Cueva de las Manos]]'' is a famous site in Santa Cruz, Argentina. A cave at the foot of a cliff, it has wall paintings, particularly the negative images of hundreds of hands, believed to date from around 8,000 BCE.<ref name="Princeton"/> Hunting of [[guanaco]] was the most important activity, and [[rhea (bird)|rhea]] (ñandu) to a lesser extent, it appears from artifacts.<ref name="Princeton"/> It is unclear whether the [[megafauna]] of Patagonia, including the [[ground sloth]] and horse, were extinct in the area before the arrival of humans, although this is now the more widely accepted account. It is also not clear if domestic dogs were part of early human activity. ''[[Bolas]]'' are commonly found and were used to catch guanaco and rhea.<ref name="Princeton"/> A maritime tradition appeared amongst the [[Yámana]] to the south of the [[Beagle Channel]]. The [[indigenous peoples]] of the region included the [[Tehuelche]]s, whose numbers and society were reduced to near extinction not long after the first contacts with Europeans. Tehuelches included the [[Gununa'kena]] to the north, [[Mecharnuekenk]] in south central Patagonia and the [[Aonikenk]] or Southern Tehuelche in the far South, north of the Magellan channel. On [[Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego]], the [[Selk'nam]] (Ona) and [[Haush]] ([[Manek'enk|Mannekenk]]) lived in the north and south east respectively. In the archipelagos to the south of Tierra del Fuego were Yámana, with the [[Kawéskar]] (Alakaluf) in the coastal areas and islands in western Tierra del Fuego and the south west of the mainland.<ref name="Princeton"/> These groups were encountered in the first periods of European contact with different lifestyles, body decoration and language, although it is unclear when this configuration emerged. Around 1,000 BCE, [[Mapuche]]-speaking agriculturalists penetrated the western Andes and from there across into the eastern plains and down to the far south. Through confrontation and technological ability, they came to dominate the other peoples of the region in a short space of time, and are the principal indigenous community today.<ref name="Princeton"/> === Early European exploration and Spanish conquest attempts (1520-1584)=== The region of Patagonia was to be first noted in European accounts in 1520 by the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan, who on his passage along the coast named many of the more striking features -- [[Gulf of San Matias]], Cape of 11,000 Virgins (now simply [[Cape Virgenes]]), and others. However, it is also possible that earlier navigators such as [[Amerigo Vespucci]] had reached the area (his own account of 1502 has it that he reached its latitudes), however his failure to accurately describe the main geographical features of the region such as the [[Río de la Plata]] casts some doubt on whether he really did so. [[Rodrigo de Isla]], sent inland in 1535 from San Matias by [[Simón de Alcazaba Sotomayor]] (on whom western Patagonia had been conferred by [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Carlos V]] of Spain), is presumed to have been the first European to traverse the great Patagonian plain. If the men under his charge had not mutinied, he might have been able to cross the Andes to reach the Chilean side. [[Pedro de Mendoza]], on whom the country was next bestowed, lived to found [[Buenos Aires]], but not to carry his explorations to the south. [[Alonzo de Camargo]] (1539), [[Juan Ladrilleros]] (1557) and [[Hurtado de Mendoza]] (1558) helped to make known the western coasts, and [[Sir Francis Drake]]'s voyage in 1577 down the eastern coast through the strait and northward by Chile and Peru was memorable for several reasons; but the geography of Patagonia owes more to [[Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa]] (1579&ndash;1580), who, devoting himself especially to the south-west region, made careful and accurate surveys. The settlement which he founded at [[Nombre de Dios]] and [[San Felipe]] were neglected by the Spanish government, the latter being abandoned before [[Thomas Cavendish]] visited it in 1587 and was so desolate that he called it [[Puerto Hambre|Port Famine]]. The district in the neighbourhood of [[Puerto Deseado]], explored by [[John Davis (English explorer)|John Davis]] about the same period, was taken possession of by Sir [[John Narborough]] in the name of King [[Charles II of England]] in 1669. ====Patagonian giants: early European perceptions ==== According to [[Antonio Pigafetta]],<ref name="Pigafetta"/> one of the Magellan expedition's few survivors and its published chronicler, Magellan bestowed the name ''"Patagão"'' (or ''Patagón'') on the inhabitants they encountered there, and the name "Patagonia" for the region. Although Pigafetta's account does not describe how this name came about, subsequent popular interpretations gave credence to a derivation meaning 'land of the big feet'. However, this [[etymology]] is questionable. [[Image:Urville-Patagonians2.jpg|thumb|310px|right|1840s illustration (somewhat idealised) of indigenous [[Patagon]]ians from near the [[Straits of Magellan]]; from ''"Voyage au pole sud et dans l'Oceanie ....."'' by French explorer [[Jules Dumont d'Urville]]]] The main interest in the region sparked by Pigafetta's account came from his reports of their meeting with the local inhabitants, who they claimed to measure some nine to twelve feet in height —''"...so tall that we reached only to his waist"''—, and hence the later idea that Patagonia meant "big feet". This supposed race of [[Patagonian giants]] or [[Patagon]]es entered into the common European perception of this little-known and distant area, to be further fuelled by subsequent reports of other expeditions and famous-name travellers like Sir Francis Drake, which seemed to confirm these accounts. Early charts of the [[New World]] sometimes added the legend ''regio gigantum'' ("region of the giants") to the Patagonian area. By 1611 the Patagonian god Setebos (Settaboth in Pigafetta) was familiar to the hearers of ''The Tempest''. The concept and general belief persisted for a further 250 years, and was to be sensationally re-ignited in 1767 when an "official" (but anonymous) account was published of [[Commodore (RN)|Commodore]] [[John Byron]]'s recent voyage of global [[circumnavigation]] in [[HMS Dolphin (1751)|HMS ''Dolphin'']]. Byron and crew had spent some time along the coast, and the publication (''Voyage Round the World in His Majesty's Ship the Dolphin'') seemed to give proof positive of their existence; the publication became an overnight best-seller, thousands of extra copies were to be sold to a willing public, and other prior accounts of the region were hastily re-published (even those in which giant-like folk were not mentioned at all). However, the Patagonian giant frenzy was to die down substantially only a few years later, when some more sober and analytical accounts were published. In 1773 [[John Hawkesworth (book editor)|John Hawkesworth]] published on behalf of the [[Admiralty]] a compendium of noted English southern-hemisphere explorers' journals, including that of [[James Cook]] and John Byron. In this publication, drawn from their official logs, it became clear that the people Byron's expedition had encountered were no taller than 6-foot 6 inches, tall perhaps but by no means giants. Interest soon subsided, although awareness of and belief in the [[mythology|myth]] persisted in some quarters even up into the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web | author=Carolyne Ryan| title=European Travel Writings and the Patagonian giants | work=Lawrence University | url=http://www.lawrence.edu/news/pubs/lt/fall04/giants.shtml | accessmonthday=August 15 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> === Scientific exploration (1764-1842) === In the second half of the 18th century, European knowledge of Patagonia was further augmented by the voyages of the previously-mentioned John Byron (1764&ndash;1765), [[Samuel Wallis]] (1766, in the same HMS ''Dolphin'' which Byron had earlier sailed in) and [[Louis Antoine de Bougainville]] (1766). [[Thomas Falkner]], a Jesuit who resided near forty years in those parts, published his ''Description of Patagonia'' (Hereford, 1774); [[Francesco Viedma]] founded El Carmen, and Antonio advanced inland to the Andes (1782); and [[Basilio Villarino]] ascended the Rio Negro (1782). Two [[hydrographic]] surveys of the coasts were of first-rate importance: the first expedition (1826&ndash;1830) including [[HMS Adventure (1809)|HMS ''Adventure'']] and [[HMS Beagle|HMS ''Beagle'']] under [[Phillip Parker King]], and the second (1832&ndash;1836) being the [[the Voyage of the Beagle|voyage of the ''Beagle'']] under [[Robert FitzRoy]]. The latter expedition is particularly noted for the participation of [[Charles Darwin]]; however nothing was observed of the interior of the country except for 200 miles (320 km) of the course of the [[Santa Cruz River (Argentina)|Santa Cruz river]]. === Chilean and Argentine expansion (1843-1902) === [[Image:Fuerte bulnes.JPG|270px|thumb|right|The establishment of [[Fuerte Bulnes]] in 1843 marked the start of Chilean expansion in Patagonia]] Following the last instructions of [[Bernardo O'Higgins]], the Chilean president [[Manuel Bulnes]] sent an expedition to the [[Strait of Magellan]] and founded [[Fuerte Bulnes]] in 1843. Five years later, the Chilean government moved the main settlement to the current location of [[Punta Arenas, Chile|Punta Arenas]], the oldest permanent settlement in Southern Patagonia. The creation of Punta Arenas was instrumental in making Chile's claim of the Strait of Magellan permanent. In the mid-19th century the newly-independent nations of Argentina and Chile began an aggressive phase of expansion into the south, increasing confrontation with the indigenous populations. In 1860, a [[France|French]] adventurer [[Orelie-Antoine de Tounens]] proclaimed himself king of The Kingdom of [[Araucania and Patagonia]] of the [[Mapuche]]. Captain [[George Chaworth Musters]] in 1869 wandered in company with a band of [[Tehuelche]]s through the whole length of the country from the strait to the Manzaneros in the north-west, and collected a great deal of information about the people and their mode of life. In the 1870s the [[Conquest of the Desert]] was a controversial campaign by the Argentine government, executed mainly by [[General Julio Argentino Roca]], to subdue or, some claim, to exterminate the native peoples of the South. By the mid-1880s the campaign's objectives had largely been achieved. In 1885 a mining expeditionary party under the Romanian adventurer [[Julius Popper]] landed in southern Patagonia in search of [[gold]], which they found after travelling southwards towards the lands of [[Tierra del Fuego]]. This further opened up some of the area to prospectors. European missionaries and settlers arrived through the 19th and 20th centuries, notably the [[Welsh settlement in Argentina|Welsh settlement]] of the [[Chubut Valley]]. During the first years of the 20th century, the border between the two nations in Patagonia was established by the mediation of the British crown. But it has undergone a lot of modifications since then, and there is still one place (50 km long) where there is no border established ([[Southern Patagonia Icefield]]). Until 1902 most of Patagonia was settled by [[Chiloe Archipelago|Chilotes]] who worked in cattle farming. Before and after 1902, when the boundaries were drawn, a lot of Chilotes were expelled from the Argentinian side. These workers founded the first inland Chilean settlement in what is now the [[Aisén Region]];<ref>[http://www.turistel.cl/v2/secciones/destinos/ciudad_pueblo/sur/undecima/coihaique.htm Coihaique - Ciudades y Pueblos del sur de Chile<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name=Fuego>Luis Otero, La Huella del Fuego: Historia de los bosques y cambios en el paisaje del sur de Chile (Valdivia, Editorial Pehuen)</ref> [[Balmaceda, Chile|Balmaceda]]. Lacking good grasslands on the forest-covered Chilean side, the immigrants burned down the forest, setting fires that could have lasted more than two years.<ref name=Fuego/> ==Economy== As described above by province, principal economic activities have been mining, whaling, agriculture (notably sheep in the south, and wheat and fruit to the north), and oil after its discovery near [[Comodoro Rivadavia]] in 1907.<ref name="time out"/> Energy production is also a crucial part of the local economy. Railways were planned to cover continental Argentine Patagonia to serve the oil, mining, agricultural and energy industries, and a line was built connecting [[San Carlos de Bariloche]] to [[Buenos Aires]]. Portions of other lines were built to the south, but the only lines still in use are [[La Trochita]] in [[Esquel]], the '[[Train of the End of the World]]' in [[Ushuaia]], both [[heritage line]]s, <ref>[http://www.latrochita.org.ar/TrochiIngles/historia.htm History of the Old Patagonian Express], La Trochita, accessed [[2006-08-11]]</ref> and a short run Tren Histórico de [[San Carlos de Bariloche|Bariloche]] to Perito Moreno. In the second half of the 20th century, tourism became an ever more important part of Patagonia's economy. Originally a remote backpacking destination, the region has attracted increasing numbers of upmarket visitors, cruise passengers rounding [[Cape Horn]] or visiting Antarctica, and adventure and activity holiday-makers. Principal tourist attractions include the [[Perito Moreno glacier]], the [[Valdés Peninsula]], [[Torres del Paine national park]], the [[Argentine Lake District]] and [[Ushuaia]] and [[Tierra del Fuego]]. Tourism has created new markets locally and for export for traditional crafts such as Mapuche handicrafts, guanaco textiles, and confectionery and preserves.<ref name="time out"/> At the urging of the Chilean government, the Spanish company Endesa hopes to build a number of large hydro-electric dams in the Chilean Patagonia. The first dams would be built on the Baker and Pascua rivers, but dams have also been proposed on others, including the famed Futalefu. The dams are thought to threaten the fishing, wilderness-tourism and agricultural interests along the river. The electricity would be fed into high-tension lines (to be built by a Canadian company) and taken 1200 miles north to the industry and mining hub around Santiago. The lines would cut through a number of previously pristine national parks and protected areas. The Chilean government considers the power to be essential for economic growth, while opponents claim it will destroy Patagonia's growing tourism industry. No evidence has been produced from the experience in other nations that the presence of electrical transmission lines has significantly affected tourism. In fact, opponents of the program have utilized billboard advertising in Chile which superimposes images of power lines over scenes of Torres del Paine national park, where no proposals for such lines have been made. A spin-off from increased tourism has been the buying of often enormous tracts of land by foreigners, often as a prestige purchase rather than for agriculture. Buyers have included [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Ted Turner]] and [[Christopher Lambert]], and most notably [[Luciano Benetton]], Patagonia's largest landowner.<ref name="time out"/> His ''Compañia de Tierras Sud'' has brought new techniques to the ailing sheep-rearing industry and sponsored museums and community facilities, but has been controversial particularly for its treatment of local Mapuche communities.<ref>[http://www.mapuche-nation.org/english/main/benetton/main/info.htm 'The Invisible Colours of Benetton'], [[Mapuche International Link]], accessed [[2006-08-11]]</ref> Argentine Patagonian cuisine is largely the same as the cuisine of [[Buenos Aires]] - grilled meats and pasta - with extensive use of local ingredients and less use of those products which have to be imported into the region. Lamb is considered the traditional Patagonian meat, grilled for several hours over an open fire. Some guide books have reported that game, especially guanaco and introduced deer and boar, are popular in restaurant cuisine. However, since the guanaco is a protected animal in both Chile and Argentina, it is unlikely to appear commonly as restaurant fare. Trout and ''[[centolla]]'' ([[king crab]]) are also common, though over-fishing of centolla has made it increasingly scarce. In the area around Bariloche, there is a noted [[Alps|Alpine]] cuisine tradition, with chocolate bars and even [[fondue]] restaurants, and [[tea room]]s are a feature of the Welsh communities in [[Gaiman, Chubut|Gaiman]] and [[Trevelin]] as well as in the mountains.<ref name="time out"/> ==Foreign land buyers issue== Foreign investors, including Italian multimillionational [[Benetton Group]] and the [[environmentalist]] [[Douglas Tompkins]], own major land areas. This situation have caused several conflicts with local inhabitants and the governments of Chile and Argentina for example the opposition by Douglas Tomkins to the planned route for [[Carretera Austral]] in [[Pumalín Park]]. Benetton has faced criticism from [[Mapuche]] organizations, including [[Mapuche International Link]], over its purchase of traditional Mapuche lands in Patagonia. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mapuche-nation.org/english/main/benetton/main/info.htm|title=The Invisible Colours of Benetton - Campaign|accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref> The Curiñanco-Nahuelquir family was evicted from their land in 2002 following Benetton's claim to it, but the land was restored in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santarosarecuperada.com.ar/english/index.html |title=Recovered Mapuche territory in Patagonia: Benetton vs. Mapuche|publisher=MAPU Association|accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref> == Further reading == *''Patagonia : a forgotten land : from Magellan to Perón'', 2007, ISBN 9781845640613 *''The wild shores of Patagonia : the Valdés Peninsula and Punta Tombo'', 2000, ISBN 0810943522 *''Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Antarctic Peninsula : the Falkland Islands & South Georgia = Aves de Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego y Península Antártica : Islas Malvinas y Georgia del Sur'', 2003, ISBN 9568007040 *''The South American table : the flavor and soul of authentic home cooking from Patagonia to Rio de Janeiro, with 450 recipes'', 2003, ISBN 1558322485 *''Chatwin, Bruce "In Patagonia" (1977) *''Theroux, Paul "The Old Patagonian Express" (1979) *''The Last Cowboys at the End of the World: The Story of the Guachos of Patagonia'',2002, ISBN 0609810049 == See also == *[[Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia]] *[[Araucanization]] *[[Cerro Hudson]] *[[Conquest of the Desert]] *[[List of deserts by area]] *[[Patagonian Ice Sheet]] *[[Southern Cone]] *[[Volcan Domuyo]] *[[Torres del Paine National Park]] == References == {{reflist}} == External links == {{commons2|Patagonia}} *[http://www.patagoniawebcam.com/ Patagonia Webcam from Paine and Puerto Natales] *[http://www.questconnect.org/pat_patagonia.htm Virtual Classroom:Patagonia] *[http://www.peninsulavaldes.org/patagonia/geography/generalgeo.htm Patagonia Geography] *[http://patagonia.icetrek.com/history.html Mountaineer history of Patagonia] *[http://www.patagonia-argentina.com/i/content/aborigenes.htm Aborigines of Patagonia] *[http://www.epatagonia.gov.ar/home_en.php5 Santa Cruz Sub Secretary Of Tourism] *[http://www.patagoniaexpeditionrace.com/in/galeria_paisajes.htm Pictures of Patagonia] *[http://www.patagonialiving.com Life in Patagonia] *[http://www.patagoniasinrepresas.cl Patagonia SinRepresas] {{sp icon}} *[http://www.torresdelpaine.com/ torresdelpaine.com] {{sp icon}} {{1911}} {{Regions of the world}} [[Category:Patagonia| ]] [[Category:Regions of South America]] [[Category:Deserts of Argentina]] [[Category:Deserts of Chile]] [[Category:Geography of Aisén Region]] [[Category:Geography of Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region]] [[ar:باتاغونيا]] [[frp:Patagonie]] [[bs:Patagonija]] [[bg:Патагония]] [[ca:Patagònia]] [[cs:Patagonie]] [[cy:Patagonia]] [[de:Patagonien]] [[es:Patagonia]] [[eo:Patagonio]] [[eu:Patagonia]] [[fa:پاتاگونیا]] [[fr:Patagonie]] [[fy:Patagoanje]] [[gl:Patagonia]] [[hr:Patagonija]] [[it:Patagonia]] [[he:פטגוניה]] [[kw:Patagoni]] [[sw:Patagonia]] [[la:Patagonia]] [[lt:Patagonija]] [[lij:Patagonia]] [[nl:Patagonië]] [[ja:パタゴニア]] [[no:Patagonia]] [[pl:Patagonia]] [[pt:Patagónia]] [[ro:Patagonia]] [[qu:Pataqunya]] [[ru:Патагония]] [[sl:Patagonija]] [[sr:Патагонија]] [[sh:Patagonija]] [[fi:Patagonia]] [[sv:Patagonien]] [[tr:Patagonya]] [[uk:Патагонія]] [[zh:巴塔哥尼亞]]