Strait of Magellan

Located at the southern tip of South America and near the southern extent of civilization (besides researchers in Antarctica and some islands), the Strait of Magellan (Estrecho de Magallanes in Spanish) is a body of water connecting the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean in CHILE. The strait is named after Ferdinand Magellan (Hernando de Magallanes), a Portuguese explorer well known for circumnavigating most of the globe and sailing through this strait. On the Pacific Ocean side of Chile (west coast), the strait passes south of the Archipiélago Reina Adelaida (Queen Adelaide Archipelago) and north of Isla Desolación (Desolation Island) and Isla Santa Inés. Next, the Strait of Magellan flows southeast, then curves northward with the Península Brunswick to its north and west. Cities such as Punta Arenas, Porvenir, and Caleta Clarencia and the Monumental Natural Los Pengüinos (The Penguins Natural Monument) are located beside the strait's vertical section. Finally, the strait turns northeast and east before connecting to the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.

Did You Know? Not only did Ferdinand Magellan discover islands that Europe never found before, he also spotted species, such as a penguin species that is named after him (Magellanic Penguin)! Also, the Strait of Magellan is only about a little more than 1000 kilometers (~600 miles) away from the Antarctic Peninsula in Antarctica!