Diego Ramírez Islands
Encyclopedia
The Diego Ramírez Islands are a small group of lesser island
s located in the southernmost extreme of Chile
about 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Cape Horn
and 93 km (58 mi) south-south-east of Ildefonso Islands
, stretching 8 km (5 mi) north-south (not to be confused with Ramirez Island
far to the north). Their land area is little more than 1 km² (0.386102158592535 sq mi). The islands belong to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province
of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region. They are divided into a smaller northern group with six islets, and a larger southern group, separated by a passage 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The two largest islands, Isla Bartolomé
and Isla Gonzalo
, both lie in the southern group. The islands contain the southernmost point of the South America
n continent (including islands), a title often incorrectly awarded to Cape Horn. Águila Islet
(Islote Águila), the southernmost land of the group, is at 56°32'9"S.
They were first sighted on 12 February 1619 by the Garcia de Nodal expedition
, and named after the cosmographer of the expedition, Diego Ramírez de Arellano. They were cited as the southernmost land mass plotted as of that time, and retained the honor for 156 years, until the discovery of the South Sandwich Islands in 1775.
The Chilean Navy
established a meteorological station above Caleta Condell, a small cove on the northeast side of Isla Gonzalo (Gonzalo Island), in 1957, and resupply it several times each year. This is the southernmost human-occupied outpost of South America (including islands), even if the South Sandwich Islands are regarded as part of South America, since the Argentinian
station on Thule Island
was dismantled in June 1982 (in the aftermath of the Falklands War
). The next southerly human-occupied outpost of South America is the lighthouse of Cape Horn. Cruise ship
s occasionally pass by on their way to and from Antarctica.
The islands are an important nesting site for a number of southern seabirds, including the Black-browed Albatross
, Shy Albatross
, Grey-headed Albatross
, Rockhopper Penguin
, and Southern Giant-Petrel.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s located in the southernmost extreme of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
about 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
and 93 km (58 mi) south-south-east of Ildefonso Islands
Ildefonso Islands
Islas Ildefonso are a group of islands in Chile. The islands belong to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region...
, stretching 8 km (5 mi) north-south (not to be confused with Ramirez Island
Ramirez Island
]Ramirez Island is an island in the Queen Adelaide Archipelago in Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile. Its area is 163 km². ....
far to the north). Their land area is little more than 1 km² (0.386102158592535 sq mi). The islands belong to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province
Antártica Chilena Province
Antártica Chilena Province is the southernmost and one of four provinces in Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region . The capital is Puerto Williams...
of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region. They are divided into a smaller northern group with six islets, and a larger southern group, separated by a passage 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The two largest islands, Isla Bartolomé
Isla Bartolomé
Isla Bartolomé is an uninhabited subantarctic island. With an area of 93 ha and a maximum height of 190 m it is the largest of the Chilean Diego Ramírez Archipelago, being more than twice the size of the second largest - Isla Gonzalo, lying in the Drake Passage between the continents...
and Isla Gonzalo
Isla Gonzalo
Isla Gonzalo is a subantarctic island, uninhabited except for a weather and research station operated by the Chilean Navy. With an area of 38 ha it is the second largest of the Chilean Diego Ramírez Archipelago, lying in the Drake Passage between the continents of South America and...
, both lie in the southern group. The islands contain the southernmost point of the South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n continent (including islands), a title often incorrectly awarded to Cape Horn. Águila Islet
Águila Islet
Águila Islet is the southernmost point of the South American continent . It is part of the larger southern group of the Diego Ramírez Islands, about southwest of Cape Horn in the Drake Passage, which is the southernmost possession of Chile.The distance to the closest Antarctic lands is...
(Islote Águila), the southernmost land of the group, is at 56°32'9"S.
They were first sighted on 12 February 1619 by the Garcia de Nodal expedition
Garcia de Nodal expedition
The García de Nodal expedition was chartered in 1619 by King Philip III of Spain to reconnoiter the passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, rounding Cape Horn, south of Tierra del Fuego, just discovered by the Dutch merchants Jacob Le Maire and Willem Schouten. It was a successful...
, and named after the cosmographer of the expedition, Diego Ramírez de Arellano. They were cited as the southernmost land mass plotted as of that time, and retained the honor for 156 years, until the discovery of the South Sandwich Islands in 1775.
The Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
established a meteorological station above Caleta Condell, a small cove on the northeast side of Isla Gonzalo (Gonzalo Island), in 1957, and resupply it several times each year. This is the southernmost human-occupied outpost of South America (including islands), even if the South Sandwich Islands are regarded as part of South America, since the Argentinian
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
station on Thule Island
Thule Island
Thule Island, also called Morrell Island, is one of the southernmost of the South Sandwich Islands, part of the grouping known as Southern Thule. It is named, on account of its remote location, after the mythical land of Thule, said by ancient geographers to lie at the extreme end of the earth...
was dismantled in June 1982 (in the aftermath of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
). The next southerly human-occupied outpost of South America is the lighthouse of Cape Horn. Cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s occasionally pass by on their way to and from Antarctica.
The islands are an important nesting site for a number of southern seabirds, including the Black-browed Albatross
Black-browed Albatross
The Black-browed Albatross or Black-browed Mollymawk, Thalassarche melanophrys, is a large seabird of the albatross family Diomedeidae, and it is the most widespread and common albatross.-Taxonomy:...
, Shy Albatross
Shy Albatross
The Shy Albatross or Shy Mollymawk, Thalassarche cauta, is a medium sized albatross that breeds off Australia and New Zealand's sub-Antarctic islands and ranges extensively across the Southern Ocean...
, Grey-headed Albatross
Grey-headed Albatross
The Grey-headed Albatross, Thalassarche chrysostoma, also known as the Grey-headed Mollymawk, is a large seabird from the albatross family. It has a circumpolar distribution, nesting on isolated islands in the Southern Ocean and feeding at high latitudes, further south than any of the other...
, Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper penguin
The rockhopper penguins are three closely related taxa of crested penguins that have been traditionally treated as a single species and are sometimes split into two or three species. Not all experts agree on the classification of these penguins...
, and Southern Giant-Petrel.