Strait of Magellan

\nThe
Strait of Magellan is the passage immediately south of mainland
South America. Located between the continent and
Tierra del Fuego, and
Cape Horn to the south, the strait is the biggest and most important natural passage between the
Pacific and the
Atlantic Ocean.
The strait was first navigated in 1521 by
Ferdinand Magellan during his global circumnavigation voyage. Because Magellan's ships entered it on
November 1st, it was originally named
Estreito de Todos los Santos .
On May 23rd 1843
Chile took possession of the channel, under whose sovereignty it remains to this day. On the coast of the Strait lies the city of Punta Arenas and the village of Porvenir.

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Before the creation of the Panama canal, this was the second-most travelled way to pass from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean (the most used route being the rounding of
Cape Horn).
It is known as a difficult route due to the inhospitable climate and the narrowness of the passage.\n

\nThis path was crossed by:
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Category:Straits of Chile