Taitao
| Taitao | ||
| Geographical location | ||
|
||
| Coordinates | 46 ° 30 ′ S , 75 ° 0 ′ W | |
| Waters 1 | Pacific Ocean | |
| Waters 2 | Gulf of Tres Montes | |
| length | 124 km | |
| width | 115 km | |
 Taitao Peninsula |
||
Taitao is a large peninsula in southern Chile in the Región de Aisén (Región XI).
Geography and climate
Taitao is about 82 km west of Puerto Chacabuco . It has a length of 124 km and a width of 115 km. North of the peninsula is the island world of the Chonos Archipelago . The peninsula ends in the south on the Gulf of Tres Montes .
The peninsula is criss-crossed by fjords and granite formations . It is practically uninhabited and partly glaciated.
Due to its size, Taitao has several smaller peninsulas. In the south this is the Tres Montes Peninsula and in the northwest the Duende Peninsula . Cape Cabo Ráper forms the westernmost point of the peninsula on the Pacific. In the middle of the peninsula lies the huge lake, Lago Presidente Ríos, with 352 km².
The Antarctic ice drift is already driving icebergs towards the peninsula.
The climate is characterized by heavy rainfall (3,500–5,000 mm / year). The average temperature is 5 ° C.
history
In 1553 Francisco de Ulloa reached the Taitao peninsula for the first time on behalf of Pedro de Valdivia . Charles Darwin visited the peninsula on December 25, 1834 with his ship HMS Beagle . In 1912 a small railway line was built in the area of Cabo Ráper , which led to the construction of the lighthouse , today it is in ruins.
On May 22, 1960, the world's worst known earthquake occurred in Chile. Taitao was the southern limit of the quake. This is where the Antarctic Plate and the Nasca Plate meet.
In 1991 the peninsula was covered in ash rain from the Cerro Hudson volcano . The volcano is located around 50 km east of the peninsula.
economy
Due to the low population, practically only tourism plays a role.
tourism
The peninsula is part of the Laguna San Rafael National Park . It has an area of 17,420 km². The park is a biosphere reserve of UNESCO .
The main tourist activities are glacier cruises, kayaking and trekking tours.