Strait Of Magellan

The Strait of Magellan is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and the Tierra del Fuego archipelago to the south. It is approximately 570 km long and 2 km wide at its narrowest point. The strait was first discovered by the Spanish expedition of Ferdinand Magellan in 1520. The King of Spain later changed the name of the strait to the Strait of Magellan in honor of Magellan. The route is difficult to navigate due to frequent narrows and unpredictable winds and currents. The strait has been inhabited by indigenous Americans for at least 13,000 years, including the Kawésqar, Tehuelche, Selk'nam, and Yaghan people, who were nomadic hunter-gatherers. The strait was not significantly affected by European contact until the late 19th century, and European-introduced diseases later decimated portions of the indigenous population.learn more on wikipedia