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56-430: Carretera Austral provides road access to Chile's Aysén Region and southern parts of Los Lagos Region . These areas are sparsely populated and despite its length, Carretera Austral provides access to only about 100,000 people. The largest city along the entire road is Coyhaique with a population of 53,715 in 2010. Construction of the highway was commenced in 1976 under the military dictatorship era in order to connect

112-843: A 935-kilometre (581 mi) branch Rio Bravo- Ventisquero Montt - Puerto Natales , with 9 ferry crossings planned. By January 2007, the construction on the Rio Bravo-Ventisquero Montt section had begun, with the branch off point from the main Rio Bravo-Villa O'Higgins road being at 48°00′S 73°08′W  /  48.00°S 73.13°W  / -48.00; -73.13 . Ays%C3%A9n del General Carlos Ib%C3%A1%C3%B1ez del Campo Region The Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region ( Spanish : Región de Aysén , pronounced [ajˈsen] , or Región de Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo ), often shortened to Aysén Region or Aisén ,

168-439: A comeback. After a great wave of public unrest, Ibáñez left the country for exile, on 26 July 1931, after delegating his office to the president of the senate, Pedro Opazo , who in turn resigned in favor of the interior minister, Juan Esteban Montero . Chile did not reach political stability until the 1932 reelection of Arturo Alessandri, whose economic policies managed to alleviate the depression . He ran for president again in

224-535: A large degree developed around the center of the country. General Carlos Ib%C3%A1%C3%B1ez del Campo General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo ( Latin American Spanish: [ˈkaɾlos iˈβaɲes ðel ˈkampo] ; 3 November 1877 – 28 April 1960) was a Chilean Army officer and political figure . He served as President twice, first between 1927 and 1931, and then from 1952 to 1958, serving for 10 years in office. The presidency of Arturo Alessandri saw

280-492: A lesser extent, canned, products has developed around Puerto Chacabuco, Puerto Aisén , and Puerto Cisnes . Although mining, based on polymetallic deposits of zinc, gold, and silver, makes a small contribution to Chile's total mining GDP, it is significant in regional exports. Exploitation of forests and the production of yard timber, plywood, and panels for furniture is mostly geared to export markets. Animal husbandry focuses on beef cattle, sheep, and sheep's wool, part of which

336-402: A ministerial office. Ibáñez promised to "sweep" out political corruption and bad government with his "broom" and was nicknamed the "General of Hope". He criticized traditional political parties but was vague in his proposals and had no clear position in the political spectrum. He won the election with 47%. The Bolivian National Revolution of 1952 influenced the followers of Ibáñez who saw it as

392-516: A model of the national-populism they sought to implement in Chile. His second term was a very modest success. By that time he was already old and ailing, and he left government mostly to his cabinet. His major problems during his presidency were those concerned with the economy. He had no plan to control inflation – one of the most pressing economic problems at the time in Chile – and as a result it skyrocketed to 71% in 1954 and 83% in 1955. Helped by

448-483: A number of remote communities. Before that, in the 1950s and 1970s, there had been unsuccessful attempts to build access roads in the region. It is among the most ambitious infrastructure projects developed in Chile during the 20th century. The engineering corps of the Chilean Army used thousands of conscripts from 1975 to 1985 to build the road. Dictator Augusto Pinochet is said to have made annual visits well into

504-554: A rise in popular discontent over an inefficient government. In 1924, the Chilean armed forces, led by General Luis Altamirano , began the saber-rattling ( ruido de sables ), a protest where soldiers banged their sabers against the floor of the Congress. Amid threats from the armed forces, Alessandri decided he could no longer govern and submitted his resignation. Although this resignation was not approved by Congress, Alessandri left

560-804: Is Melinka , established by the mid-nineteenth century on Ascension Island in the Guaitecas Archipelago . The indigenous population was sparse. In the insular region, the Guaitecas and Chonos inhabited the Chonos Archipelago . They are believed to have become extinct in the 20th century. In the archipelagos south of the Gulf of Penas and to Tierra del Fuego lived the Alacalufes or Kaweshkar , also fishermen. Both groups were quickly decimated by disease and attacks by settlers in

616-468: Is also a complex task due to extreme winter weather conditions. For decades, most of the land transportation had to cross the border to Argentina in order to reach again Chile's Patagonia . These difficulties were deepened during the 1970s due to the Beagle Conflict . In order to strengthen the Chilean presence in these isolated territories and ensure the land connection to the rest of the country,

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672-410: Is classified as a cool oceanic climate with low temperatures, abundant precipitation and strong winds. The relief found throughout the region results in different types of climate zones in the western and eastern parts. There are four distinct climate zones found within the region. Coastal areas to the west have a cool temperate climate. The coastal areas receive abundant precipitation throughout

728-413: Is exported. The region contains about 15,240 ha of Sphagnum bogs, and given an exploitation boom in 2010s extraction of Sphagnum in Chile is regulated by law since August 2, 2018. The commune that concentrates most of the region's Sphagnum bogs —28.5%— is O'Higgins . Given Sphagnum ’s property to absorb excess water and release it during dry months overexploitation of Sphagnum may threaten

784-437: Is involved in cattle and sheep herding, while the latter tends to be more oriented around farming. The settler heritage of the region arising from Argentina and Chiloé have also led to a unique dialect of Spanish distinct from Central Chile, especially in the areas along the border with Argentina. It is the blend of these cultures and geographic isolation that make Aysén a region distinct from the national identity of Chile which to

840-399: Is lower, with mean annual values varying between 62% and 71%. The primary sector dominates in the regional economy, which focuses on the exploitation and processing of marine, mining, forestry, and animal resources. Aquaculture is also an important activity and the region contributes 80% of Chile's salmon output. The archipelago and fjord region in the west is primarily oriented towards

896-504: Is one of Chile 's 16 first order administrative divisions . Although the third largest in area, the region is Chile's most sparsely populated region with a population of 102,317 as of 2017. The capital of the region is Coyhaique , the region's former namesake. The region's current namesake is the former President of Chile , General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo . The landscape is marked by several glaciations that formed many lakes, channels and fjords . The region contains icefields including

952-614: Is significantly lower than the other parts of the region with mean monthly precipitation below 40 mm (1.6 in). Precipitation is concentrated from May to August where these months are responsible for 55% to 65% of the total annual precipitation. Snowfall can occur during these months owing to colder temperatures. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 300 mm (12 in) in Chile Chico to 612 mm (24.1 in) in Balmaceda . Mean temperatures are lower than areas to

1008-457: Is the highest from May to August, which receives 50% of the annual precipitation. During periods of cold temperatures, precipitation can fall as snow during these months. Being located inland and farther away from the maritime influence, the climate is more continental than coastal areas. Mean temperatures average between 8 and 10 °C (46.4 and 50.0 °F) which tends to be 1 or 2 °C (1.80 or 3.60 °F) lower than coastal areas at

1064-523: Is the least populated of the country. According to the 2002 census there were only 91,492 inhabitants in an area of 106,990.9 km². The population density is 0.85 inhabitants per km². Between 2000 and 2005, the average annual growth rate was estimated at 1.35 per 100 inhabitants. The largest cities according to the 2002 census are Coyhaique (population 44,850), Puerto Aysen (16,936), Chile Chico (3042), Puerto Cisnes (2517), Cochrane (2217), Melinka (1411) and Mañihuales Villa (1401). Aysén Region climate's

1120-401: The 1942 election , but lost to Juan Antonio Rios . In the 1952 presidential elections , the right-wing Agrarian Labor Party ( Partido Agrario Laborista ) declared Ibáñez a presidential candidate. Ibáñez also garnered the support of the left-wing Popular Socialist Party and some feminist political unions — the feminist María de la Cruz was his campaign manager, but she then refused

1176-578: The Antonio de Vea expedition of 1675–1676 which was the largest expedition to the date. In 1792, the viceroy of Peru ordered the exploration of the Patagonian channels in order to find an entrance to the interior of Patagonia. The said order was carried of by José de Moraleda who led an expedition that visited many of the main channels of the zone. Following the decline of the Chono populations in

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1232-679: The Klein-Sacks mission, Ibáñez managed to reduce it to 33% when he left the presidency. During his term, public transport costs rose by 50% and economic growth fell to 2.5%. Now much more of a centrist politically, Ibáñez won the support of many left-wingers by repealing the Law for the Defense of Democracy , which banned the Communist Party . He did also take a softer approach on crime than in his first presidency. For example, he commuted

1288-678: The Northern Patagonian Ice Field and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field , the world's third largest after those in Antarctica and Greenland . The northern half of the region feature a north-south string of volcanoes . While the western part of the region is densely vegetated and mountainous, the eastern reaches contain open grasslands and much flat and rolling terrain. Aysén Region was the last major area to be effectively incorporated into

1344-641: The Spaniards . There were a number of motivations for their explorations, including a desire to Christianize indigenous peoples, to prevent intrusions of foreign powers into territory claimed by Spain, to increase geographic knowledge of the zone, and finally, to search for a mythical city called City of the Caesars . False rumours of European settlements near the Straits of Magellan led the Spanish to organize

1400-743: The Tacna Province to Peru , which had been seized during the War of the Pacific . His popularity lasted until after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 . At that point all loans were halted and called. Without the influx of foreign currency, Chile was heavily affected by the Great Depression . Ibáñez's large public spending did nothing to alleviate the situation, and his opponents, primarily the exiled Grove and Alessandri, began to plan

1456-480: The upcoming presidential elections , but the three main Chilean political parties ( Conservative , Liberal , Radical ) pressured him to desist. The three parties then presented a consensus choice, Emiliano Figueroa Larraín , to be the sole presidential candidate, in order to avoid political campaigning in the volatile political atmosphere. Nevertheless, Ibáñez's closest adviser, leftist José Santos Salas , later declared his presidential candidacy, and many suspected it

1512-641: The 1990s to follow the progress of the road. General Hernán Abad was for long in charge of its construction. As it was constructed during the military dictatorship, the Carretera Austral bears the unofficial name of the Augusto Pinochet highway. Carretera Austral has a strategic meaning due to the difficult access by land to a significant portion of Chile's southern territory. This area is characterized by thick forests , fjords , glaciers , canals and steep mountains. Access by sea and air

1568-442: The Chilean political scene (during which he often appeared to have little actual sympathy with the political goals of the groups that supported him at various times, e.g. he was too moderate to agree with the nacistas and too respectful of existing institutions to emulate Peronism successfully) produced its most significant results in the early years of his caretaker presidency in the 1920s through his efforts to develop new towns in

1624-549: The Ibáñez administration when the press revealed Ibáñez's meetings with these conspirators. Ibáñez was succeeded by Jorge Alessandri Rodriguez , the son of his archenemy Arturo Alessandri. He abandoned politics and died in Santiago in 1960. As a result of Ibañez's nebulous and vacillating political ideology, he left no intellectual legacy to Chilean politics. His long and often poorly defined presence of more than thirty years on

1680-524: The Kawésqar from 46° S to the Strait of Magellan . Thus both groups overlapped in Gulf of Penas , Guayaneco Archipelago and other islands. Yaghans inhabited a reduced area south of Tierra del Fuego . Both Chonos and Kawésqar used Pilgerodendron uviferum as firewood as well as wood for rows, boats and houses. Guaitecas Archipelago made up the southern limit of Pre-Hispanic agriculture as noted by

1736-541: The Republic of Chile, with the first permanent settlements emerging in the second half of the 19th century and the inland part being settled at the turn of the century. Until the construction of Route 7 (the Carretera Austral , or Southern Highway) in the 1980s, the only overland routes from north to south through the region were extremely primitive tracks. Region XI, Aysen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo,

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1792-476: The archipelago in the 18th century, the area gained a reputation of "emptyness" among Chileans akin to the description of eastern Patagonia as a "desert." However, the islands were often visited and traversed in the 19th century by fishermen, lumberjacks , and hunters from Chiloé. This makes it clear that many areas that were traversed by explorers were already known to the inhabitants of southern Chiloé who visited these areas for wood, fish or hunting. Over-all

1848-640: The archipelagoe and fjords of Aysén Region contributed to link early economy of the region to Chiloé Archipelago further north. Following the signing of the Boundary Treaty with Argentina in 1881, European settlers came from the Pampas to the valleys that cross the Andes from east to west. These private efforts led to the uncoordinated creation of cities of Puerto Aysen in 1904 and Balmaceda and Coyhaique in 1917 and 1929, respectively. The oldest town

1904-408: The country and Altamirano established a military junta . However, another faction of the armed forces, led by Colonel Marmaduke Grove and Lieutenant Colonel Ibáñez, decided the junta's reforms did not go far enough in ending the government's inefficiency. They led another coup, deposed Altamirano, and established a new junta with Emilio Bello Codesido as head. Ibáñez and Grove, the powers behind

1960-404: The death sentence for The Jackal of Pupunahue to life imprisonment . Some Chileans continued to support an Ibáñez dictatorship. These ibañistas , most of whom were retired army officers, created the "Línea Recta" (Straight Line) group to establish a new dictatorship. Ibáñez met with these conspirators, but ultimately his typical lack of trust ended the plans for a self-coup . A scandal rocked

2016-511: The east, averaging between 6 and 8 °C (42.8 and 46.4 °F). Mean summer temperatures can exceed 15 °C (59.0 °F) in Chile Chico, which permits agriculture, similar to the one in the central parts of the country. This is due to the moderating influence of General Carrera Lake which prevents temperatures from dropping too low. The vegetation is mostly shrubs owing to the low temperatures and precipitation. Relative humidity

2072-419: The entire route requires the use of three ferry services: The highway began as almost entirely unpaved, but more sections are becoming paved each year. As of March 2018, the paved road ends at Villa Cerro Castillo, with roadworks going on just south of there. There is also a plan to extend the road to Magallanes Region , which still lacks domestic road connection to the rest of Chile. This means constructing

2128-517: The exploitation and cultivation of marine resources. Since the 1980s, the extraction of sea urchins and locos have featured prominently in the economy of Guaitecas Archipelago . In 1985 the discovery of merluza fishing grounds in Moraleda Channel sparkled a fishing boom. In the 1990s, salmon aquaculture became an important economic activity and has remained so. An industrial park, devoted mainly to producing frozen and, to

2184-458: The fjords and channels of Aysén Region are the Chono and Kawésqar . These two groups shared a life style as canoe-faring hunther-gatherers. They also shared physical traits such as being of low stature, long-headed ( Dolichocephalic ) and having a "low face". Despite similarities their languages were completely different. The Chono moved around in the area from Chiloé Archipelago to 50° S and

2240-463: The government planned the construction of this road, which was executed by the Chilean Army 's Engineering Command. More than 10,000 soldiers worked on its construction. The highway opened to traffic in 1988, and by 1996 was completed to Puerto Yungay . The last 100 kilometers (62 mi) to Villa O'Higgins were opened in 2000. In 2003, a branch road to Caleta Tortel was finished. Traveling

2296-522: The high precipitation year-round, relative humidity is high, averaging 87% with no months averaging below 80%. High cloud cover dominates the coastal areas year round. In more inland areas to the east (about 40 km (25 mi) to the east of the coastal areas), precipitation is much lower, averaging 730 mm (29 in) in Cochrane to 1,200 mm (47 in) in Coyhaique . Precipitation

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2352-481: The lack of interest in the nineteenth century for this region, to the point that no one even thought of colonizing it with immigrants, as happened with the other southern regions. In 1870, Aysén Fjord was explored by Enrique Simpson onboard the Chacabuco , who discovered its usefulness for accessing more inland locations. The exploitation of Pilgerodendron uviferum ( Spanish : ciprés de las Guaitecas ) in

2408-668: The late 19th century coming from northern and southern Chile and Europe ; a great number of the Europeans were from Germany , Switzerland , Austria , the former Yugoslavia , Italy , Spain , the Netherlands , Denmark , Norway and the United Kingdom . Large numbers of Russians , Croats , Scots , Welsh , Irish , and Sudeten Germans from present Czech Republic arrived by government invitation and land sale programs to assist in populating southern Chile and to reduce

2464-653: The mention of the cultivation of potatoes by a Spanish expedition in 1557. Pedro de Valdivia sought originally to conquer all of southern South America to the Straits of Magellan (53° S). He did however only reach Reloncaví Sound (41°45' S). Later in 1567 Chiloé Archipelago (42°30' S) was conquered, from there on southern expansion of the Spanish Empire halted. The Spanish are thought to have lacked incentives for further conquests south. The indigenous populations were scarce and had ways of life that differed from

2520-577: The number of indigenous peoples. The Aysén region of Chile, represents a cultural exchange mainly between Argentina and the Chiloé Archipelago which form the main settler groups that inhabit the area. The Gaucho is an important symbol of the region shaping the cuisine, dance, and music of Aysén rather than the Huaso of Central Chile. The main difference between the Guacho and Huaso is the former

2576-480: The physical infrastructure of the Spanish in the fjords and channels during the colonial period was negligible and consisted of a few chapels built in the 1610s and 1620s and a wooden fortress built in 1750. All these buildings were abandoned after a few years. The Aysen region was the last to be integrated into the Chile state, long after even the southernmost region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica . Its geographical location and transport difficulties explain

2632-568: The same latitude. With lower precipitation, relative humidity is lower, averaging between 71% and 74% in Cochrane and Coyahique respectively. Cloud cover is lower and there are more clear days in inland areas than coastal areas. Corresponding to the Northern Patagonian Ice Field and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field , which are located at higher altitudes, temperatures are cold enough to maintain permanent ice fields. These two ice fields receive abundant precipitation year-round, particularly in

2688-512: The scene, agreed to ask Alessandri to return and complete his term. Alessandri returned in 1925 and drafted a new constitution which was designed to decrease the powers of the legislature, thereby making government more effective. Ibáñez was named Minister of War and later Home Affairs Minister. However, Alessandri decided Ibáñez was becoming too ambitious, and many ridiculed Alessandri as a pawn of Ibáñez. In response, Alessandri resigned once more and went into exile. Ibáñez announced his candidacy in

2744-493: The sedentary agricultural life the Spanish were accostumed to. The harsh climate in the fjords and channels of Patagonia may also have deterred further expansion. Indeed, even in Chiloé did the Spanish encounter difficulties to adapt as their attempts to base the economy on gold extraction and a "hispanic-mediterranean" agricultural model failed. During colonial times, the fjords and channels of Patagonia were first explored by

2800-416: The warmest month. Temperatures decrease with latitude although owing to maritime influence which is reinforced with strong westerly winds throughout the year, temperatures are not extremely low compared to inland areas. As a result, mean temperatures rarely fall below 4 °C (39.2 °F) in the coldest months, while the diurnal range is small, averaging 5 to 7 °C (9.00 to 12.60 °F). Owing to

2856-515: The water supply in the archipelagoes of Aysén Region. Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region is subdivided into 4 provinces in which each province is divided into municipalities ( communes ). There are a total of 10 municipalities in Aysén Region. According to a 2021 study Aysén Region is one of the three Chilean regions that are most prone to suffer nepotism and elite capture . The earliest historically known inhabitants of

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2912-453: The west facing slopes of the Andes that descend to the ocean and fiords . The climate is very windy. No meteorological stations exist in the ice fields so it is estimated that the average high, average low and mean temperatures are below 0 °C (32.0 °F) in all months to maintain permanent ice fields. The easternmost parts of the region have a cold steppe climate . Precipitation

2968-494: The year with mean annual precipitation that can reach 4,000 millimetres (157 in). For example, Puerto Aysen receives 2,940 mm (116 in) of precipitation per year while on San Pedro Island, it receives 4,266 mm (168.0 in). Most of the precipitation are associated with strong winds from the northwest and the north. The winter months are usually the wettest months. Mean annual temperatures are between 8 and 9 °C (46.4 and 48.2 °F) with January being

3024-494: Was helped by massive loans by American banks, which helped to promote a high rate of growth in the country. He constructed massive public works, and increased public spending. He also created the Carabineros de Chile (police force) by unifying the previously disorganized police forces. Another significant achievement of Ibáñez's first administration was the signing of the 1929 Treaty of Lima , in which Chile agreed to return

3080-636: Was the communist Elías Lafertte , who was exiled in the Juan Fernández Archipelago throughout the electoral campaign . Ibáñez won the election with 98% of the vote. Ibáñez began to exercise dictatorial powers, using rule by decree ( decretos con fuerza de ley ), suspending parliamentary elections, instead naming politicians to the Senate and Chamber of Deputies himself, etc. Political opponents were arrested and exiled, including his former ally Marmaduke Grove . His popularity, however,

3136-480: Was with Ibáñez's backing. Figueroa triumphed with 71% of the vote, but kept Ibáñez as Home Affairs Minister. Ibáñez was able to control the weak Figueroa who decided to resign in 1927 rather than be Ibáñez's puppet. Because he was Home Affairs Minister, under the Chilean constitution, Ibáñez became Vice President and announced elections for 22 May that year. In the presidential elections, the traditional political parties decided not to participate. Ibáñez's only opponent

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