Chile Geography Strait of Magellan Map stamp 1957

Description

The
Strait of Magellanis
a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It has been traversed by explorers and others throughout modern history. Ferdinand Magellan's original name for the strait was Estrecho de Todos los Santos ("Strait of All Saints"). Charles V, the financier of the Magellan exploration, changed the name to Strait of Magellan to honor him. The route is difficult to navigate due to frequent narrows and unpredictable winds and currents. Maritime piloting is now compulsory. The strait is shorter and more sheltered than the Drake Passage, the often stormy open sea route around Cape Horn, which is beset by frequent gale-force winds and icebergs. Along with the Beagle Channel and the Northwest Passage, the strait was one of the only sea routes between the Atlantic and Pacific before the construction of the Panama Canal.