Native name: Archipiélago de Chonos | |
|---|---|
 Chonos Archipelago can be seen in the upper right portion of the image. | |
 Chonos Archipelago is marked with dark blue,Guaitecas Archipelago with light blue andChiloé Archipelago is marked with red | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 45°08′00″S73°57′00″W / 45.1333°S 73.95°W /-45.1333; -73.95 |
| Adjacent to | Pacific Ocean |
| Administration | |
| Region | Aisén |
| Additional information | |
| NGA UFI=-877176 | |
TheChonos Archipelago is a series of low, mountainous, elongated islands with deep bays, traces of a submergedChilean Coast Range. Most of the islands are forested with little or no human settlement. The deepMoraleda Channel separates the islands of the Chonos Archipelago from the mainland ofChile and fromMagdalena Island.
The largest islands areMelchor Island,Benjamin Island,Traiguén Island,Riveros Island, Cuptana Island,James Island,Victoria Island, Simpson Island, Level Island, Luz Island.
Far out in the Pacific isGuamblin Island with theIsla Guamblin National Park. The National park comprises about 106 km2.Blue whales can often be seen here.
Some groups of islands are grouped into minor archipelagoes such as theGuaitecas Archipelago. The Guaitecas Archipelago has its own municipality and possesses the only settlement in the archipelago,Melinka. All islands are part of theAisén Region.
Chonos Archipelago was mapped in the 18th and 19th centuries byJosé de Moraleda y Montero (1793),Robert FitzRoy (1834) andEnrique Simpson (1870–71).[1][2]
Most of the archipelago is covered by a more-less openPilgerodendron forest withcushion plants such asAstelia pumila,Donatia fascicularis andOreobolus obtusangulus.[3] In the western fringes of the archipelago ashrubland ofc. 2 meter highPilgerondendron andNothofagus nitida grows. Amidst this shrubland, occasional peatlands and forests exist.[4]
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