Southern Patagonia

From Magellan's discovery to the gold rush

The presence of humans in this region has been demonstrated since 10,000 B.C. In 1520, the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan first arrived in this region, which later saw its growth thanks to the Californian gold rush and trade between Europe, California and Australia.

Fishing, forestry and energy resources

However, with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the area lost international importance. Currently, fishing, forestry, oil reserves and methanol production are the region’s main activities.