The Chonos Archipelago is a series of low, mountainous, elongated islands with deep bays, traces of a submerged

Chilean Coast Range The Chilean Coastal Range () is a mountain range that runs from north to south along the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of South America parallel to the Andes, Andean Mountains, extending from Morro de Arica in the north to Taitao Peninsula, where ...

. Most of the islands are forested with little or no human settlement. The deep Moraleda Channel separates the islands of the Chonos Archipelago from the mainland of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

and from Magdalena Island. The largest islands are

Melchor Island Melchor Island (Spanish ''Isla Melchor'' also known as ''Meleguen'' in the NGA) is an island in the Chonos Archipelago of Chile. See also * List of islands of Chile External links Islands of Chile @ United Nations Environment ProgrammeWorld is ...

, Benjamin Island, Traiguén Island, Riveros Island, Cuptana Island, James Island, Victoria Island, Simpson Island, Level Island, Luz Island. Far out in the Pacific is Guamblin Island with the Isla 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 the Guaitecas Archipelago. The Guaitecas Archipelago has its own municipality and possesses the only settlement in the archipelago, Melinka. All islands are part of the Aisén Region. Chonos Archipelago was mapped in the 18th and 19th centuries by José de Moraleda y Montero (1793),

Robert FitzRoy Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy (5 July 1805 – 30 April 1865) was an English officer of the Royal Navy, politician and scientist who served as the second governor of New Zealand between 1843 and 1845. He achieved lasting fame as the captain of ...

(1834) and Enrique Simpson (1870–71).Simpson, E. (1874). ''Esploraciones hechas por la Corbeta Chacabuco al mando del capitán de fragata don Enrique M. Simpson en los Archipiélagos de Guaitecas, Chonos i Taitao''.

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...

. Imprenta Nacional. Most of the archipelago is covered by a more-less open '' Pilgerodendron'' forest with

cushion plant A cushion plant is a compact, low-growing, mat-forming plant that is found in alpine, subalpine, arctic, or subarctic environments around the world. The term "cushion" is usually applied to woody plants that grow as spreading mats, are limited i ...

s such as '' Astelia pumila'', '' Donatia fascicularis'' and '' Oreobolus obtusangulus''.Luebert & Pliscoff, pp. 192–195. In the western fringes of the archipelago a

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...

of ''c''. 2 meter high ''Pilgerondendron'' and '' Nothofagus nitida'' grows. Amidst this shrubland, occasional peatlands and forests exist.Luebert & Pliscoff, pp. 208–209.

References

;Bibliography *

External links

Islands of Chile @ United Nations Environment Programme

World island information @ WorldIslandInfo.com

South America Island High Points above 1000 meters
*

United States Hydrographic Office The United States Hydrographic Office (USHO) prepared and published maps, charts, and nautical books required in navigation. The office was established by an act of 21 June 1866 as part of the Bureau of Navigation, Department of the Navy. It wa ...

South America Pilot
(1916) Ecoregions of Chile Archipelagoes of Chile Islands of Aysén Region Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean {{Aisén-geo-stub