Map of Argentina highlighting the province Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Islands (Sp. Provincia de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur) is a province entirely separated by the Strait of Magellan from mainland Argentina on the Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego, which it shares with Chile to the west. Besides the Argentine part of Tierra del Fuego, the province encompasses Argentine claims to Antarctica, and to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which are administered by the United Kingdom. In practice, the province is usually just called "Tierra del Fuego".
Tierra del Fuego was first inhabited around 12,000 years ago. When the first Europeans arrived, they found about 10,000 indigenous people living there from four different tribes: Yamana, Alakaluf, Selk’nam and Manek’enk. Within fifty years after discovery, only about 350 natives were left after diseases and exploitation ravaged the tribes. The provincial capital city is Ushuaia, from a native word meaning “bay towards the end.”
The province is divided in 4 departments (spanish departamentos), only two of which are inhabited or under the effective control of Argentina.
Department (Capital)
- Antártida Argentina (uninhabited - Antarctic claim)
- Islas del Atlántico Sur (Falklands and South Georgia, South Sandwich isles, claimed, Puerto Argentino)
- Río Grande (Río Grande)
- Ushuaia (Ushuaia)
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