The Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica occupies the extreme south of the Chilean territory. It's the largest region in the country, even taking into consideration only the continental section.

The territory of Magallanes includes southwest Patagonia and the archipelago to the south and west of Tierra del Fuego as well as the western section of this island.

The central part of the region, which coincides with the latitude 53º S, embraces the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans making it the widest section of the national territory with a width of 500 km. The eastern side of the Magellan Straits opens out onto the Atlantic Ocean providing the region with its unique feature of being the only place in the world to have an natural opening onto the Atlantic.

The region covers some 1.382.033 km squared, of which 1.250.000 km squared belongs to Antarctica and the remaining 132.033 km squared are found on the mainland and the surrounding islands. The regional population is 143.481 habitants. (I.N.E. 1992)

Due to its immense size the region has a great diversity of climate influenced principally by the shape of the land, the vast ice sheet, the sea and the winds.

On the eastern slopes of the Patagonian Andes there exists a cold steppe climate which dominates the central sector of the region The majority of settlements have been built in this area amongst them Punta Arenas, which receives an average of 425 mm of annual rainfall. The rain is heaviest during spring and summer and takes the form of snow in winter. Constant winds buffet this area most severely throughout the spring and summer month.

During these seasons the winds can reach on average 30-40 km/h with certain gusts reaching up to 120 km/h.

The climate in Torres del Paine National Park (a tourist area), consist of a microclimate which produces considerably higher temperatures during the summer (25º-30º C) which allows visitors to swim in the lakes. At the peaks you embrace a mountain climate,While the coastal region of the Pacific and the channels has a moderately cool climate which is humid and damp.

One particular feature of the southern climate is the variable number of sunlight hours received. In winter the number of hours are reduced and in summer prolonged. December has approximately 18 hours of sun Light.