Strait of Magellan
Natural sea route between Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The Strait of Magellan (Estrecho de Magallanes in Spanish) is a sea passage in southern Chile that splits mainland South America to the north from the Tierra del Fuego islands to the south. It is roughly 570 kilometers long and, at its tightest point, only about 2 kilometers wide. This route is widely regarded as the most significant natural waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The strait got its name in 1520, when a Spanish expedition led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan became the first Europeans to reach the area.
Magellan originally called it the Strait of All Saints (Estrecho de Todos los Santos). The Spanish king, Emperor Charles V, who funded the Magellan-Elcano voyage, later renamed it after Magellan himself.
Navigating the strait is tricky because of many narrow sections and unpredictable winds and currents; ships are now required to use a maritime pilot. Compared to the Drake Passage—the open-sea route around Cape Horn, which often has gale-force winds and icebergs—the strait is shorter and more protected. Before the Panama Canal was built, this route and the Beagle Channel were among the few ways to sail between the Atlantic and Pacific.
People have lived on the land around the Strait of Magellan for at least 13,000 years. When they first arrived, they would have encountered native horses (Hippidion), the large ground sloth Mylodon, saber-toothed cats (Smilodon), an extinct jaguar subspecies (Panthera onca mesembrina), the bear Arctotherium, the camel-like Macrauchenia, the fox-like canid Dusicyon avus, and lamine camelids such as the modern vicuña and guanaco. At sites like Cueva del Medio, there is evidence that Mylodon, Hippidion, and the lamines were hunted.
Historically, the identifiable indigenous groups around the strait included the Kawésqar, Tehuelche, Selkʼnam, and Yaghan. The Kawésqar lived on the western part of the strait’s northern coast. East of them were the Tehuelche, whose territory stretched north into Patagonia. South of the Tehuelche, across the strait, lived the Selkʼnam, who occupied most of eastern Tierra del Fuego. West of the Selkʼnam were the Yaghan, who lived in the southernmost part of Tierra del Fuego.
All these tribes were nomadic hunter-gatherers. The Tehuelche were the only group that was not maritime; they fished and gathered shellfish along the coast in winter and moved into the sou
- length
- approximately 570 km (310 nmi; 350 mi)
- narrowest width
- 2 km (1.1 nmi; 1.2 mi)
- first European navigation
- 1520
- original name
- Estrecho de Todos los Santos (Strait of All Saints)
- named after
- Ferdinand Magellan
- location
- southern Chile
Lore & Background
Land adjacent to the Strait of Magellan has been inhabited by indigenous Americans for at least 13,000 years. Historically identifiable ethnic groups around the strait include the Kawésqar, Tehuelche, Selkʼnam, and Yaghan people. All tribes were nomadic hunter-gatherers; the Tehuelche were the only non-maritime culture. European-introduced diseases later decimated portions of the indigenous population. A Selkʼnam myth holds that the strait was created by slingshots falling on Earth during a fight between Taiyín and a witch.
Ferdinand Magellan led the first European expedition to navigate the strait in 1520, entering on All Saints' Day, 1 November 1520. He named it Estrecho de Todos los Santos. The King of Spain, Emperor Charles V, later changed the name to the Strait of Magellan in honor of Magellan. Magellan's five ships included La Trinidad, La San Antonio, La Concepción, La Victoria, and La Santiago; the Santiago was wrecked, and the San Antonio deserted. The strait was considered the southern boundary of Spanish territory.
In the 1530s Charles V granted the strait and area south of it to Pedro Sánchez de la Hoz. Andrés de Urdaneta argued against a direct Spain–Asia trade route through the strait, citing climate limitations. Pedro de Valdivia considered the strait a threat through which rival conquistadors could arrive. García Jofré de Loaiza was the second captain to navigate the strait and first to discover Tierra del Fuego was an island.
Reader's Guide
The Strait of Magellan holds enduring significance as the most important natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans before the construction of the Panama Canal. It is shorter and more sheltered than the Drake Passage, which is beset by frequent gale-force winds and icebergs. However, the strait itself is difficult to navigate due to frequent narrows and unpredictable winds and currents, and maritime piloting is now compulsory. The strait's discovery by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520 opened a potential route for European trade with Asia, though it was never developed as a major commercial artery due to climate and navigational challenges. The strait also played a role in the Spanish conquest of Chile, with conquistador Pedro de Valdivia viewing it as both a threat and a potential link between Chile and Seville. The first map of the Pacific Ocean, Maris Pacifici from 1589, depicted the strait as the only route between the Atlantic and Pacific. Today, the strait remains a notable historical and geographical landmark, reflecting centuries of indigenous habitation, European exploration, and geopolitical ambition.
Did You Know?
- The strait is approximately 570 km long and 2 km wide at its narrowest point.
- Magellan's original name for the strait was Estrecho de Todos los Santos ('Strait of All Saints').
- The strait is shorter and more sheltered than the Drake Passage around Cape Horn.
- A Selkʼnam myth says the strait was created by slingshots falling on Earth during a fight between Taiyín and a witch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Strait of Magellan?
It is a sea passage in southern Chile that separates the South American mainland to the north from the Tierra del Fuego archipelago to the south. The name honors Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator whose 1520 Spanish expedition was the first by Europeans to pass through the route.
What are Strait of Magellan's powers/role?
The strait functions as a natural waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, stretching roughly 570 kilometers in length. At its tightest pinch it narrows to only about 2 kilometers wide, making it a dramatic but navigable corridor between the two oceans.
How does Strait of Magellan's story end?
Magellan's crew completed the passage in November 1520, though Magellan himself perished in the Philippines months later and never saw the Pacific side. Today the strait remains open to maritime traffic, although the Panama Canal has largely shifted commercial shipping away from this route.
Why is Strait of Magellan important?
It is widely regarded as the most significant natural waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Before the Panama Canal opened, it was the principal route for vessels crossing between the two oceans, and it still holds major historical and navigational significance.
What was Strait of Magellan's original name?
Magellan's crew first called it the Estrecho de Todos los Santos, or Strait of All Saints, because they emerged into open water on November 28, 1520, the feast day of All Saints. The name was later changed to honor Magellan himself.
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