The relief of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego has plateaus in the north and center areas. To the south there is a mountain relief due to the Patagonian Fueguinos Andes prolongation, these were originated during the Cenozoic and the last ascents took place in the Quaternary one. They have Northeast - Southwest direction. They present traverse valleys that cut the mountain range, deep and extensive Lacustrine basins and continental ice fields. They are subjected to the humid Pacific's winds action. It is one of the regions with more precipitations along the Argentinean territory, favoring the development of abundant vegetation of coniferous and beeches.
The main orographic chains are: Beauvoir, Alvear, Sorondo, Irigoyen, Lucio López, Noguera and Negros. The most important peak of this cord is Cornú Hill, (1490 meters height). In Tierra del Fuego, the oriental coast, that extends about 360Km, begins with Punta Catalina, that belongs to Chile, till Espíritu Santo Cape.
The island's north coasts are high and full of cliffs, presenting several geographical accidents as: Espiritu Santo Cape, San Sebastián Cape, it is wide and protected from the winds, and Viamonte, San Pablo, Malengueña, San Vicente and San Diego Capes, limiting these last ones with the small Thetis Bay. At the Buen Suceso Cape begins the south coast, full of mountains and high cliffs, strongly erosioned by the ice, along 370 Km it forms several fiords
The main accidents from this coast are: Le Maire Strait, it separates de los Estados Island from Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. Aguirre Bay, that constitutes the penetration point of the Fueguinos Channels, very difficult to sail, San Pío Cape where the Mota Channel begins, it goes along Picton Island and the Tierra del Fuego south coast, till it joins to the west of the island with de Beagle Channel that extends through 180Km communicating the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The last important geographical accident is Lapataia Bay. |
