The Diego Ramírez Islands (Spanish: Islas Diego Ramírez) are a small group of Chile's subantarcticislands located in the southernmost extreme of South American and southernmost point in the world, without a human population.
In 1892, the Chilean government rented the islands to Pedro Pablo Benavides for fishing and on condition that a lighthouse, a port, and a school would be built.[3] Later[when?] the rent was transferred to Koenigswerther and Pasinowich.[who?]
The Chilean Navy established a meteorological station above Caleta Condell, a small cove on the northeastern side of Isla Gonzalo (Gonzalo Island), in 1957, and resupplies it several times each year.[4] This is the southernmost inhabited outpost outside Antarctica. The next most southerly inhabited outpost is the lighthouse of Cape Horn. Cruise ships occasionally pass by on their way to and from Antarctica.
The islands lie about 105 km (65 mi) west-southwest of Cape Horn and 93 km (58 mi) south-southeast of Ildefonso Islands, stretching 8 km (5 mi) north-south. They are divided into a smaller northern group with six islets, and a larger southern group, separated by a passage 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The two largest islands, Isla Bartolomé and Isla Gonzalo, both lie in the southern group. Águila Islet (Islote Águila), the southernmost land of the group, is at latitude and longitude coordinates 56°32'9"S. They lie about 350 km north of Sars Bank, a seamount that once may have been an island.[5]
View of the Diego Ramirez Islands
The Chilean station on Isla Gonzalo, with the beacon visible at highest point of the island
Islands
Area data are from the USGS unless otherwise specified.[6]
In 2022, Ricardo Rozzi et al. identified the subantarctic rayadito (Aphrastura subantarctica) as a new bird species endemic to the Diego Ramírez Islands. Subantarctic rayadito individuals had been formerly identified as belonging to the species Aphrastura spinicauda (thorn-tailed rayadito).[10]
