The word Ushuaia comes from the Yaghan language: ush and waia("bay" or "cove") and means "deep bay" or "bay to background". The act creating the subprefecture in 1884 cites the name "Oshovia", one of the many orthographic variations of the word. Its demonym is "Ushuaiense".
The name is often pronounced "u-sua-ia" (Spanish pronunciation: [uˈswaʝa]), an exception to the orthographic rules of Spanish, since the 's' forms a syllable with the following 'u' despite the intervening 'h'. The pronunciation "Usuaía" (accented on the 'i') is erroneous: the prosodic accent is on the first 'a', which is why the word is written without an accent mark.
The name is often pronounced "u-sua-ia" (Spanish pronunciation: [uˈswaʝa]), an exception to the orthographic rules of Spanish, since the 's' forms a syllable with the following 'u' despite the intervening 'h'. The pronunciation "Usuaía" (accented on the 'i') is erroneous: the prosodic accent is on the first 'a', which is why the word is written without an accent mark.
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Ushuaia is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. Ushuaia is located in a wide bay on the southern coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, bounded on the north by the Martial mountainrange, and on the south by the Beagle Channel. It is the only municipality in the Department of Ushuaia, which has an area of 9,390 km2 (3,625 sq mi). It was founded October 12 of 1884 by Augusto Lasserre and is located on the shores of the Beagle Channel surrounded by the mountain range of the Martial Glacier, in the Bay of Ushuaia. Besides being an administrative center, it is a light industrial port and tourist hub.
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Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and the gateway to Tierra del Fuego National Park and Antarctica. Home to magnificent scenery, a former prison, blustery winters, and a few glaciers, there’s lots of options for adventurous activities. This former penal colony is now a big tourist town, so you’ll find lots of hikes, tours, ski trails, and boat trips to fill your days.
Food at the end of the world isn’t too bad either, as traditional Fuegan cuisine includes grilled local lamb and fresh seafood from the surrounding waters. Another one of the area’s big draws is the wildlife, so take some time to check out the sea lions, penguins, dolphins, beavers, and amazing bird life while you’re here. |
Climate
Ushuaia features a significantly ocean-moderated mild tundra climate with both extremely mild winters and summers (average temperature remains above 1 °C and below 10 °C year round). Vegetation around the city thus does not resemble typical tundra but is instead heavily forested. Due to heavy ocean moderation, Ushuaia avoids the vicious cold typically associated with polar climates such as Barrow, Alaska or Inukjuak, Quebec. Temperatures at the Ushuaia – Malvinas Argentinas International Airport average 1.3 °C (34.3 °F) in the coolest month (July), and 9.6 °C (49.3 °F) in the warmest month (January). The record low is −21.0 °C (−5.8 °F) in July, and the record high is 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) in January. On average, the city experiences 146 days of precipitation a year, with many cloudy and foggy days, averaging 206 cloudy days a year. This results in Ushuaia receiving an average of 3.93 hours of sunshine per day (an annual total of 1,434 hours) or about 30.2% of possible sunshine. Despite receiving only 529.7 millimetres (21 in) average annual precipitation, Ushuaia is very humid with an average humidity of 77%.
Summers tend to be cloudy and windy, with maximum temperatures averaging around 14 °C (57 °F) during the day and about 5 °C (41 °F) at night. Temperatures of 20 °C (68 °F) or more occur only on a handful of days, and night frost is always possible, as well as days below 10.0 °C (50 °F). Temperatures gradually diminish during the autumn, to reach maximum temperatures of about 4.5 °C (40 °F) and minimum temperatures of −1.4 °C (29 °F) in winter, with frequent snow, sleet and rain showers. Some winters may bring extended periods of frost and snow with a perpetual snowcover, whereas other winters might just bring snowstorms followed by thaws, fairly similar to the winters experienced in places like Pittsburgh and Boston. Temperatures then very slowly recover during the spring, but snow showers and frost are a common occurrence until the beginning of the summer in December, and they might occur even in midsummer.
The southwestern winds make the outer islands wetter, reaching 1,400 mm (55 in) at Isla de los Estados(Island of the States). Because temperatures are cool throughout the year, there is little evaporation. Snow is common in winter and regularly occurs throughout the year. Ushuaia occasionally experiences snow in summer (from November to March). Due to its high southern latitude, the city's climate is influenced by Antarctica, and the duration of daylight varies significantly, from more than 17 hours in summer to just over 7 hours in winter.
Summers tend to be cloudy and windy, with maximum temperatures averaging around 14 °C (57 °F) during the day and about 5 °C (41 °F) at night. Temperatures of 20 °C (68 °F) or more occur only on a handful of days, and night frost is always possible, as well as days below 10.0 °C (50 °F). Temperatures gradually diminish during the autumn, to reach maximum temperatures of about 4.5 °C (40 °F) and minimum temperatures of −1.4 °C (29 °F) in winter, with frequent snow, sleet and rain showers. Some winters may bring extended periods of frost and snow with a perpetual snowcover, whereas other winters might just bring snowstorms followed by thaws, fairly similar to the winters experienced in places like Pittsburgh and Boston. Temperatures then very slowly recover during the spring, but snow showers and frost are a common occurrence until the beginning of the summer in December, and they might occur even in midsummer.
The southwestern winds make the outer islands wetter, reaching 1,400 mm (55 in) at Isla de los Estados(Island of the States). Because temperatures are cool throughout the year, there is little evaporation. Snow is common in winter and regularly occurs throughout the year. Ushuaia occasionally experiences snow in summer (from November to March). Due to its high southern latitude, the city's climate is influenced by Antarctica, and the duration of daylight varies significantly, from more than 17 hours in summer to just over 7 hours in winter.
Cruise the Beagle Channel
Sail to the end of the world on a boat tour that’ll take you to the most iconic sites and scenery of the Beagle Channel.
Like Charles Darwin, you’ll see lots of wildlife from the boat, swinging by Isla de Lobos and Isla de Pájaros for sightings of sea lions and various birds.
Some folks get lucky, spotting dolphins and even whales along the way.
You’ll also pass the Faro Les Eclaireurs, the landmark red-and-white lighthouse which is still in operation.
Some boats allow you to disembark for a stroll around Bridges Island to see the flora and fauna as well as the Yámana archaeological ruins here.
Big long distance cruises will even take tourists around Glacier Alley and Cape Horn.
Depending on your preferred method of transport, cruise ships, sailboats, catamarans, and even kayaks are on offer at the docks in Ushuaia.
Like Charles Darwin, you’ll see lots of wildlife from the boat, swinging by Isla de Lobos and Isla de Pájaros for sightings of sea lions and various birds.
Some folks get lucky, spotting dolphins and even whales along the way.
You’ll also pass the Faro Les Eclaireurs, the landmark red-and-white lighthouse which is still in operation.
Some boats allow you to disembark for a stroll around Bridges Island to see the flora and fauna as well as the Yámana archaeological ruins here.
Big long distance cruises will even take tourists around Glacier Alley and Cape Horn.
Depending on your preferred method of transport, cruise ships, sailboats, catamarans, and even kayaks are on offer at the docks in Ushuaia.
