Argentina Vacations: Ushuaia And Tierra Del Fuego

A recommended vacation to Argentina naturally includes a trip to Buenos Aires. As the gateway in and out of Argentina, it is hard to miss this vibrant capital, not that you would want to. Buenos Aires has so much to offer its visitors, don't even think about skipping it. In fact, if anything you probably ought to consider extending your stay there.

In addition to Buenos Aires, Argentinean Patagonia is a fabulous travel destination that does not disappoint. A quality tour of classic Patagonia will visit Ushuaia, called the southernmost city in the world. Chile and Argentina battle over this title of which country is the southernmost city in the world. In order to determine the winner of this title, we must first determine how we are going to define a city. Generally speaking there is no specific number of people required for a place to be called a city. Rather, it is defined as a center of population which is pretty vague.

Ushuaia has a population of 64,000 people. It is the biggest city found on Tierra del Fuego, the archipelago off the southern portion of mainland South America.

The main island of Tierra del Fuego is split by two countries: Brazil and Argentina. The eastern portion belongs to Argentina and the capital is Ushuaia. The other half of the main island and the islands west and south are a part of Chile, the capital of which is Punta Arenas.

Punta Arenas has over 154,000 residents which make it more than twice the size of Ushuaia. Punta Arenas is at 53 degrees south while Ushuaia has latitude of 54.47 degrees south. So it is clear that Ushuaia is further south than Punta Arenas, though both are pretty far south.

So Ushuaia is ready to take home the title of being the southernmost city in the world. It is not, however the most southern town in the archipelago. Unfortunately for Argentina, however, the small town of Puerto Willams, Chile with a population of just under 2,000 very chilly residents, steals that title right out from under them. Puerto Williams is just slightly further south with a latitude of 54.56 degrees south. Ushuaia is a close second, and South American cities don't have to compete with other parts of the world until around the 46th parallel when New Zealand enters into the picture.

Regardless of what the statistics say, Chileans call Punta Arenas the southernmost city in the world. Argentineans call Ushuaia the southernmost city in the world. Locals in Puerto Williams know the real answer. Does it qualify as a city? Sure, it's a center of population isn't it? There are people spending their lives there. There's a navy base there and even a small center of Magellan University.

Either way, residents of all three cities are pretty far south and pretty cold as well. Likely, growing up in the harsh Patagonian environment with its bizarre seasons, strong winds and crazy ice fields, they are pretty hard core as well. This Argentina travel itinerary visits classic Patagonia which includes Ushuaia. While you're there you can ask the locals what they think of this entire southernmost city in the world business. Then look into the ferry options for Punta Arenas. You're already down there; you might as well skip over and get their opinions as well.