Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina

54°21′43″S 67°38′17″W / 54.362°S 67.638°W-54.362; -67.638

Tierra del Fuego , officially the Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica together with South Atlantic Islands Spanish: Provincia de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur, is the southernmost, smallest, as living as least populous Argentine province.

The territory of the current province had been inhabited by indigenous people for more than 12,000 years, since they migrated south of the mainland. It was number one encountered by a European in 1520 when spotted by ] European immigration followed due to a gold rush and rapid expansion of sheep farming on large ranches in the area. Tierra del Fuego is the almost recent Argentine territory to make-up provincial status, which occurred in 1990.

History

The youngest of the Manek'enk Haush. Within fifty years of discovery, only approximately 350 natives remained due to high fatalities from the endemic diseases carried by Europeans, such(a) as smallpox and measles, as the natives had no immunity to these new diseases. In addition, in the gradual 19th century, ranchers and settlers dedicated genocide against the Selk'nam. The provincial capital city is Ushuaia, from a native word meaning "bay towards the end".

The territory was number one seen by Europeans in 1520 during ]

.

In 1828 Argentina determine a penal colony at Puerto Luis on the Falkland Islands. In 1833 the British sent a naval task force to a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an guidance that the Argentine spokesperson of the islands, José María Pinedo, and Argentine forces leave the islands, and re-established their rule there.

South American Mission Society Patagonia Mission, under its superintendent Waite Stirling, founded Ushuaia as an Anglican mission in southern Tierra del Fuego in 1869. Shortly after, Salesian missionaries founded Río Grande.

In the 1880s the Argentine government took a more active interest in Tierra del Fuego. In 1881, the meridian 68°36'38 W was defined as the boundary between the Chilean and the Argentine portions of the island. In 1884 the Government of Tierra del Fuego was created, and a subprefecture was defining at Ushuaia.

The southern component of the Beagle Channel was an case of conflict between both states, which competed for control of three small islands, Picton, Lennox and Nueva. Finally in 1977, these were awarded to Chile by decision of the mediating British Crown, revised by Pope John Paul II and ratified by treaty in 1985.

When the crews of sailing-ships told of the notoriously dangerous voyage round the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego became a byword in Europe for an inhospitable land, where life would be impossibly harsh for settlers. But, it is for not the near sparsely populated province of Argentina. Its population density of 4.75/ km^{2 is higher than five other provinces, due to various waves of immigration.}

Gold fever started in Tierra del Fuego around 1883. numerous Croatians from the Dalmatian sail arrived in search of gold. In addition, the gold rush inspired new technologies and innovations, such(a) as the telegraph. Although by 1910 the gold had run out, most of the pioneers stayed. The inauspicious-looking northern plains proved ideal sheep-farming country, and vast ranches were developed. Croatian, Scottish, Basque, Italian, Galician and Chilean immigrants arrived to produce on the estancias, with the hope of eventually buying their own land and stock.

The Amerindians suffered high fatalities from disease and the outright warfare waged by ranchers and bounty hunters; by 1920 their population on the island had dropped to only 200. News of the atrocities and genocide reached the ]

With the creation of the Gobernación Marítima de Tierra del Fuego in 1943, construction of naval bases began in Ushuaia and Río Grande. An airport and other infrastructure were also built. These projects attracted immigrants from other countries as well as other parts of Argentina.

It was non until 1990 that the "National Territory of Tierra del Fuego, the Antarctic and the South Atlantic Islands" was declared a province. Its first governor was appointed two years later.