Punta Arenas, with a population of 110,000, is the capital of the Magellanic and Antarctic Region XII, and it is Patagonia's most important city, founded where the forest meets the steppe.

The streets hum with activity, and its airport and seaports bustle with traffic. The town has made a living from coal mines, wool production, oil and natural gas, and fishing, and as a service center for cargo ships and the Chilean navy.