Brunswick Peninsula

Brunswick Peninsula (Spanish: Península de Brunswick) is a large peninsula in Magallanes y la Antártica Region, Patagonia, Chile, at 53.5°S 71.4166667°W / -53.5; -71.4166667. It is 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) wide at its base in the north, and almost 80 kilometres (50 mi) in the south. It measures 115 kilometres (71 mi) in length from the base to Cape Froward, the southernmost point of the American mainland. This yields an area of more than 6,300 square kilometres (2,400 sq mi).

Map of Brunswick Peninsula, Punta Arenas, Magallanes y la Ant%C3%A1rtica Chilena Region, Chile

Brunswick Peninsula was named by English explorers in Honor of Frederick William Duke of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel, who joined the Duke of Wellington in the Quatre Bras Battle against Napoleon, in 1815; the Duke of Brunswick died in battle. Brunswick is a city (and former duchy) in Germany.

The only city in the Peninsula is Punta Arenas, the regional capital, located on the northeast coast and near the Straits of Magellan. While the settled part of Punta Arenas is located at the east coast, all of the peninsula is part of the commune (municipality) of Punta Arenas.

The commune also includes all islands west of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and north of Cockburn and Magdalena channels. These are mostly uninhabited and among them are: Isla Capitán Aracena, Clarence Island (south), Desolación Island, and Dawson Island (southeast). To the northwest, the peninsula borders the commune of Laguna Blanca, and in the northeast, San Gregorio.