Punta Arenas is the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena. While it was officially renamed Magallanes in 1927, the name was reverted to Punta Arenas in 1938. It serves as one of the world's most southerly ports and functions as a primary gateway city for Antarctica.
The city is the largest settlement south of the 46th parallel south and ranks as the most populous southernmost city in both Chile and the Americas. Due to its geographic location, it is recognized as the coldest coastal city with more than 100,000 inhabitants in Latin America. While it claims the title of the world's southernmost city, this designation is also contested by Ushuaia, Argentina, which lies further south but has a smaller population.