ANTáRTICA, CHILE

'Antártica' is one of two communes ("comunas") of the Antártica Chilena Province in the Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region, and forms the Chilean Antarctic Territory. It is administered by the Commune of Cabo de Hornos municipality.
Antártica was created on July 11 1961, and was dependent on the Magallanes Province until 1975, when the Antártica Chilena Province was created. It was dependent administratively on Puerto Williams, the province capital.
The official population figure for the area, as of the census of 2002, is given as 130 (115 male, 15 female). This does not include the staff of non-Chilean bases in the area. During summer, the population swells to 350.
The largest population centre is located on King George Island and consists of President Eduardo Frei Montalva Station, which has an airport, and which is connected to the village of Villa Las Estrellas, which has a town hall, hotel, day-care centre, school, scientific equipment, hospital, post office and bank. This enclave is a centre of logistical support for the other eight countries with scientific bases on King George Island. The Antarctic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Relations controls Professor Julio Escudero Base, the main Chilean scientific facility in Antarctica.