Coyhaique facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coyhaique
Coihaique
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Panoramic view of the city
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| Country | Chile | |||||
| Region | Aysén | |||||
| Province | Coyhaique | |||||
| Founded as | Baquedano | |||||
| Founded | October 12, 1929 | |||||
| Government | ||||||
| • Type | Municipality | |||||
| Area | ||||||
| • Total | 7,320.5 km2 (2,826.5 sq mi) | |||||
| Elevation | 302 m (991 ft) | |||||
| Population
(2012 Census)
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| • Total | 53,715 | |||||
| • Density | 7.33761/km2 (19.00433/sq mi) | |||||
| • Urban | 44,850 | |||||
| • Rural | 5,191 | |||||
| Demonym(s) | Coyhaiquinos/as | |||||
| Sex | ||||||
| • Men | 25,453 | |||||
| • Women | 24,588 | |||||
| Time zone | UTC−4 (CLT) | |||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−3 (CLST) | |||||
| Postal code |
5950000
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| Area code(s) | 56 + 67 | |||||
| Climate | Cfb | |||||
| Website | Official website: http://www.coyhaique.cl/ | |||||
Coyhaique (pronounced ko-YAI-kay) is a city in Patagonia, Chile. It is also spelled Coihaique. This city is the capital of both the Coyhaique Province and the Aysén Region.
Coyhaique is a young city, founded by settlers in 1929. For a long time, Chile didn't pay much attention to the remote Aysén region. However, in the 1980s, the Carretera Austral (a major southern highway) was built. This highway helped connect Coyhaique and the Aysén region to the rest of Chile.
Contents
Geography and Climate in Coyhaique
The area around Coyhaique is quite large, covering about 43,297 square kilometers. The city is surrounded by two rivers, the Simpson and Coyhaique rivers. It is also nestled among mountains. These mountains often have snow on them all year. Because of this, Coyhaique is sometimes called the "city of eternal snow."
What is Coyhaique's Climate Like?
Coyhaique has an oceanic climate (Cfb). This means it has mild temperatures and rain throughout the year. However, it's not as wet as cities right on the coast, like Puerto Montt. This is because the coastal mountains act like a shield, blocking much of the wind and rain from the west.
Temperatures in Coyhaique are comfortable from November to April. But from May to October, it gets chilly, and you can expect snow.
| Climate data for Coyhaique (Teniente Vidal Airfield) 1991–2020, extremes 1952–present | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.6 (96.1) |
35.7 (96.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
20.4 (68.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
23.1 (73.6) |
27.5 (81.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
32.2 (90.0) |
35.7 (96.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
17.4 (63.3) |
13.6 (56.5) |
9.4 (48.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
5.8 (42.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
11.5 (52.7) |
13.9 (57.0) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
13.3 (55.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 14.2 (57.6) |
14.3 (57.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
9.1 (48.4) |
6.0 (42.8) |
3.1 (37.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.9 (44.4) |
9.0 (48.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
12.9 (55.2) |
8.8 (47.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) |
8.5 (47.3) |
6.9 (44.4) |
4.6 (40.3) |
2.6 (36.7) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
0.9 (33.6) |
2.2 (36.0) |
4.0 (39.2) |
5.9 (42.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−25.2 (−13.4) |
−18.0 (−0.4) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−7.3 (18.9) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−25.2 (−13.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 57.8 (2.28) |
46.7 (1.84) |
72.8 (2.87) |
97.2 (3.83) |
121.8 (4.80) |
140.4 (5.53) |
118.7 (4.67) |
117.0 (4.61) |
61.1 (2.41) |
70.6 (2.78) |
61.7 (2.43) |
57.3 (2.26) |
1,023.1 (40.28) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.7 | 6.8 | 9.1 | 10.5 | 13.4 | 14.2 | 12.6 | 12.9 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 7.6 | 121.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 59 | 60 | 64 | 71 | 80 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 67 | 61 | 59 | 59 | 68 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 250.6 | 224.5 | 191.5 | 137.1 | 79.5 | 54.5 | 72.5 | 114.1 | 156.8 | 208.1 | 224.6 | 238.6 | 1,952.4 |
| Source 1: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile (humidity 1970–2000) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (precipitation days 1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
People and Government
In 2002, about 50,041 people lived in Coyhaique. Most of them (nearly 90%) lived in the city itself. The rest lived in the countryside nearby. The city's population grew by about 15% between 1992 and 2002.
How is Coyhaique Governed?
Coyhaique is a commune, which is a local government area in Chile. It is managed by a municipal council. The head of the council is called an alcalde (mayor), who is chosen by voters every four years.
Culture and Fun Things to Do
The main town square in Coyhaique is shaped like a pentagon. This unique shape honors the Carabineros, which is Chile's national police force. One of the city's founders was a general from the Carabineros.
Coyhaique is also a place for arts and music. A famous novelist and poet, Ivonne Coñuecar, comes from Coyhaique. Since 2015, the city has hosted the FIMP, an international music festival for Patagonia.
Getting Around and Tourist Spots
You can reach Coyhaique by flying into the local airport, by taking a ship to Puerto Chacabuco (which is about an hour away), or by driving. There are also two border crossings nearby if you want to visit Argentina.
Many people enjoy fly fishing in the rivers and lakes around Coyhaique.
- Simpson and Coyhaique Rivers: These rivers are very popular for fly fishing.
- Piedra del Indio: This is a rock shaped like an Indian, located next to the Simpson River.
- Happy Stone: A large rock in the middle of a flat area where young people sometimes gather.
If you want to ski, Coyhaique has a ski resort called El Fraile. It has two ski lifts and a few tracks, but no places to stay right at the resort.
Air Quality in Coyhaique
In 2018, a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) looked at air quality in cities worldwide. Coyhaique was found to have the most polluted air in the Americas.
This air pollution mostly comes from wood fires. People in Coyhaique use these fires to keep warm during the cold winter months, especially in June and July. Because the city is in a valley between two mountain ridges, the smoke can get trapped. This means the smoke can't easily spread out and away, leading to a thick cloud of smoke over the city.
To help with this, the Chilean government declared Coyhaique "saturated" with tiny harmful particles in 2016. These particles are known to cause health problems. Efforts are being made to improve the air quality for everyone living there.
Images for kids
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Panoramic view of the city
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Flag of Coyhaique
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Coat of arms of Coyhaique
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Location of the Coihaique commune in Aisén Region
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Monument to the shepherd
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View of Coihaique
See also
In Spanish: Coyhaique para niños
