Madre de Dios Island facts for kids
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Native name:
Isla Madre de Dios
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 Madre de Dios Island
Location in Chile
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| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 50°06′10″S 75°14′38″W / 50.10278°S 75.24389°W |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Pacific ocean |
| Area | 1,043 km2 (403 sq mi) |
| Coastline | 549.5 km (341.44 mi) |
| Administration | |
| Region | Magallanes |
| Additional information | |
| NGA UFI=-891233 | |
Madre de Dios Island (which means Mother of God Island in Spanish) is an island in Chile. It is located in the Magallanes Region, which is a part of southern Chile. The island is found west of the Trinidad Channel and Concepción Channel. No one lives on Madre de Dios Island.
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Exploring Madre de Dios Island
Madre de Dios Island is special because it is partly made of limestone. This type of rock often forms natural caves. The island has many of these caves, and some of them hold amazing secrets from the past.
Incredible Cave Discoveries
One of the most famous caves on the island is called the "Cave of the Whales." Inside this cave, scientists found skeletons of whales. These whale bones are very old, between 2,600 and 3,500 years old! What makes this discovery even more amazing is that the skeletons were found high up, about 10 to 30 meters (33 to 98 feet) above sea level.
Another important cave is named Cueva del Pacifico. In 2006, ancient rock art was discovered here. This art gives us clues about the people who lived on the island long ago.
Ancient People of the Island
Many other caves along the coast were used by the Kaweskar people. They were an indigenous group who lived in this area. The Kaweskar used some of these caves as burial sites. One skull found in a cave dates back about 4,500 years! Other caves were used as temporary camps where people stayed for a short time.
Protecting Madre de Dios Island
Because of its unique natural features and important historical discoveries, Madre de Dios Island is protected. In 2007, the island and 53 smaller islands nearby became a nature reserve. This means they are kept safe to protect their natural beauty and history.
How the Island Got its Name
The island got its current name from a map published in 1646. This map was part of a book called Histórica relación del reino de Chile by Alonso de Ovalle.
It seems Alonso de Ovalle based the name on an earlier trip. In 1579, an explorer named Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa explored the area. He named a small cove where he made observations Nuestra Señora (del Rosario). Alonso de Ovalle then expanded this name to "Madre de Dios" and used it for the entire island.
See also
- List of islands of Chile
- Guarello Island
- Madre de Dios Terrane
