Melinka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melinka Isla Melinca
Aerial view of Melinka
Melinka Location in Chile
Region	Aisén
Province	Aisén
Commune	Guaitecas
Population  (2017)
• Total	1,329
Sex
• Men	717
• Women	612
Time zone	UTC−04:00 (Chilean Standard)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−03:00 (Chilean Daylight)
Climate	Cfb

Melinka is a small town in Chile, located in the Aysén Province. It sits on Ascención Island and is the main administrative center for the Guaitecas area.

The town is built on a small piece of land that sticks out from the main island. This spot creates a safe, small harbor for boats. Ascención Island is part of the Guaitecas Archipelago, which is a group of islands at the southern end of the Gulf of Corcovado. Melinka has its own airport, Melinka Airport, and is connected by a gravel road to nearby small villages like Repollal.

The culture in Melinka is quite similar to the Chiloé Archipelago. One interesting custom is that people often bring their dogs with them when they travel by boat. This tradition might come from the ancient Chono people, who lived in this area long ago.

In 2017, Melinka had a population of 1,329 people. This was a slight decrease from 1,411 people in 2002.

History of Melinka

Before Melinka was officially founded in 1860, its location was known as Puerto Arenas. This name, which means "Port Sand," was used by whalers who often visited the area.

Founding the Town

Melinka was founded in 1860 by a German immigrant named Felipe Westhoff. He had an important job: to provide special wood called "railway sleepers" for a railway company in Peru. At that time, the Guaitecas Archipelago was still part of Chiloé Province. As the first houses were being built in Melinka, some ancient tombs were discovered.

Westhoff used Melinka as a base to export a type of wood called Pilgerodendron uviferum, also known as ciprés de las Guaitecas. This wood was excellent for making railway sleepers. In 1870, the port was mapped by Enrique Simpson while he was on the ship Chacabuco.

Famous Pirate Capture

A well-known pirate named Pedro Ñancúpel was captured in Melinka in 1886. He was then taken to Ancud to face justice that same year.

Meaning of the Name Melinka

Local stories say that the name Melinka comes from the Russian language and means "lovely." There is an old Russian word, милёнка (pronounced milyonka), which indeed means "lovely." Felipe Westhoff, who came from Lithuania (which was part of the Russian Empire back then), actually named Melinka after his sister.

Melinka's Climate

Melinka has a wet oceanic climate. This type of climate is also known as Cfb in the Köppen climate classification system. It means the area generally has mild temperatures and rain throughout the year.

See also

In Spanish: Melinka para niños