San Jorge Gulf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Jorge Gulf |
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 San Jorge Gulf
Location in Santa Cruz Province
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| Location | Chubut Province Santa Cruz Province Argentina |
| Coordinates | 46°04′52″S 66°50′11″W / 46.08111°S 66.83639°W |
| Type | Ocean basin |
| Max. length | 148 km (92 mi) |
| Max. width | 244 km (152 mi) |
| Average depth | 85 m (279 ft) |
| Residence time | 2 hours |
| Settlements | Comodoro Rivadavia Rada Tilly Caleta Olivia |
The San Jorge Gulf (also called Golfo San Jorge) is a large bay in southern Patagonia, Argentina. It's like a big bowl in the ocean that opens up to the Atlantic Ocean. Its coastline stretches across two provinces: Chubut and Santa Cruz.
This gulf is about 142 miles (229 km) wide at its mouth. Most of the gulf is between 70 and 100 meters (230-330 feet) deep. The bottom of the gulf is made of mud, sand, and small rocks. The water temperature usually ranges from 5 to 13 degrees Celsius (41 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit).
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Cities and Towns Around the Gulf
Many people live along the coast of the San Jorge Gulf. About 90% of the people in Chubut Province live here!
The two biggest cities are Comodoro Rivadavia and Caleta Olivia. Both of these cities have important ports. These ports are used for shipping oil and for fishing.
Smaller towns like Camarones (a fishing town) and Rada Tilly (a popular beach resort) are also located along the gulf.
What Happens Here?
The San Jorge Gulf area is very important for Argentina's economy. Many different types of industries operate here.
Fishing
Fishing is a big deal in the San Jorge Gulf. Comodoro Rivadavia is especially known for its delicious lobsters and spider crabs. There are many fishing ports, docks, and marinas where people can go sport fishing or enjoy other water activities.
Other Industries
The area also has a good metalworking industry. This industry often helps with oil exploration and extraction.
There's also a new project for a wind farm here. Wind farms use large wind turbines to create electricity from the wind. This project is still being tested, but it could soon provide a lot of clean energy to the main power grid.
Oil and Gas
The most important activity in the San Jorge Gulf is the petroleum (oil) industry. Oil was first found here in 1903. Today, this area is the second biggest source of oil in Argentina.
Comodoro Rivadavia is the main center for these oil activities. It has oil refineries and other facilities that help process and develop oil. You can often see special pumping machines, called "pumpjacks," on the flat lands of Patagonia. These machines help bring oil out of the ground. The oil from this region provides a large part of Argentina's daily oil needs.
Energy Production
Producing oil and gas makes up about 5% of the economy in the San Jorge Gulf area. But people are also working on new ways to get energy, like wind power and even energy from hydrogen or special algae.
Wind power is already helping a lot! Wind turbines on Arenales Hill, about 14 km (9 miles) from Comodoro Rivadavia, provide 16% of the energy that Comodoro Rivadavia needs. The Antonio Morán wind farm here is the biggest in Argentina and the second biggest in South America.
Scientists are also researching hydrogen-based energy in Pico Truncado city. Another idea being explored is making biofuel from algae, but this will take a longer time to develop. The Energy Center [1] works on projects for both renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
Fun Things to Do (Tourism)
The coast of the San Jorge Gulf is the start of a special "ocean-to-ocean corridor." This is a 517 km (321 miles) path that connects Comodoro Rivadavia in Argentina to Chacabuco Port in Chile. This path is important for both trade and tourism.
Comodoro Rivadavia is a key city for visitors. It has interesting museums like the Oil Museum, which teaches you about the history of oil, and the Astra Museum.
If you visit the gulf, you might even see amazing southern right whales swimming close to the shore during their migration!
Rada Tilly Beach
Rada Tilly is a small town near Comodoro Rivadavia. It's famous for its beautiful beach. You can do many fun activities there, like swimming, fishing, windsurfing, and scuba diving. It's also a great place to just relax outdoors.
Rada Tilly also has a small sea lion reservation. This is a special place where you can see families of sea lions in their natural home.
See also
In Spanish: Golfo San Jorge para niños
