San Juan Bautista, Chile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Juan Bautista
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Town
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San Juan Bautista, looking south, as viewed from Cumberland Bay (04/2005).
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| Country | Chile | |
| Region | Valparaíso | |
| Province | Valparaíso | |
| Commune | Juan Fernández | |
| Founded | 1877 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Municipality | |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | |
| Population
(2012 census)
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| • Total | 800 | |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (Chilean Standard) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (Chilean Daylight) | |
| Area code(s) | 56 + 9 | |
| Climate | Cfa | |
San Juan Bautista is the main town on Robinson Crusoe Island. This island is part of the Juan Fernández Islands in Chile. It is the biggest settlement in this group of islands. Some people say the town started in 1877, while others think it was as early as 1750. You can find it at Cumberland Bay, on the central northeast coast of the island.
Even though the town feels calm and simple, people here use cars and have internet. They also own TVs. The town mostly relies on catching spiny lobsters for trade. In 2012, about 800 people lived in San Juan Bautista. The town covers an area of about 0.31 square kilometers (0.12 square miles).
There is a football pitch (soccer field) at the north end of the village. It is close to the Dresden School. This school is named after a German warship called SMS Dresden. The ship was sunk nearby during World War I. The street where the school is also called Dresden.
Above San Juan Bautista, you can find Las Cuevas de los Patriotas, which means "The Patriots' Caves." These caves were home to 42 Chilean independence fighters. They were sent here by the Spanish after a battle in 1814. Famous people like Juan Egaña and Manuel de Salas were among them.
Getting to San Juan Bautista
Since 2010, two ships from the Chilean Navy arrive each month from the mainland. Only a few passengers can travel on these ships. So, you need to book your trip a month or more ahead of time. Locals get first choice for reservations. A one-way boat trip can take about 2 to 4 days. The exact time depends on the weather and sea conditions.
There is also a small airport called Robinson Crusoe Airfield on the southwest side of the island. It is the only flat area big enough for a runway. The runway is about 885 meters (2,904 feet) long. Only small planes with two engines can land there. These planes can carry about seven passengers with light bags. A flight from the mainland takes about 2.5 hours. After landing, you need to take a ferry for about 90 minutes to reach the town. The town is on the opposite side of the island from the airport.
Weather in San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista has a subtropical climate with some Mediterranean weather. This means it has warm, wet summers and mild, wet winters. The amount of rain is between what Valparaíso and Concepción get. The cold Humboldt Current in the ocean affects the temperature here. This current flows north of Robinson Crusoe Island.
| Climate data for San Juan Bautista, Chile (1981–2010, extremes 1958–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.2 (77.4) |
23.1 (73.6) |
21.1 (70.0) |
19.3 (66.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
16.2 (61.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
14.8 (58.6) |
16.0 (60.8) |
17.0 (62.6) |
19.6 (67.3) |
22.8 (73.0) |
18.5 (65.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.1 (71.8) |
20.3 (68.5) |
18.1 (64.6) |
16.5 (61.7) |
15.0 (59.0) |
13.6 (56.5) |
12.5 (54.5) |
12.2 (54.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
15.3 (59.5) |
17.1 (62.8) |
20.2 (68.4) |
15.7 (60.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) |
17.6 (63.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
14.6 (58.3) |
13.1 (55.6) |
11.8 (53.2) |
10.8 (51.4) |
10.4 (50.7) |
10.4 (50.7) |
11.3 (52.3) |
14.7 (58.5) |
17.7 (63.9) |
13.6 (56.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 42.5 (1.67) |
44.5 (1.75) |
60.3 (2.37) |
91.1 (3.59) |
160.8 (6.33) |
180.1 (7.09) |
160.2 (6.31) |
126.3 (4.97) |
87.7 (3.45) |
54.1 (2.13) |
45.1 (1.78) |
40.1 (1.58) |
1,092.8 (43.02) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 11 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 183 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 73 | 73 | 73 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 76 | 74 | 73 | 76 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 248.0 | 209.1 | 158.1 | 123.0 | 108.5 | 99.0 | 93.0 | 105.4 | 147.0 | 204.6 | 249.0 | 260.4 | 2,005.1 |
| Source: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
"Logbook of the Ship American of Nantucket", by Henry Gifford, Falmouth, MA, USA. 1841-1844. |
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The 2010 Tsunami
On February 27, 2010, a huge tsunami hit San Juan Bautista. This happened because of a strong 8.8 earthquake in Chile. At least eight people lost their lives, and most of the town's buildings were destroyed.
However, the disaster could have been much worse. A 12-year-old girl named Martina Maturana gave a quick warning. Her brave actions helped save many of her neighbors from harm.
See also
In Spanish: San Juan Bautista (Chile) para niños
