Torres del Paine and Bernardo O'Higgins National Parks, Region of Magallanes
ChilePermanent Delegation of Chile - UNESCO
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Description
Torres del Paine and Bernardo O'Higgins National Parks include over 90% of the Southern Patagonian Icefield; the remainder of it, across the border in Argentina, is included within Los Glaciares National Park (W.H.Site).
The area of the proposed site is 37.073 sq.km. Besides the icefield that follows the main Andes rnage for approximately 350 km in a north south direction, the site includes outlying ranges such as tha Paine Massif, well known as a scenic area and as a challenging mountain climbimg destination. To the west, the site extends to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean through a maze of fiords and islands, that show different examples and stages of glacial action and periglacial ecosystems succession. The area was given National Park status by succesive decrees issued from 1959 thruogh 1975.