Straits in Latin America : The Case of the Strait of Magellan

Abstract

The Strait of Magellan, an interoceanic route in the southern part of South America, derives its status from a long-standing international convention, the Boundary Treaty of 1881 concluded between Argentina and Chile. In 1984 a Treaty ofPeace and Friendship, entered into by the two states, confirmed this special status and established the boundary line at the eastern mouth of the strait. Specifically, the regime ofnavigation ofthe strait comprises three fundamental interrelated elements: free navigation, neutralization, and the prohibition against building offortifications or military defonses that might be contrary to this purpose. Additional issues related to the regulatory powers of the coastal state are also posed by this regime.