Which strait separates South America's mainland from Tierra del Fuego?

The Strait of Magellan separates mainland South America from the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. Most of the passage lies in southern Chile, with its eastern entrance near the border between Chile and Argentina.

Ferdinand Magellan's expedition entered the strait on 1 November 1520, All Saints' Day. Magellan originally called it the Strait of All Saints, but Spain's King Charles V later approved the name Strait of Magellan in his honour. The voyage helped establish the first European sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The strait is sheltered compared with the exposed Drake Passage around Cape Horn, making it historically valuable to shipping. It was the main steamship route between the Atlantic and Pacific until the Panama Canal opened in 1914.

The Le Maire Strait is east of Tierra del Fuego, while the Beagle Channel runs south of the main island. The Drake Passage lies farther south, between Cape Horn and Antarctica.