The peninsula is about in size (not taking into account the isthmus of Carlos Ameghino which connects the peninsula to the mainland). The nearest large town is
Puerto Madryn. The only town on the peninsula is the small settlement of
Puerto Pirámides. There are also a number of
estancias, where sheep are raised.
Environment Most of the peninsula is barren land with some
salt lakes. The largest of these lakes has an elevation of about 40 m below sea level (see
extremes on Earth), until recently thought to be the lowest elevation in
Argentina and
South America (the lowest point actually being
Laguna del Carbón, Argentina, which is also the lowest point in all of South America).
Wildlife The coastline is inhabited by marine
mammals, such as
sea lions,
elephant seals and
fur seals. The adjacent waters contain the most important breeding ground for
southern right whales in the world.
Climate Valdes Peninsula has a
cold desert climate (
BWk) bordering on a
cold semi-desert climate (
BSk). It has a climate typical of northern Patagonia that is modified with interactions between atmospheric circulation patterns and the adjacent ocean. The peninsula is located between the
subtropical high-pressure belt (located at 30oS) and the subpolar low-pressure zone (located between 60o and 70oS), resulting in the wind being predominantly from the west. The mean annual temperature is , ranging from a mean monthly temperature of in winter to in summer. During winter, temperatures fluctuate between with frosts being common, averaging 12–20 days during the season. Temperatures in the summer can fluctuate between . Mean annual precipitation is low, averaging although this is highly variable from year to year. The interior of the peninsula receives slightly lower precipitation than the coastal areas, receiving per year. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year though April–June receives the most precipitation. The
El Niño Southern Oscillation strongly influences the climate of the peninsula. During an El Niño year, precipitation is higher from November to February. ==Gallery==