The Chilean station of Frei (below left) and the adjacent Russian base of Bellingshausen (below right) on King George Island are the main gateway to and from Antarctica. But who were Eduardo Frei Montalva and Thaddeus von Bellingshausen, the men commemorated in those names?

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Eduardo Frei Montalva (1911–1982)

Eduardo as born in Santiago, where he later studied law, graduating from the Universidad Católica in 1933. He began his political career in the Conservative Party, but, along with a group of friends, formed their own party, the Falange Nacional, in 1935. In 1957, this became the Christian Democratic Party of Chile, with Frei as its leader.

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In 1964, he became the 28th President of Chile and served in that office until 1970. His term did much to tackle poverty, and by the end of the Frei presidency, the wage and salaried sector received close to 51% of GNP, compared with 42% at the end of the previous presidency. This positive redistribution of wealth was encouraged by government policies, particularly in the rural sector, where wages rose by 40% in real terms. Total enrollment in education increased by 46%, while around 250,000 houses were built—mostly for the poor—and hospital beds were similarly increased.

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After being replaced as president by Salvador Allende in 1970, Frei became convinced of what he called a “totalitarian project” to impose a Communist tyranny in the country. His party supported the Armed Forces' intervention to remove Allende from office in 1973, accusing him of violating the constitution.

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His death in 1982 was officially described as resulting from complications during routine surgery, though suspicions of foul play persist. In 2009, people were arrested in connection with his alleged assassination, though they were all subsequently released.

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Thaddeus von Bellingshausen (1778–1852)

Thaddeus was (probably) the first person to sight the Antarctic continent. He was born in Estonia and studied at the naval academy in Kronshtadt. From 1803 to 1806, he took part in the first Russian round-the-world voyage under Kruzenstern, the father of the Russian Navy.

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He was dispatched by Czar Alexander I in 1819 aboard the Vostok and Mirny (two ships that also have Russian Antarctic stations named after them) on a voyage of southern exploration. He charted the South Sandwich Islands and on 27th January 1820, sighted “an icefield covered with small hillocks”—very likely to have been the first time the Antarctic continent was seen by human eyes, though he himself never claimed this.

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Over two summers, he circumnavigated Antarctica, discovering Peter I and Alexander Islands, and returned to Russia after a voyage of over 90,000 km (55,000 miles). A humane and efficient commander, he was also diffident and self-effacing, and never received full recognition for his achievements. During 1829–30, he was involved in the Russo-Turkish War and, from 1839, served as the military governor of Kronshtadt—a post he held until his death.

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Centered around 63°S, 59°W, the archipelago stretches approximately 539 km and is aligned roughly southwest to northeast. It is separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the 160 km-wide Bransfield Strait and consists of 11 major islands, along with numerous smaller islands and rock stacks.

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Geologically, the islands are of volcanic origin. Deception Island remains volcanically active and separated from South America around 40 million years ago during the breakup of Gondwana. The highest point in the archipelago is Mount Foster on Smith Island, located in the southwest, rising to 2,105 meters above sea level.

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The islands were discovered in February 1819 by the sealer William Smith. Over the following century, they were extensively exploited by whalers and sealers—an era that left behind many relics, particularly in the form of scattered whale and seal bones still visible on the islands today.

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This region is the warmest and wettest part of Antarctica. Rain, low cloud, fog, and strong winds are all common features of its weather. It also hosts the highest density of scientific research stations in Antarctica and is the most frequently visited region by tourist ships.

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King George Island alone is home to 10 research stations operated by China, Chile, Russia, Uruguay, Peru, South Korea, Poland, Brazil, and Argentina.

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