Unique Village with Unusual Residency Restrictions: Prohibited for Those with This Specific Body Part.
In the heart of Antarctica's icy wilderness lies a remarkable civilian settlement, Villa Las Estrellas. Owned by Chile and founded in 1984 to support a neighbouring research base, this village is one of the very few civilian settlements in the continent[1][2].
Villa Las Estrellas is home to approximately 150 residents in the summer and around 80 in the harsh winter months[3]. The villagers live under extreme conditions, making it a piece of civilization in the eternal ice[4].
One of the unique aspects of Villa Las Estrellas is an unusual rule that has been put in place for medical safety reasons. Residents are required to have their appendix removed before they can stay for extended periods[5]. This regulation is primarily due to the settlement's isolation and the lack of a surgeon, making emergency operations almost impossible[6]. Removing the appendix reduces the risk of appendicitis, a potentially life-threatening condition that would be challenging to treat on-site[7].
Despite its remote location, Villa Las Estrellas boasts a small but functional infrastructure. It has a school, a store, a library, and a bank, providing basic amenities for its residents[8]. The village is a testament to human resilience and adaptability in the most inhospitable of environments.
[1] Villa Las Estrellas is one of the few civilian settlements in Antarctica. [2] Villa Las Estrellas is a civilian settlement. [3] In the summer, approximately 150 people live in Villa Las Estrellas, and in the winter, about 80. [4] Villa Las Estrellas is situated in the icy wilderness. [5] The unusual rule requiring residents in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica, to have their appendix removed is primarily for medical safety reasons. [6] An emergency operation would be almost impossible in Villa Las Estrellas due to the lack of a surgeon. [7] Because the settlement is extremely isolated with limited medical facilities and evacuation during emergencies can be difficult and delayed by harsh weather, removing the appendix reduces the risk of appendicitis—a potentially life-threatening condition that would be challenging to treat on-site. [8] There is a school, a store, a library, and a bank in Villa Las Estrellas. [9] Villa Las Estrellas belongs to Chile. [10] Villa Las Estrellas was founded by Chile in 1984 to support a neighboring research base. [11] No further information is provided about the unusual rule in the given paragraph.
Villa Las Estrellas, a remarkable civilian settlement in Antarctica, serves not only as a base for a research center but also as a home and community for its residents. Despite the extreme conditions, the village offers a unique lifestyle, with essential home-and-garden amenities such as a school, a store, a library, and a bank. Furthermore, in this isolated settlement, the unusual rule requiring residents to have their appendix removed before staying for extended periods aims to ensure medical safety due to the lack of on-site surgical capabilities and the challenges of evacuation and treatment during emergencies.
