Answer
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Step 1To answer this question about the Strait of Magellan's narrowness, I'll provide a comprehensive geological and geographical explanation:
Step 2: Tectonic Formation
The Strait of Magellan's narrow configuration is primarily the result of tectonic plate interactions in South America. Specifically, the strait was formed by geological processes associated with the separation of the South American and Antarctic tectonic plates during the late Cenozoic era.
Final Answer
The Strait of Magellan is narrow due to a combination of tectonic plate interactions, extensive glacial erosion during the ice age, and the region's underlying hard rock geological composition, which created a compressed maritime corridor between South America's mainland and Tierra del Fuego.
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