Corrientes
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Corrientes is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about 1,000 km from Buenos Aires and 300 km from Posadas, on National Route 12. It had a population of 328,689 at the (2001 census [INDEC]).
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[edit] The city
Corrientes, as the provincial capital, is the most important city in the province, its economical centre, and holds the authorities and governmental institutions.
It has a mix of colonial and modern architecture, several churches and a number of ceibo, jacaranda, and orange trees. Its also home to one of the biggest carnival celebrations in the country.
The annual average temperature is 20 °C, with maximum and minimum averages of 33 °C and 10 °C respectively. The annual rainfall is around 1,200 mm.
[edit] Transportation
The General Belgrano Bridge crosses the Paraná River that serves as the natural border with the neighbouring Chaco Province. On the other side of the bridge is Resistencia, capital of Chaco. To the west and up the Paraná, between Paraguay and Argentina, lies the Yaciretá dam, one of the largest hydroelectric power generators in the world.
The Doctor Fernando Piragine Niveyro International Airport (IATA: CNQ, ICAO: SARC) at coordinates , 5 km away from the city, serves the city.
[edit] History
In 1516, Juan Díaz de Solís commanded the first expedition to reach the area populated mainly by Guaraní aboriginals, but his expedition was attacked and Solís perished in the adventure.
Sebastián Gaboto established in 1527 the Sancti Spiritu fort upstream of the Paraná River, and in 1536 Pedro de Mendoza reached further north into the basin of the river, searching for the Sierras of Silver.
Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón founded on April 3, 1588 San Juan de Vera de las Siete Corrientes ("Saint John of Vera of the Seven Currents"), which was later shortened to Corrientes. The "seven currents" refer to the seven peninsulas on the shore of the river at this place, that produced wild currents that made difficult the navigation of the river through this part.
Nevertheless, its position between Asunción in present Paraguay, and Buenos Aires made it an important middle point, specially because of its 55-metre-high lands that prevent flooding when the water level rises.
In 1615 Jesuits settled near the Uruguay River. In 1807 the city resisted the British invasions. During the Argentine War of Independence it was in permanent conflict with the centralist government of Buenos Aires, but the War of the Triple Alliance united them after the city was attacked by Paraguayan forces in 1865.
[edit] In Fiction
The Graham Greene spy novel "The Honorary Consul" (1973) takes place in Corrientes.
[edit] References
- Municipality of Corrientes - Official website (Spanish).
- Municipal information: Municipal Affairs Federal Institute (IFAM), Municipal Affairs Secretariat, Ministry of Interior, Argentina.
