Puerto Iguazú
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Puerto Iguazú | |
 |
|
  Puerto Iguazú
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Population (2001 census [INDEC]) | |
| - Total | 32,038 |
| Website: http://www.iguazu.gov.ar/ (Spanish) | |
Puerto Iguazú is a frontier city in the province of Misiones, Argentina. It is the fifth largest city in the Province, after Posadas, Oberá, Eldorado and San Vicente.
The world-renowned Iguazu Falls are only 18 kilometres (11 mi) away from the city, and as a result the city has developed it's infrastructure around tourism. The Tancredo Neves International Bridge links Puerto Iguazú with the Brazilian border town of Foz do Iguaçu, where the Argentine National Route 12 becomes the Brazilian BR-469.
The city has an international airport and a population of 32,038 (2001 census [INDEC]).
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1551, Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was the first European to discover what is now called Iguazu Falls. He was drawn by the noise of the water, which can be heard at a distance of several kilometers. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, the Guarani Indians were the principal inhabitants of the area.
Despite its early exploration, the area remained occupied only by the Guarani until 1880. In 1881, the province of Corrientes, which at that time included what is now Misiones, sold 50 "leguas cuadradas" (13,000 square kilometres (5,000 sq mi)) at the current site of Puerto Iguazú near the falls. The land changed hands three times in the course of just two years, and ended up as the property of Gregorio Lezama. At that time Misiones separated from Corrientes. Lezama funded a scientific expedition to explore the territory, enlisting Carlos Bosetti and Jordan Hummel for that purpose. Those two explorers later organized the first tourist trip to the falls. In 1888 Lezama also sold the land, this time to Martín Errecaborde and Cía.
[edit] Climate
Puerto Iguazú has a "Humid Subtropical" climate (Cfa according to Köppen climate classification). Temperatures are warm in winter and hot in summer. There is no dry season and rainfall is abundant with every month receiving over 100 mm (3.9 inches) of rain with the wettest month; November, receiving over 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rain on average. Precipitation falls mostly during convective storms. Due to abundant rainfall, rainforests surrounds Puerto Iguazú.
Temperatures above 40°C (104°F) have been recorded in the summer and temperatures below 0°C (32°F) are extremely rare but have been recorded in the winter[1]
| Weather averages for Puerto Iguazú (International Airport), Argentina | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.8 (89) | 31.0 (88) | 30.6 (87) | 27.0 (81) | 23.7 (75) | 20.7 (69) | 22.0 (72) | 24.0 (75) | 25.3 (78) | 28.4 (83) | 30.2 (86) | 31.4 (89) | 27.2 (81) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 20.4 (69) | 20.1 (68) | 18.7 (66) | 16.8 (62) | 13.1 (56) | 10.7 (51) | 10.7 (51) | 12.1 (54) | 13.1 (56) | 15.9 (61) | 18.0 (64) | 19.2 (67) | 15.7 (60) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 172.6 (6.8) | 174.1 (6.9) | 114.8 (4.5) | 199.9 (7.9) | 184.3 (7.3) | 154.4 (6.1) | 131.3 (5.2) | 124.4 (4.9) | 137.2 (5.4) | 182.0 (7.2) | 209.5 (8.2) | 134.6 (5.3) | 1,919.1 (75.6) |
| Source: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Argentine Meteorological Service)[1] Feb 2008 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Economy
The economy is centered around tourism, given that the city's many hotels provide the principal source of jobs for its inhabitants. Many international hotels have been and are being constructed along the banks of the Iguazú River.
Other of the city's tourist attractions include Three Frontiers, where the Argentine, Paraguayan and Brazilian boarders meet. This area is home to artesan booths, the complex "La Aripuca", the Museum of Images of the Jungle, the Mbororé Museum, the Municipal Nature Park of Luis Honorio Rolón, the Center for Bird Rehabilitation "Güira Oga", and a casino that attract tourism.
In the town center there are banks, bars, restaurants, casinos, clothing shops, dance clubs, bakeries, etc.
Those who are looking for lodging will find a wide range of hotels up to five stars, cabins and camp sites.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Guía Climática para el Turismo (Climate Guide for Tourists) (Spanish). Retrieved on Feb 17, 2008.
