| Neuquén | |||
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| — City — | |||
| (From top to bottom; from left to right) Aerial view of the city; Neuquén branch of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes; Whimsical fountain; Neuquén Legislature and the Ruca Che Stadium. | |||
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Neuquén
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Argentina | ||
| Province | Neuquén | ||
| Department | Confluencia | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Martín Farizano (Front for Victory) | ||
| Elevation | 250 m (820 ft) | ||
| Population | |||
| • Total | 355,080 | ||
| Time zone | ART (UTC−3) | ||
| CPA base | Q8300 | ||
| Dialing code | +54 299 | ||
Neuquén (Spanish pronunciation: [neuˈken]) is the capital city of the Argentine province of Neuquén, located in the east of the province, at the confluence of the Limay and Neuquén rivers. The city has a population of more than 265,000, making it the largest city in Patagonia.
Neuquén is both an important agricultural center, surrounded by fertile lands irrigated by the waters of the Limay and Neuquén rivers in an otherwise arid province, and a petrochemical industrial center that receives oil extracted from different points of the province. It belongs economically and geographically to the Alto Valle region that produces apples, pears, and other fruits.
National Route 22 divides the city into two halves. The Presidente Perón Airport (IATA: NQN, ICAO: SAZN), at , is eight kilometers away from the city and serves regular flights to Buenos Aires, San Carlos de Bariloche, Comodoro Rivadavia, Río Gallegos, Río Grande, Ushuaia, and San Martín de los Andes.
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In 1885, the lands of what was at that time called Confluencia (i.e., "confluence," referring to the two rivers) were auctioned to a few people. Shortly after the Conquest of the Desert campaign conducted by the military over Patagonia, the Mapuche and Tehuelche tribes that inhabited the province of Neuquén were either killed or pushed out of these lands.
Since there was no defined border with Chile, the Argentine government reached an agreement with the British-owned Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway company that was constructing a railway network, mainly in Buenos Aires Province, to build an extension to the town in exchange for lands, in order to populate it. In 1899, the railroad reached Cipolletti in Río Negro province, and three years later, after the construction of the bridge, arrived at Neuquén.
Neuquén was officially founded on September 12, 1904, and the capital of the territory was transferred from Chos Malal to the young town. The name "Neuquén" derives from the Mapudungun word nehuenken, meaning drafty, which the native people used in reference to this river.
By 1930, the town had only 5000 inhabitants. In the 1960s, it acquired a new importance when oil deposits were found in the province by the state company YPF. The 1970s and 1980s saw massive demographic growth, accompanied by improvements such as the creation of the National University of Comahue in 1971.
Neuquén has an arid climate, with 180 millimetres (7 in) of precipitation per year. There are marked temperature differences in the seasons: In summer (November to March), the temperature can reach 31 °C (88 °F), but low humidity and strong winds from the South make the temperature feel less than it would be otherwise. Autumns (April to May), are mild, typically a transition season.
Snow can be present, (ex. in 2010). Winter (June to August), highs usually reach 12 °C (54 °F), but on many days the high doesn't reach 4 °C (39 °F). Nights are cold, under 0 °C (32 °F), sometimes reaching −10 °C (14 °F). spring (September to October) is usually just as mild as autumn.
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, designed by Mario Roberto Alvarez, opened in 2004. The museum showcases both national and international artists. The building consists of 4 halls which include both the temporary and the permanent collection, as well as an auditorium and theater.
| Climate data for Neuquén, Argentina | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.8 (89.2) |
31 (88) |
27.2 (81.0) |
21.4 (70.5) |
16.7 (62.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.3 (52.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
18.6 (65.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
27.7 (81.9) |
30.5 (86.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.5 (74.3) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.2 (66.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
5.1 (41.2) |
8.6 (47.5) |
11.3 (52.3) |
15.6 (60.1) |
19.7 (67.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
14.8 (58.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) |
14 (57) |
11.2 (52.2) |
6.9 (44.4) |
3 (37) |
1 (34) |
−1 (30) |
1.5 (34.7) |
4 (39) |
8.1 (46.6) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.7 (58.5) |
7.6 (45.7) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 12.7 (0.5) |
10 (0.39) |
33.2 (1.307) |
11.3 (0.445) |
10.1 (0.398) |
25.1 (0.988) |
17.8 (0.701) |
11.2 (0.441) |
23.8 (0.937) |
10.7 (0.421) |
7.9 (0.311) |
8.9 (0.35) |
182.7 (7.193) |
| Source: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional[1] | |||||||||||||
Neuquén is sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International with:
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