La Quiaca

La Quiaca
La Quiaca

Location in Jujuy Province

Coordinates: 22°06′S 65°34′W / 22.100°S 65.567°WCoordinates: 22°06′S 65°34′W / 22.100°S 65.567°W
Country  Argentina
Province Jujuy
Department Yavi
Elevation 3,442 m (11,293 ft)
Population (2001 census [INDEC])
 • Total 14,753
CPA Base Y 4650
Area code(s) 03885

La Quiaca is a small city in the north of the province of Jujuy, Argentina, on the southern bank of the La Quiaca River, opposite the town of Villazón, Bolivia. It lies at the end of National Route 9, 289 km (180 mi) from San Salvador de Jujuy (the provincial capital), and at an altitude of 3,442 m (11,293 ft) above mean sea level.

La Quiaca has 14,751 inhabitants as per the 2001 census [INDEC]. It is the head town of the Yaví Department, which includes also the towns of Barrios, Cangrejillos, El Cóndor, Pumahuasi, and Yaví. The area is serviced by an airport located at 22°09′02″S 65°34′39″W / 22.15056°S 65.57750°W.

La Quiaca is an approximate antipode to Hong Kong.

It has all the amenities of a modern city (potable water, electricity, sewer, Internet). This city is one of the north of the Puna which has all the basic facilities for the convenience of tourists, one of the most important urban settlement in northern Argentina.

La Quiaca, Jujuy.

In the country, this city is the classic reference to the northern end of the country, though in reality this distinction is held by the town of Salvador Mazza, or Pocitos, in the province of Salta. In 1985, after a three-year national tour, the renowned composer León Gieco released a folk album called De Ushuaia a La Quiaca ("From Ushuaia to La Quiaca").

Trucks at La Quiaca on the border between Argentina and Bolivia (with the town of Villazón (Bolivia) in the background).

Geography

Climate

La Quiaca has a cold semi-arid climate (BSk, according to the Köppen climate classification), with an annual precipitation of 334.6 mm (13 in). During winter months, temperatures during the day are cool, averaging 14.7 °C (58.5 °F) in July while the nights can get very cold, with temperatures dropping well below 0 °C (32.0 °F).[1] Precipitation is rare during the winter months although snowfalls are possible. During the summer months, temperatures during the day are mild to warm, averaging 19 to 20 °C (66 to 68 °F) although nighttime temperatures can remain cool. Most of the precipitation that La Quiaca receives falls during the summer months. The city is fairly sunny throughout the year, averaging 3410 hours of sunshine or 76.9% of possible sunshine ranging from a low of 62.5% in February to a high of 87.5% in July.[1] The highest temperature recorded was 27.1 °C (80.8 °F) while the lowest temperature was −15.2 °C (4.6 °F).

La Quiaca
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
80
 
 
20
7
 
 
68
 
 
20
7
 
 
48
 
 
20
6
 
 
9.4
 
 
19
2
 
 
0.7
 
 
17
−4
 
 
0.6
 
 
15
−7
 
 
0
 
 
15
−7
 
 
0.6
 
 
17
−5
 
 
2.8
 
 
19
−2
 
 
17
 
 
21
2
 
 
30
 
 
21
5
 
 
78
 
 
20
6
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Climate Charts
Climate data for La Quiaca, Argentina (1961–1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 27.1
(80.8)		 26.7
(80.1)		 26.8
(80.2)		 24.1
(75.4)		 23.1
(73.6)		 19.9
(67.8)		 20.9
(69.6)		 24.1
(75.4)		 23.6
(74.5)		 26.3
(79.3)		 27.0
(80.6)		 27.1
(80.8)		 27.1
(80.8)
Average high °C (°F) 19.9
(67.8)		 19.5
(67.1)		 19.7
(67.5)		 19.0
(66.2)		 17.1
(62.8)		 15.0
(59)		 14.9
(58.8)		 16.8
(62.2)		 18.6
(65.5)		 20.5
(68.9)		 21.1
(70)		 20.4
(68.7)		 18.5
(65.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 12.5
(54.5)		 12.1
(53.8)		 12.0
(53.6)		 10.2
(50.4)		 6.7
(44.1)		 4.1
(39.4)		 3.8
(38.8)		 6.0
(42.8)		 8.7
(47.7)		 10.7
(51.3)		 12.0
(53.6)		 12.2
(54)		 9.2
(48.6)
Average low °C (°F) 7.0
(44.6)		 6.7
(44.1)		 6.0
(42.8)		 2.2
(36)		 −3.6
(25.5)		 −6.6
(20.1)		 −7.4
(18.7)		 −5.1
(22.8)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 2.0
(35.6)		 4.7
(40.5)		 6.2
(43.2)		 0.9
(33.6)
Record low °C (°F) 1.7
(35.1)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 −7.9
(17.8)		 −11.0
(12.2)		 −14.5
(5.9)		 −15.2
(4.6)		 −14.8
(5.4)		 −11.2
(11.8)		 −6.3
(20.7)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 0.4
(32.7)		 −15.2
(4.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 79.7
(3.138)		 68.0
(2.677)		 48.7
(1.917)		 9.7
(0.382)		 0.7
(0.028)		 0.7
(0.028)		 0.0
(0)		 0.7
(0.028)		 2.7
(0.106)		 16.3
(0.642)		 30.0
(1.181)		 78.0
(3.071)		 335.0
(13.189)
Avg. precipitation days 15.7 13.7 9.7 2.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.6 3.7 7.3 14.7 68.4
Avg. snowy days 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.6
Average relative humidity (%) 67 66 63 51 37 33 31 32 38 48 57 64 49
Mean monthly sunshine hours 263.5 228.8 269.7 288.0 297.6 285.0 297.6 303.8 291.0 306.9 303.0 275.9 3,410.8
Percent possible sunshine 63.5 62.5 70.5 82.0 85.5 86.5 87.5 85.5 80.0 78.0 76.0 65.5 76.9
Source: Secretaria de Mineria[1]

See Also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Datos Meteorológicos Registrados en las Distintas Estación de la Provincia de Jujuy" (in Spanish). Secretaria de Mineria de la Nacion (Argentina). Retrieved March 16, 2015.