Chubut Province
Encyclopedia
Chubut a province
in the southern part of Argentina
situated between the 42nd parallel south
(forming the border with the Río Negro Province
) and the 46th parallel south
(bordering Santa Cruz Province), the Andes
range separating Argentina from Chile
, and the Atlantic ocean
. The province's name derives from the Tehuelche
word chupat, meaning "transparent," their description of the Chubut River
.
The largest city, with 180,000 inhabitants, is Comodoro Rivadavia
in the south of the province. The administrative capital is Rawson
(40,000). Other important cities are Puerto Madryn
, Trelew, Esquel
and Sarmiento
. Gaiman
is a cultural and demographic centre of the region known as "Y Wladfa" in which Welsh-Argentines
are concentrated. The 25,000 Welsh speakers in the Chubut region are concentrated in the original Welsh settlements of Trelew
and Trevelin
.
Before the Spaniards
arrived in America
, nomad
ic indigenous peoples inhabited the Patagonia
region. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Spanish missionaries
came to the area, and founded the San José Fort on Península Valdés, which was later destroyed by local native peoples. The region was disputed between Chile and Argentina until 1881, when Chile renounced its claim in order to keep Argentina out of the Pacific War
. In 1865, Welsh people
came to Chubut
in the Mimosa
ship and were settling in Chubut Valley area.
As part of the Conquista del Desierto
(Desert conquest), the National Territory of Chubut was created in 1884, of which Luis Fontana was named governor. At the beginning of the 20th century, after the Boer War
, some Boer
people settled in the town of Sarmiento
, and in lesser number in other nearby towns.
In 1944, the southern part of Chubut and northern part of Santa Cruz were designated the Comodoro Rivadavia military zone. The zone was dissolved in 1955, and Chubut was declared a province.
Population shifts of the 20th century, especially from Buenos Aires
, raised the population steadily from 190,000 (1970), to 357,000 (1991) and 413,237 (2001). Most of the inhabitants are in the main cities, or in lesser numbers along the Chubut River
, which gives most areas a population density
of less than 1 inhabitant per square kilometer.
) helped give Chubut the nation's fifth-highest per capita output in 2006, US$11,250 (a fourth higher than the national average).
Petroleum
refining is the main economic activity of the province, with 13% of Argentine oil production (mostly off-shore). 21% of the nation's fish catch is produced by Chubut.
Sheep ranching, though less than half as productive than as recently as 1990, remains important at the local level. The advent of synthetic replacements to wool after World War II
battered the sector, further decimated by Argentina's political instability and natural disasters. Wool production has risen since 2002, however, and totaled 71,000 tons in 2006.
The coast is exceptionally mild for Patagonia due to warm currents from Brazil: daytime highs range from 24ºC (75F) to 28ºC (83F) and night temperatures range from 11ºC (52F) to 15ºC (59F) during the summer. Falls are pleasant with cool nights, and winters are moderate, with days ranging from about 9ºC (48F) in the south to 13ºC (55F) in the north, and nights from 1ºC (34F) to 4ºC (40F). Precipitation is low, from 150 mm to 250 mm. Temperatures below -10ºC (14F) are infrequent, as is heavy snow.
The plateaus are considerably more extreme weatherwise. Temperatures are warm during summer days, with the same range as in the coast, and cooler nights below 10ºC (50F). However, as fall approaches, night frost becomes the rule, and winters can sometimes be quite severe. Depending on elevation, daytime highs range from 3ºC (37F) to 9ºC (48F), while nighttime lows go from -1ºC (30F) to as low as -6ºC (21F). The lowest temperatures go from -25ºC to -30ºC (-13F to -22F) with severe wind chill. Snow is common, but in low quantities due to aridity.
The west becomes wetter as we approach the Andes, and some spots attain 4,000 mm of rainfall. Summers are cool and windy, at 20ºC to 22ºC (68F to 74F) during the day and 5ºC to 7ºC (41F to 45F) at night. Winters are very stormy, with rain, sleet and snow, highs from 4ºC to 8ºC (39F to 47F) at low altitudes, and lows from 0ºC (32F) to -4ºC (25F). Temperatures rarely dip below -20ºC (-4F) but heavy snow may occur.
Altitudes over 1,000 m have constant winter snow cover, and over 2,000 m, the snow remains until midsummer. Higher peaks are heavily glaciated.
Tourism is also a growing industry. The main attractions are Peninsula Valdés and other marine wildlife
reservoirs such as Punta Tombo
and Punta Ninfas
, with right whale
s, eared seal
s, elephant seal
s, penguin
s, orca
s and many other animals. At the Punta Tombo site there is one of the largest breeding areas for the Magellanic penguin
.
Further south, on the sparsely populated beaches of the Golfo San Jorge, is the only place in the world where the peculiar, flightless Chubut Steamer Duck can be observed. In the Andean
region, the Los Alerces National Park
, impressive lakes and hikes near Esquel are also visited every year by many tourists. The 'Old Patagonian Express' (also known as La Trochita), the old steam train made famous by Paul Theroux
, attracts many to Esquel
, as does the La Hoya ski center. The petrified forest
near Sarmiento is a 150 km² park with some of the largest fossilised trees in the world.
runs along the coast line up to Buenos Aires
, and down to Tierra del Fuego
. The Ruta Nacional 25 crosses Chubut from East to West, connecting Trelew
and Esquel
, but half of it has not yet been paved. Regular long distance buses run several times a day to Buenos Aires, and to many locations in the Santa Cruz Province. Short range buses to towns in Chubut run at least once a day. There are also daily summer buses on the route #25.
The Trelew airport (IATA
REL) serves regular flights to/from Buenos Aires
and El Calafate
. Airports are also maintained at Comodoro Rivadavia, Rawson and Esquel.
Major highways include:
Four other roads travel west to Chile's Aysén region, including Balmaceda and Coihaique Alto, and two to Chile's Los Lagos region from Corcovado to Palena and from Esquel via Trevelin to Futaleufu.
The province is divided into 15 departments
(Spanish: departamentos).
Department (Capital)
places of worship in Comodoro.
The university—Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco
—is based in Comodoro Rivadavia with campuses at Esquel, Trelew and Puerto Madryn, as well as in Ushuaia
, Tierra del Fuego
.
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
in the southern part of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
situated between the 42nd parallel south
42nd parallel south
The 42nd parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
(forming the border with the Río Negro Province
Río Negro Province
Río Negro is a province of Argentina, located at the northern edge of Patagonia. Neighboring provinces are from the south clockwise Chubut, Neuquén, Mendoza, La Pampa and Buenos Aires. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean.Its capital is Viedma...
) and the 46th parallel south
46th parallel south
The 46th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 46 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
(bordering Santa Cruz Province), the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
range separating Argentina from Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, and the Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The province's name derives from the Tehuelche
Tehuelche language
Tehuelche is a nearly extinct Chon language spoken by four people in Patagonia out of an ethnic group of 200. They were originally nomadic hunters from Chile. It is also known as Aonikenk or Aonek'o 'ajen...
word chupat, meaning "transparent," their description of the Chubut River
Chubut River
The Chubut River is located in the Patagonia region of southern Argentina. Its name comes from the Tehuelche word chupat, which means "transparent". The Argentine Chubut Province, through which the river flows, is named after it...
.
The largest city, with 180,000 inhabitants, is Comodoro Rivadavia
Comodoro Rivadavia
Comodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
in the south of the province. The administrative capital is Rawson
Rawson, Chubut
Rawson is the capital of the Argentine province of Chubut, in Patagonia. It has about 26,000 inhabitants, and it is the head town of the Rawson Department, which has 122,000 inhabitants...
(40,000). Other important cities are Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn is a city in the province of Chubut in the Argentine Patagonia. It is the head town of the Viedma Department, and has about 57,571 inhabitants according to the last census in 2001....
, Trelew, Esquel
Esquel
According to the , the Esquel district had about 28,000 inhabitants, with one of the highest rates of growth in the province, mainly as result of the immigration of people from Buenos Aires, but also from other provinces. It has wide cement streets with sidewalks, and is clean and well maintained...
and Sarmiento
Sarmiento, Chubut
Sarmiento is a town in the province of Chubut, Argentina. It has about 8,000 inhabitants as per the , and is the head town of the department of the same name. It is located on the so-called Central Corridor of Patagonia, in a fertile valley amidst an otherwise arid region, 140 km west from...
. Gaiman
Gaiman, Chubut
Gaiman is a town in the Chubut Province of Patagonia in Argentina. It has a population of about 6,000 as per the . It is located close to the River Chubut, about 15 km west of Trelew....
is a cultural and demographic centre of the region known as "Y Wladfa" in which Welsh-Argentines
Welsh settlement in Argentina
Y Wladfa refers to the Welsh settlement in Argentina, which began in 1865 and occurred mainly along the coast of Chubut Province in the far southern region of Patagonia...
are concentrated. The 25,000 Welsh speakers in the Chubut region are concentrated in the original Welsh settlements of Trelew
Trelew
-References:La Pasión según Trelew, Espejo de la Argentina, 1997, Editorial Planeta Argentina S.A.I.C.; Third Edition: April 2000, Buenos Aires, ISBN 950-742-859-3-External links:* * * *...
and Trevelin
Trevelín
Trevelin is a town in the Patagonian Argentine province of Chubut. It is located in the department of Futaleufú, south of Esquel, and had about 6,400 inhabitants at the time of the ....
.
History
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
arrived in America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic indigenous peoples inhabited the Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
region. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Spanish missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
came to the area, and founded the San José Fort on Península Valdés, which was later destroyed by local native peoples. The region was disputed between Chile and Argentina until 1881, when Chile renounced its claim in order to keep Argentina out of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. In 1865, Welsh people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
came to Chubut
Welsh settlement in Argentina
Y Wladfa refers to the Welsh settlement in Argentina, which began in 1865 and occurred mainly along the coast of Chubut Province in the far southern region of Patagonia...
in the Mimosa
Mimosa (ship)
The Mimosa was a clipper ship best known for carrying the first Welsh emigrants to South America in 1865.-Voyage to Patagonia:By the time Mimosa made the voyage she was already past her prime, having been built in 1853 at Hall's shipyard in Aberdeen. She had not been designed to carry passengers,...
ship and were settling in Chubut Valley area.
As part of the Conquista del Desierto
Conquest of the Desert
The Conquest of the Desert was a military campaign directed mainly by General Julio Argentino Roca in the 1870s, which established Argentine dominance over Patagonia, which was inhabited by indigenous peoples...
(Desert conquest), the National Territory of Chubut was created in 1884, of which Luis Fontana was named governor. At the beginning of the 20th century, after the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, some Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
people settled in the town of Sarmiento
Sarmiento, Chubut
Sarmiento is a town in the province of Chubut, Argentina. It has about 8,000 inhabitants as per the , and is the head town of the department of the same name. It is located on the so-called Central Corridor of Patagonia, in a fertile valley amidst an otherwise arid region, 140 km west from...
, and in lesser number in other nearby towns.
In 1944, the southern part of Chubut and northern part of Santa Cruz were designated the Comodoro Rivadavia military zone. The zone was dissolved in 1955, and Chubut was declared a province.
Population shifts of the 20th century, especially from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, raised the population steadily from 190,000 (1970), to 357,000 (1991) and 413,237 (2001). Most of the inhabitants are in the main cities, or in lesser numbers along the Chubut River
Chubut River
The Chubut River is located in the Patagonia region of southern Argentina. Its name comes from the Tehuelche word chupat, which means "transparent". The Argentine Chubut Province, through which the river flows, is named after it...
, which gives most areas a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of less than 1 inhabitant per square kilometer.
Economy
Chubut's economy, for a long time one of the most prosperous in Argentina, is one of the country's least diversified. Its 2006 output, estimated at US$4.7 billion, is made up in almost a fourth by mining and petroleum. This sector's contribution (mostly centered around Comodoro RivadaviaComodoro Rivadavia
Comodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
) helped give Chubut the nation's fifth-highest per capita output in 2006, US$11,250 (a fourth higher than the national average).
Petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
refining is the main economic activity of the province, with 13% of Argentine oil production (mostly off-shore). 21% of the nation's fish catch is produced by Chubut.
Sheep ranching, though less than half as productive than as recently as 1990, remains important at the local level. The advent of synthetic replacements to wool after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
battered the sector, further decimated by Argentina's political instability and natural disasters. Wool production has risen since 2002, however, and totaled 71,000 tons in 2006.
Geography and Climate
Chubut stretches from the Atlantic to the Andes: the coast is marked by high cliffs and sandy beaches, whereas the centre consists of several plateaus and depressions. The Andes are not very high in Chubut, with most peaks between 1,500 m and 2,000 m.The coast is exceptionally mild for Patagonia due to warm currents from Brazil: daytime highs range from 24ºC (75F) to 28ºC (83F) and night temperatures range from 11ºC (52F) to 15ºC (59F) during the summer. Falls are pleasant with cool nights, and winters are moderate, with days ranging from about 9ºC (48F) in the south to 13ºC (55F) in the north, and nights from 1ºC (34F) to 4ºC (40F). Precipitation is low, from 150 mm to 250 mm. Temperatures below -10ºC (14F) are infrequent, as is heavy snow.
The plateaus are considerably more extreme weatherwise. Temperatures are warm during summer days, with the same range as in the coast, and cooler nights below 10ºC (50F). However, as fall approaches, night frost becomes the rule, and winters can sometimes be quite severe. Depending on elevation, daytime highs range from 3ºC (37F) to 9ºC (48F), while nighttime lows go from -1ºC (30F) to as low as -6ºC (21F). The lowest temperatures go from -25ºC to -30ºC (-13F to -22F) with severe wind chill. Snow is common, but in low quantities due to aridity.
The west becomes wetter as we approach the Andes, and some spots attain 4,000 mm of rainfall. Summers are cool and windy, at 20ºC to 22ºC (68F to 74F) during the day and 5ºC to 7ºC (41F to 45F) at night. Winters are very stormy, with rain, sleet and snow, highs from 4ºC to 8ºC (39F to 47F) at low altitudes, and lows from 0ºC (32F) to -4ºC (25F). Temperatures rarely dip below -20ºC (-4F) but heavy snow may occur.
Altitudes over 1,000 m have constant winter snow cover, and over 2,000 m, the snow remains until midsummer. Higher peaks are heavily glaciated.
Newspapers
There are a number of print newspapers including:- Crónica and El Patagónico in Comodoro Rivadavia
- El Oeste in Esquel
- El Diario de Madryn in Puerto Madryn
- El Chubut and Jornada in Trelew
- Y Drafod, Welsh language newspaper since 1891
- Clecs Camwy, new Welsh monthly newspaper, 2011
Online journalism
Online journalism has a small, growing presence in Chubut. The six print newspapers have online editions; but these are only updated every 24 hours. Some new digital proposals make a better use of web's potential. One case is Infochubut.com, a recent publication that works with audio, video, text and photographs for its news and offers forums for public participation. Some radio stations in northwest Chubut began to publish online some of the interviews they make in there radio studies.Radio
The most populous cities are served by AM radio stations like Chubut Radio and Three Radio in Trelew, Golfo Nuevo's Radio in Puerto Madryn, National Radio in Comodoro, Rivadavia and Esquel. There are also several FM radio stations which broadcast programs from a national central office.Television
The provincial government runs a TV network that covers the province. In Trelew, Comodoro Rivadavia, Esquel, Puerto Madryn and in some small towns there are other local TV stations producing local programming to supplement the programming received from the Buenos Aires networks.Tourism
Tourism is also a growing industry. The main attractions are Peninsula Valdés and other marine wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
reservoirs such as Punta Tombo
Punta Tombo
Punta Tombo is a peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean south of Trelew in Chubut Province, Argentina, where there is an important colony of Magellanic Penguins...
and Punta Ninfas
Punta Ninfas
Punta Ninfas is found in Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina. A promontory into the Atlantic Ocean, it encloses one side of the Golfo Nuevo, with Península Valdés opposite almost enclosing the circular gulf. The Point is about 90 km southwest of Puerto Madryn.A lighthouse is situated at...
, with right whale
Right whale
Right whales are three species of large baleen whales consisting of two genera in the family Balaenidae of order Cetacea. Their bodies are very dark gray or black and rotund....
s, eared seal
Eared Seal
The eared seals or otariids are marine mammals in the family Otariidae, one of three groupings of Pinnipeds. They comprise 16 species in seven genera commonly known either as sea lions or fur seals, distinct from true seals and the Walrus...
s, elephant seal
Elephant seal
Elephant seals are large, oceangoing seals in the genus Mirounga. There are two species: the northern elephant seal and the southern elephant seal . Both were hunted to the brink of extinction by the end of the 19th century, but numbers have since recovered...
s, penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
s, orca
Orca
The killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
s and many other animals. At the Punta Tombo site there is one of the largest breeding areas for the Magellanic penguin
Magellanic Penguin
The Magellanic Penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus, is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil where they are occasionally seen as far north as Rio de Janeiro. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus penguins. Its nearest...
.
Further south, on the sparsely populated beaches of the Golfo San Jorge, is the only place in the world where the peculiar, flightless Chubut Steamer Duck can be observed. In the Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
region, the Los Alerces National Park
Los Alerces National Park
The Los Alerces National Park is a national park in Chubut Province, Argentina, some 30 miles from Esquel. It is a park of 2,630 square kilometres along the border with Chile, best known for the alerce trees from which the park takes its name.The park was created in 1937 in order to protect the...
, impressive lakes and hikes near Esquel are also visited every year by many tourists. The 'Old Patagonian Express' (also known as La Trochita), the old steam train made famous by Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux
Paul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work of travel writing is perhaps The Great Railway Bazaar . He has also published numerous works of fiction, some of which were made into feature films. He was awarded the 1981 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his...
, attracts many to Esquel
Esquel
According to the , the Esquel district had about 28,000 inhabitants, with one of the highest rates of growth in the province, mainly as result of the immigration of people from Buenos Aires, but also from other provinces. It has wide cement streets with sidewalks, and is clean and well maintained...
, as does the La Hoya ski center. The petrified forest
Petrified wood
Petrified wood is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation. It is the result of a tree having turned completely into stone by the process of permineralization...
near Sarmiento is a 150 km² park with some of the largest fossilised trees in the world.
Transport
The Ruta Nacional 3National Route 3 (Argentina)
Ruta Nacional 3 is an Argentine highway, stretching from the eastern side of the country in Buenos Aires, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Chubut Province, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego...
runs along the coast line up to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, and down to Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
. The Ruta Nacional 25 crosses Chubut from East to West, connecting Trelew
Trelew
-References:La Pasión según Trelew, Espejo de la Argentina, 1997, Editorial Planeta Argentina S.A.I.C.; Third Edition: April 2000, Buenos Aires, ISBN 950-742-859-3-External links:* * * *...
and Esquel
Esquel
According to the , the Esquel district had about 28,000 inhabitants, with one of the highest rates of growth in the province, mainly as result of the immigration of people from Buenos Aires, but also from other provinces. It has wide cement streets with sidewalks, and is clean and well maintained...
, but half of it has not yet been paved. Regular long distance buses run several times a day to Buenos Aires, and to many locations in the Santa Cruz Province. Short range buses to towns in Chubut run at least once a day. There are also daily summer buses on the route #25.
The Trelew airport (IATA
IATA airport code
An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association...
REL) serves regular flights to/from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and El Calafate
El Calafate
- Population :In the last census 6,143 permanent residents were counted . This represents a 20.1% increase compared with the 1991 census. However, due to the expansion of tourism, the population was estimated at 8,000 people in 2005.- Wildlife :...
. Airports are also maintained at Comodoro Rivadavia, Rawson and Esquel.
Major highways include:
- Route 2, from Puerto Pirámides and Península Valdés
- Route 3, north-south via Trelew and Comodoro Rivadavia
- Route 26, west from Comodoro Rivadavia (223 km)
- Route 20, which continues north 178 km to Jose de San Martín
- Route 22, north from Perito Moreno (Santa Cruz province) 125 km
- Route 25, west from Trelew (341 km)
- Route 62, which continues west 166 km to join Route 40 at Tecka
- Route 40, traveling north 266 km via Esquel to Cabeza del Indio
- Route 30, east 73 km from Route 3 to the coast at Camarones
- Route 259, west from Esquel to Chile.
Four other roads travel west to Chile's Aysén region, including Balmaceda and Coihaique Alto, and two to Chile's Los Lagos region from Corcovado to Palena and from Esquel via Trevelin to Futaleufu.
Political divisions
Departments of Argentina
Departments form the second level of administrative division in the provinces of Argentina. There are no departments in the city of Buenos Aires, which has so far been divided into neighbourhoods as its administrative divisions, but is to be divided now into communes by a recently passed local act...
(Spanish: departamentos).
Department (Capital)
- Cushamen DepartmentCushamen DepartmentCushamen is a department located in the north west of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 17,000 inhabitants in an area of 16,250km², and its capital city is Cushamen....
(CushamenCushamenCushamen is a town in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Cushamen Department.Cushamen is located in the wild plains of Patagonia, its name means "place of solitude" in Mapuche....
) - Escalante DepartmentEscalante DepartmentEscalante Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 143,000 inhabitants in an area of 14,015 km², and its capital city is Comodoro Rivadavia....
(Comodoro RivadaviaComodoro RivadaviaComodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
) - Florentino Ameghino DepartmentFlorentino Ameghino DepartmentFlorentino Ameghino is a department of Chubut Province, it is located on the Atlantic coast of ArgentinaThe provincial subdivision has a population of about 1,484 inhabitants in an area of 16,088 km², and its capital city is Camarones, which is located around 1,654km from Capital Federal.The...
(CamaronesCamarones, ChubutCamarones is a small settlement located in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Florentino Ameghino Department....
) - Futaleufú DepartmentFutaleufú DepartmentFutaleufú is a department in the north west of Chubut Province, Argentina. Its main town and capital is Esquel to the north, with Trevelin and El Corcovado as the only other towns of significant size. Other settlements are Cerro Centinela, Aldea Escolar, Los Cipreses and Lago Rosario...
(EsquelEsquelAccording to the , the Esquel district had about 28,000 inhabitants, with one of the highest rates of growth in the province, mainly as result of the immigration of people from Buenos Aires, but also from other provinces. It has wide cement streets with sidewalks, and is clean and well maintained...
) - Gaiman DepartmentGaiman DepartmentGaiman Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 9,612 inhabitants in an area of 11,076 km², and its capital city is Gaiman, which is located around 1,398 km from Capital Federal....
(GaimanGaiman, ChubutGaiman is a town in the Chubut Province of Patagonia in Argentina. It has a population of about 6,000 as per the . It is located close to the River Chubut, about 15 km west of Trelew....
) - Gastre DepartmentGastre DepartmentGastre Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 1,508 inhabitants in an area of 16,335 km², and its capital city is Gastre, which is located around 1,713 km from Capital Federal....
(GastreGastreGastre is a village in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Gastre Department. It was founded in 1904. The place was the center of a controversy in the 1990s when the National Atomic Energy Commission proposed to build a deep borehole disposal in the area....
) - Languiñeo DepartmentLanguiñeo DepartmentLanguiñeo Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 3,017 inhabitants in an area of 15,339 km², and its capital city is Tecka, which is located around 1,899 km from Capital Federal....
(TeckaTeckaTecka is a town in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Languiñeo Department. It was founded on July 11, 1921....
) - Mártires DepartmentMártires DepartmentMártires Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 977 inhabitants in an area of 15,445 km².-Settlements:*Las Plumas*El Mirasol*Mina Chubut*La Rosada*Alto de las Plumas...
(Las PlumasLas PlumasLas Plumas is a village in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Mártires Department. It was established in 1921....
) - Paso de Indios DepartmentPaso de Indios DepartmentPaso de Indios Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 1,905 inhabitants in an area of 22,300 km², and its capital city is Paso de Indios, which is located around 1,729 km from Capital Federal.-External links:*...
(Paso de IndiosPaso de IndiosPaso de Indios is a town in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Paso de Indios Department....
) - Rawson DepartmentRawson Department, ChubutRawson Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 115,829 inhabitants in an area of 3,922 km², and its capital city is Rawson, which is located around 1,404 km from Capital Federal....
(RawsonRawson, ChubutRawson is the capital of the Argentine province of Chubut, in Patagonia. It has about 26,000 inhabitants, and it is the head town of the Rawson Department, which has 122,000 inhabitants...
) - Río Senguer DepartmentRío Senguer DepartmentRío Senguer Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 6,194 inhabitants in an area of 22,335 km², and its capital city is Alto Río Senguer, which is located around 2,021 km from Capital Federal.-Settlements:*Río Mayo*Alto...
(Alto Río SenguerAlto Río SenguerAlto Río Senguer is a town in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Río Senguer Department. It was founded on September 1, 1943.-External links:...
) - Sarmiento DepartmentSarmiento Department, ChubutSarmiento Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 8,724 inhabitants in an area of 14,563 km², and its capital city is Sarmiento, which is located around 1,909 km from Capital Federal....
(SarmientoSarmiento, ChubutSarmiento is a town in the province of Chubut, Argentina. It has about 8,000 inhabitants as per the , and is the head town of the department of the same name. It is located on the so-called Central Corridor of Patagonia, in a fertile valley amidst an otherwise arid region, 140 km west from...
) - Tehuelches DepartmentTehuelches DepartmentTehuelches Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 5,159 inhabitants in an area of 14,750 km², and its capital city is José de San Martín, which is located around 1,870 km from Capital Federal.-Settlements:*Gobernador...
(José de San MartínJosé de San Martín, ChubutJosé de San Martín is a town in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Tehuelches Department.The town is named after José de San Martín, the Argentine General who liberated Argentina from the Spanish empire....
) - Telsen DepartmentTelsen DepartmentTelsen Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 1,788 inhabitants in an area of 19,893 km², and its capital city is Telsen, which is located around 1,494 km from Capital Federal....
(TelsenTelsenTelsen is a village in Chubut Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Telsen Department located 176 km west of the provincial capital Puerto Madryn. It was founded on December 9, 1898 by John Marley....
) - Biedma DepartmentBiedma DepartmentBiedma is a department located in the north east of Chubut Province, on the Atlantic coast of Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 59,000 inhabitants in an area of 12,940km², and its capital city is Puerto Madryn, which is located around 1,334km from Buenos...
(Puerto MadrynPuerto MadrynPuerto Madryn is a city in the province of Chubut in the Argentine Patagonia. It is the head town of the Viedma Department, and has about 57,571 inhabitants according to the last census in 2001....
)
Institutions
Chubut is covered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Comodoro Rivadavia. The Cathedral, dedicated to San Juan Bosco is in Comodoro Rivadavia and the Bishop since 2005 is Virginio Domingo Bressanelli. Other faiths are active in Chubut, principally amongst the Welsh chapels as well as Lutheran and MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
places of worship in Comodoro.
The university—Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco
Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco
The National University of the Patagonia San Juan Bosco is a higher education establishment in Patagonia, southern Argentina. It was created on February 25, 1980, by law 22.713, as the merge of two national universities: the "Universidad de San Juan Bosco" and "Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia"...
—is based in Comodoro Rivadavia with campuses at Esquel, Trelew and Puerto Madryn, as well as in Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
, Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
.
External links
- Infochubut - Online journalism (Spanish)
- Chubut's Official Page (Spanish)
- Chubut Province in Argentour
- Links to newspapers and radios from Chubut (Spanish)
- Puerto Pirámides' official website (Spanish)
- Minerals of Chubut (Spanish)