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

Flamingos are regularly visible from El Calafate congregating in the waters of Lago Argentino.

Climate

El Calafate experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen

Köppen climate classification

The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...

 BSk) with cool to warm, very dry summers and cool to cold, slightly wetter winters.

Interesting facts

The gliding

Gliding

Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...

 altitude record of 50,722 feet (15,460 m) was set near El Calafate on 30 August 2006 by Steve Fossett

Steve Fossett

James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon...

 and Einar Enevoldson

Einar Enevoldson

Einar K. Enevoldson is the director of the Perlan Project. He was a civilian research pilot for NASA's Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. from 1968 until 1986...

 in their 'Perlan'

Perlan Project

The Perlan Project is a current research project to fly a sailplane to an altitude of 100,000 feet .-Meteorological Basis of the Project:Standing Mountain waves are a source of rising air used in the sport of soaring...

 high altitude research glider

Glider (sailplane)

A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...

. This record has been certified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...

.

The town was on the path of the total solar eclipse of July 11, 2010

Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010

The total solar eclipse of July 11, 2010, occurred over the southern Pacific Ocean. -Visibility:The eclipse was one of the most remote in recorded history...

, occurring just before sunset.

Sources

• Welcomeargentina.com, History of El Calafate
• Enjoy-patagonia.org, Enjoy Patagonia, Calafate
• Virtualtourist.com, Notes on main street, name origin, and more

External links

• Photos of El Calafate | Jakub Połomski Photography February 2011
• Descubracalafate.com.ar, Commercial information in Spanish about El Calafate
• Elcalafate.gov.ar, Official government site
• Dimensioncalafate.com.ar, Radio station site with local and regional news
• Wikitravel: El Calafate
• Patagonia-argentina.com, information about El Calafate