Tartagal, Salta
Encyclopedia
Tartagal is a city in the north of the , 365 km from the provincial capital. It has over 60,000 inhabitants as per the , and it is the head town of the General José de San Martín Department (with about 3/4 of its population). It is crossed by the river of the same name
.
Tartagal is located in an area of major economic importance for the province, within Argentina's second largest natural gas
reservoir, and at a crossroads for trade in the Mercosur
(being only 55 km from the border with Bolivia
and 100 km from Paraguay
). The area produces 25% of the oil and about 16% of the natural gas in Argentina.
, a kind of spurge
). The area of modern Tartagal appears with this name in legal documents for the first time in 1853. At the time the area belonged to the Tarija Department
, Bolivia
. The foundation date of the town, however, is acknowledged as June 13, 1924; the municipality was created soon afterwards, and Tartagal attained city status only on September 22, 1949.
Petroleum
was discovered here at the beginning of the 20th century. Since 1926 the state-owned oil company YPF
employed or indirectly supported most of the local population. In 1992 the company was privatized
(becoming Repsol-YPF) and 90% of its workers were fired, prompting violent social conflicts and, a few years later, the appearance of piquetero
(unemployed workers) movements, similarly to what happened also in other oil-producing areas like Cutral-Co, Neuquén
, and in the neighboring General Mosconi.
On November 12, 1966 at a solar eclipe several sounding rockets were launched from Tartagal for solar research.
On February 9, 2009, heavy rains caused the Tartagal River
to break its banks and flood much of the city, resulting in 11 casualties.
Tartagal River
The Tartagal River is a river in the north of the province of Salta, Argentina. It crosses the city of Tartagal, in the San Martín Department, flowing west–east along with many smaller streams, and finally vanishing into a wetland...
.
Tartagal is located in an area of major economic importance for the province, within Argentina's second largest natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
reservoir, and at a crossroads for trade in the Mercosur
Mercosur
Mercosur or Mercosul is an economic and political agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción, which was later amended and updated by the 1994 Treaty of Ouro Preto. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people,...
(being only 55 km from the border with Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and 100 km from Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
). The area produces 25% of the oil and about 16% of the natural gas in Argentina.
History
Tartagal derives from the tártago plant (Euphorbia lathyrisEuphorbia lathyris
Euphorbia lathyris is a species of spurge native to southern Europe , northwest Africa, and eastward through southwest Asia to western China....
, a kind of spurge
Spurge
Euphorbia is a genus of plants belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Consisting of 2008 species, Euphorbia is one of the most diverse genera in the plant kingdom, exceeded possibly only by Senecio. Members of the family and genus are sometimes referred to as Spurges...
). The area of modern Tartagal appears with this name in legal documents for the first time in 1853. At the time the area belonged to the Tarija Department
Tarija Department
Tarija is a department in Bolivia. It is located in south-eastern Bolivia bordering Argentina to the south and Paraguay to the east. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 391,226 inhabitants. It has an area of 37.623 km²...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. The foundation date of the town, however, is acknowledged as June 13, 1924; the municipality was created soon afterwards, and Tartagal attained city status only on September 22, 1949.
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...
was discovered here at the beginning of the 20th century. Since 1926 the state-owned oil company YPF
Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales
Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales is an Argentine oil company.Founded in 1922 under President Hipólito Yrigoyen's administration, it was privatized in 1993 by Carlos Menem, and bought by the Spanish firm Repsol; the resulting merger in 1999 produced Repsol YPF...
employed or indirectly supported most of the local population. In 1992 the company was privatized
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
(becoming Repsol-YPF) and 90% of its workers were fired, prompting violent social conflicts and, a few years later, the appearance of piquetero
Piquetero
A piquetero is a member of a political faction whose primary modus operandi is based in the piquete. The piquete is an action by which a group of people blocks a road or street with the purpose of demonstrating and calling attention over a particular issue or demand...
(unemployed workers) movements, similarly to what happened also in other oil-producing areas like Cutral-Co, Neuquén
Neuquén Province
Neuquén is a province of Argentina, located in the west of the country, at the northern end of Patagonia. It borders Mendoza Province to the north, Rio Negro Province to the southeast, and Chile to the west...
, and in the neighboring General Mosconi.
On November 12, 1966 at a solar eclipe several sounding rockets were launched from Tartagal for solar research.
On February 9, 2009, heavy rains caused the Tartagal River
Tartagal River
The Tartagal River is a river in the north of the province of Salta, Argentina. It crosses the city of Tartagal, in the San Martín Department, flowing west–east along with many smaller streams, and finally vanishing into a wetland...
to break its banks and flood much of the city, resulting in 11 casualties.