Córdoba Province

Area: 165,321 KM2

Population: 3,061,611(2001).

Capital City: Córdoba.

Main Cities: Río Cuarto, Villa Carlos Paz,Villa María, San Francisco, Jesús María, Cosquín, Alta Gracia, Río Tercero, Villa Nueva, Bell-Ville, Marcos Júarez, Arroyito.

The province of Córdoba is located in the central region of Argentina. It is bounded by the provinces of Catamarca and Santiago del Estero (north); the provinces of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires (east); the provinces of Buenos Aires and La Pampa (south), and the provinces of San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca (west).

Córdoba has a total area of 165,321 square kilometers (4% of the whole country), where two morphological areas can be clearly distinguished: the sierras sector in the west and the other, basically flat, in the east, both areas accounting for the variety of ambients existing in the province. It is comprised within the temperate region, with average temperatures ranging from 30°C/86°F to 10°C/50°F, the four seasons being clearly differentiated.

The eastern and southern regions share the Pampean productive structure, trading in grains and meat, both in domestic and foreign markets. On the other hand, since the 50s an important industrial belt around the capital has been developing, concentrating the manufacture of transport material, manufacture and assembling of automobiles, parts and components, as well as tractors, engines and motors. There are also important industrial centers in San Francisco, Villa María and Río Cuarto, mainly dealing in metallurgy and agroindustry.

Weather

The Province of Cordoba welcomes the traveller with its privileged climate. It is located on one of the territories with the kindest climate within Argentina. Its weather conditions can only be described as 'Mediterranean', whereas its eastern borderline is 480 kilometres away from the Atlantic Ocean and its western edge is 520 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean.

During the summer season the days are warm but the nights display a pleasant temperature decrease. It gets drier during winters, although it never gets badly cold. The annual average temperatures are approximately between 16° C and 17° C. Temperatures could vary throughout the year within a range in between 14 and 15° C.

Rain amounts hardly surpass 500 cubic millimetres by the year. What is more, during the summer season it could be of 800 mm3, let alone the north western zone of the province, where rain levels hardly exceed the mark of 200 cubic millimetres a year. Eastern and western winds are rare, short-lived and weak.

Political Organization and Demographic Structure:

This province, the capital of which is Córdoba, is divided into 26 political departments and 248 municipalities having political, economic, financial and institutional autonomy.

Average annual growth rate is 13‰, while density amounts to 17 inhabitants per sq km. Urban population represents 86%. (2001).

Economic Structure:

In 1994, the primary sector, basically made up of agricultural and livestock exports, contributed 11% to the value added of the total supply of goods and services. The secondary sector generated 31%, and the remaining 58% of the global economic activity corresponds to the supply of financial, transport and communications, trade, tourism, and government services.

Córdoba´s economy is based on agricultural productions of the Pampean kind and on a diversified industrial structure, having a considerable share in Argentina’s foreign trade.

The primary specialization in oilseeds, cereals and cattle is associated with transformation industries (flour mills, oils, cold-storage plants and dairy products) as well as with automotive industry, capital assets, non metallic minerals manufactures (cement and granite) and furniture, all important at national level.

Tourism:

Córdoba Province is a synthesis of the Argentine reality. Its territory is characterised by the presence of plains, mountains, rivers, lakes and a great variety in vegetation. Its capital city has become a true Latin American metropolis. However, there still exist small traditional settlements in the northern area.

The cordobese cultural contributions have been of great importance in the development of culture in Argentina.

Tourist attractiveness is chiefly based on the Folk Music Festival of Cosquín, the Beer Festival in Villa General Belgrano, Villa Carlos Paz on the coast of San Roque lake, Córdoba City:, Colonia Caroya and Quebrada del Condorito National Park, Punilla Valley, Calamuchita, Traslasierra,Paravachasca, North Region, Northwest Region, Sierras del Sur, Sierras Chicas, Mar Chiquita Lagoon.