Neuquén (city)

The town of Neuquén is the capital of the province of Neuquén in Argentine and the most important locality of the Patagonie. It is located at the east of the province, in the Département of Confluencia, of which it is also the chief town. The city occupies a fringe of territory immediately former to the confluence of the Río Neuquén and Río Limay which are the two branch-mothers of the Río Negro. It forms a single urban center with the localities of Plottier (province of Neuquén) and of Cipolletti (province of Río Negro), called Neuquén - Plottier - Cipolletti .

Historical aspects

Carlos Bouquet Roldán, governor of the Territory of Neuquén between 1903 and 1906, proposed to transfer the capital since Chos Malal towards a hamlet located on Right Bank from Río Neuquén, called Confluencia, because of the junction with Río Limay.

Officially the city was founded the September 12th 1904. This site constituted an important exit point for the products which the Territory marketed towards outside, via the railroad which finished in these places. For this reason, a decree decided to transfer the capital to it by renaming the city from the name of Neuquén, this in 1904.

Climate

The climate of Neuquén is continental and arid. Precipitations are rare and concentrate in March and in the summer months. The temperatures are characterized by an important oscillation as well day laborer as annual with torrid summers and fresh winters, with night frosts.

Economy

The use of abundant water of the rivers allowed the development of intensive cultures in its surroundings. The fruticole zone, near to Neuquén, product of the Apple S, the Pear S and the Raisin S. both first not only supply the national market, but are exported in more towards the Brésil, the the United States and the Europe. One produces also fruit juices concentrated for these same markets.

Population

The city counted 201.868 inhabitants in 2001, which represents an increase in 20,7% compared with the 167.296 of 1991 at the time of the former census. These figures locate it like first locality of Patagonie, even without including the inhabitants of Plottier and Cipolletti. The agglomeration of Neuquén - Plottier - Cipolletti on its side exceeded the 290.000 inhabitants and was the 14th agglomeration of Argentina.

Large Neuquén

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