RÃo Gallegos, Santa Cruz
Rio Gallegos is the capital of the department Güer Aike and Santa Cruz province in southern Argentina. It lies near the southern mainland point of the country, the Cabo Virgenes, near the Atlantic coast and has about 79,000 inhabitants.
Geography
Rio Gallegos is located at the mouth of the eponymous river in the Atlantic. The river forms a ten- kilometer wide new basin, called the Ría Gallegos. The topography of the area belongs to the southern escarpment country of Patagonia, with a cool temperate, dry and windy climate.
History
A concrete foundation date is not known, but settlement activity began in the area after the final annexation of the Patagonian territory by Argentina 1885. 1895 the settlement was the commercial center of sheep farming in the region, but from 1912 onwards there was a significant population growth, which was funded by the state because of the strategic importance of the place. Especially in the last 30 years of the 20th century the city grew because of the good conditions very quickly and is now nearing the threshold of the big city.
Economy
The economy of the city remained a long time on sheep farming and processing industries associated determines this came the shipment of coal extracted in Río Turbio in the southern Andes. Today, tourism also plays a role, especially because of the relative proximity to Los Glaciares National Park. It is also important trade with the oil obtained in the south of the province. The diversification of the economy in recent years has led to a high demand for labor, which was followed by a wave of immigration primarily from the North of Argentina. In Río Gallegos still prevails in contrast to other parts of the country despite the crisis times of full employment (3.7 % unemployment, 2004).
Rio Gallegos is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Río Gallegos.
Traffic
Rio Gallegos is a major transport hub on the way to Tierra del Fuego and in the south of Chile, which is only accessible via Argentina. Rio Gallegos is on the Ruta Nacional 40 and at the Ruta Nacional 3
The Aeropuerto de Rio Gallegos ( IATA code RGL ) Airport fly to lines like Lineas Aéreas del Estado. The Argentine Air Force Fuerza Aérea Argentina have here a Base Aérea Militar Río Gallegos.
The city is also the only place in Argentina, from which there is a route to the Falkland Islands. The visit of the islands is, however, still occupies the aftermath of the Falklands War for Argentina with sharp restrictions.
Flights from Buenos Aires to New Zealand, for example, do not take the direct route, but going in a southerly direction along the land mass of the continent, and then in front of the sea crossing in Río Gallegos stop over and refuel.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Néstor Kirchner (1950-2010), politician, President of Argentina (2003-2007)
- Walter Kendel, sculptor
- Julian Barabino, musicians
Twinning
- Punta Arenas, Chile, since 2006