Puerto Iguazú

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Puerto Iguazú
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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Avenida Aguirre, one of the main avenues in Puerto Iguazú
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pushpin_label_position =left
pushpin_map_caption =Location in Argentina
population_as_of = census-ar|2001
population_note =
population_total = 32,038
utc_offset = -3
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST = -2
latd= 25|latm=35 |lats=00.00 |latNS=S
longd= 53|longm= 31|longs= 00.00|longEW=W
elevation_m =
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type =
website = http://www.iguazu.gov.ar/ es icon

Puerto Iguazú is a frontier city in the province of Misiones, Argentina. It is the fifth largest city in the Province, after Posadas, Oberá, Eldorado and San Vicente.

The world-renowned Iguazu Falls are only convert|18|km|mi away from the city, and as a result the city has developed its infrastructure around tourism. The Tancredo Neves International Bridge links Puerto Iguazú with the Brazilian border town of Foz do Iguaçu, where the Argentine National Route 12 becomes the Brazilian BR-469.

The city has an international airport and a population of 32,038 (census-ar|2001).

History

In 1551, Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was the first European to discover what is now called Iguazu Falls. He was drawn by the noise of the water, which can be heard at a distance of several kilometers. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, the Guarani Indians were the principal inhabitants of the area.

Despite its early exploration, the area remained occupied only by the Guarani until 1880. In 1881, the province of Corrientes, which at that time included what is now Misiones, sold 50 "leguas cuadradas" (convert|13000|km2|sqmi) at the current site of Puerto Iguazú near the falls. The land changed hands three times in the course of just two years, and ended up as the property of Gregorio Lezama. At that time Misiones separated from Corrientes. Lezama funded a scientific expedition to explore the territory, enlisting Carlos Bosetti and Jordan Hummel for that purpose. Those two explorers later organized the first tourist trip to the falls. In 1888 Lezama also sold the land, this time to Martín Errecaborde and Cía.

Climate

Puerto Iguazú has a "Humid Subtropical" climate (Cfa according to Köppen climate classification). Temperatures are warm in winter and hot in summer. There is no dry season and rainfall is abundant with every month receiving over 100 mm (3.9 inches) of rain with the wettest month; November, receiving over 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rain on average. Precipitation falls mostly during convective storms. Due to abundant rainfall, rainforests surrounds Puerto Iguazú.

Temperatures above 40°C (104°F) have been recorded in the summer and temperatures below 0°C (32°F) are extremely rare but have been recorded in the wintercite web
url =http://www.smn.gov.ar/?mod=clima&id=30&provincia=Misiones&ciudad=Iguaz%FA|title = Guía Climática para el Turismo (Climate Guide for Tourists)
accessmonthday = Feb 17
accessyear =2008
language = Spanish] Infobox Weather
location = Puerto Iguazú (International Airport), Argentina
single_line =Yes
metric_first =Yes
Jan_Hi_°C = 31.8
Feb_Hi_°C = 31.0
Mar_Hi_°C = 30.6
Apr_Hi_°C = 27.0
May_Hi_°C = 23.7
Jun_Hi_°C = 20.7
Jul_Hi_°C = 22.0
Aug_Hi_°C = 24.0
Sep_Hi_°C = 25.3
Oct_Hi_°C = 28.4
Nov_Hi_°C = 30.2
Dec_Hi_°C = 31.4
Year_Hi_°C = 27.2
Jan_Lo_°C = 20.4
Feb_Lo_°C = 20.1
Mar_Lo_°C = 18.7
Apr_Lo_°C = 16.8
May_Lo_°C = 13.1
Jun_Lo_°C = 10.7
Jul_Lo_°C = 10.7
Aug_Lo_°C = 12.1
Sep_Lo_°C = 13.1
Oct_Lo_°C = 15.9
Nov_Lo_°C = 18.0
Dec_Lo_°C = 19.2
Year_Lo_°C = 15.7
Jan_Precip_cm = |Jan_Precip_mm = 172.6
Feb_Precip_cm = |Feb_Precip_mm = 174.1
Mar_Precip_cm = |Mar_Precip_mm = 114.8
Apr_Precip_cm = |Apr_Precip_mm = 199.9
May_Precip_cm = |May_Precip_mm = 184.3
Jun_Precip_cm = |Jun_Precip_mm = 154.4
Jul_Precip_cm = |Jul_Precip_mm = 131.3
Aug_Precip_cm = |Aug_Precip_mm = 124.4
Sep_Precip_cm = |Sep_Precip_mm = 137.2
Oct_Precip_cm = |Oct_Precip_mm = 182.0
Nov_Precip_cm = |Nov_Precip_mm = 209.5
Dec_Precip_cm = |Dec_Precip_mm = 134.6
Year_Precip_cm = |Year_Precip_mm = 1919.1
source =Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Argentine Meteorological Service)cite web
url =http://www.smn.gov.ar/?mod=clima&id=30&provincia=Misiones&ciudad=Iguaz%FA|title = Guía Climática para el Turismo (Climate Guide for Tourists)
accessmonthday = Feb 16
accessyear =2008
language = Spanish]
accessdate = Feb 2008

Economy

The economy is centered around tourism, given that the city's many hotels provide the principal source of jobs for its inhabitants. Many international hotels have been and are being constructed along the banks of the Iguazú River.

Other of the city's tourist attractions include Three Frontiers, where the Argentine, Paraguayan and Brazilian boarders meet. This area is home to artesan booths, the complex "La Aripuca", the Museum of Images of the Jungle, the Mbororé Museum, the Municipal Nature Park of Luis Honorio Rolón, the Center for Bird Rehabilitation "Güira Oga", and a casino that attract tourism.

In the town center there are banks, bars, restaurants, casinos, clothing shops, dance clubs, bakeries, etc.

Those who are looking for lodging will find a wide range of hotels up to five stars, cabins and camp sites.

Transport/Getting AroundFrom the main bus station one can take taxis, or the municipal bus, one of whose routes run from tres fronteras to Iguazu National Park (Parque Nacional de las Cataratas)

Ecology

One of the last remnants of the Atlantic Forest remains in and around the Iguazu Falls. This is a subtropical forest with native bamboos and a rich diversity of birds including toucans and hummingbirds. Coatis are accustomed to begging for food from park visitors. Most of the streets of Puerto Iguazu are unmetalled, red dirt, with gutters on either side (canalitos) that have grassy banks in which live eels and a variety of freshwater fish including knifefish ( gymnotus) and catfishes. The canals drain into the Rio Parana.

See also

* Iguazu Falls
* Iguazú National Park
* Three Frontiers
* Fraternity Bridge

References