San Rafael, Mendoza

Last updated

San Rafael
City
San Rafael, Mendoza 27.jpg
San Rafael
Argentina location map.svg
Red pog.svg
San Rafael
Location of San Rafael in Argentina
Coordinates: 34°36′S68°20′W / 34.600°S 68.333°W / -34.600; -68.333
Country Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
Province Bandera de la Provincia de Mendoza.svg  Mendoza
Department San Rafael
Founded2 April 1805
Government
 • MayorEmir Roberto Felix
Elevation
750 m (2,460 ft)
Population
 (2010 census)
 • Total118,009
Demonym sanrafaelino
Time zone UTC-3 (ART)
CPA base
M5600
Dialing code +54 0260
Climate BSk
Website Official website

San Rafael is a city in the southern region of the Mendoza Province, Argentina. With more than 118,000 inhabitants (2010 census [INDEC]), it is the largest city in and the seat of San Rafael Department.

Contents

The city is located 240 km from the provincial capital and 990 km from the federal capital. Natural attractions in the area include the Diamante River, which flows through the city, the rapids-strewn Atuel River just south and Lake Los Reyunos, 20 km (12 mi) west of San Rafael.

History

Remains of the Fort of San Rafael Fuerte San Rafael Mendoza.jpg
Remains of the Fort of San Rafael

Spanish expeditions led by Francisco de Villagra from what today is Chile first surveyed the area in 1551 and, finding a well-established agricultural Coquimbo and Diaguita cultures, they rapidly subdued the existing peoples and expropriated the land. Displaced Pehuenches revolted, however, and repeated attacks led to an 1804 treaty signed by Viceroy Rafael de Sobremonte whereby the Pehuenches ceded land to colonial authorities. The construction of Fort San Rafael del Diamante and its completion on 2 April 1805 marked the formal establishment of San Rafael.

San Rafael remained relatively isolated from the rest of the country, long after independence in 1816. The area's agricultural potential and strategic location were eventually brought to the federal government's attention. In 1871, civil engineer Julio Balloffet was commissioned to oversee the development of San Rafael. His efforts were centered around needed public works, among which were civic buildings, schools, plazas, a hospital, cathedral and irrigation works. The irrigation canals were accompanied by an agricultural laboratory and a panel of agronomists and, by 1900, the San Rafael area fruit orchards had attracted a sizable contingent of Italian and French immigrants.

This sudden prosperity led to San Rafael's formal designation as department seat in 1903 and, that November, the expanding railways reach the city. The railways led to the local development of food processing industries, as well as to the town's designation as a "city" in 1922. The torrential Atuel and Diamante Rivers facilitated the construction of a number of important hydroelectric dams in the area, bringing further prominence to San Rafael as an economic and tourist hub within southern Mendoza Province. The first, the Nihuiles Hydroelectric Dam, was inaugurated in 1953 on the Atuel River. The facility, which generates around 1000 MWh annually (today nearly 1% of the entire nation's), [1] also resulted in the creation of a 9000 hectare (35 mi2) reservoir, bringing with it growing recreational tourism into the area. A similarly important work, Los Reyunos Dam, was built on the Diamante River, south of San Rafael, and inaugurated in 1984 [2] The city, since 1968, has also hosted auto racing competitions at its La Paredes Autodrome, including numerous ones for Argentina's prestigious TC 2000 touring car racing competitions.

Geography

Distances to other parts of the country

Climate

Climate data for San Rafael Airport, Mendoza (1991–2020, extremes 1961–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)43.3
(109.9)		40.7
(105.3)		38.0
(100.4)		34.4
(93.9)		33.7
(92.7)		32.0
(89.6)		28.0
(82.4)		35.6
(96.1)		35.0
(95.0)		36.5
(97.7)		39.8
(103.6)		41.5
(106.7)		43.3
(109.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)31.8
(89.2)		30.2
(86.4)		27.4
(81.3)		22.6
(72.7)		18.5
(65.3)		16.1
(61.0)		15.4
(59.7)		18.0
(64.4)		20.5
(68.9)		23.9
(75.0)		27.6
(81.7)		30.7
(87.3)		23.6
(74.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)23.8
(74.8)		22.0
(71.6)		19.4
(66.9)		14.6
(58.3)		10.7
(51.3)		7.7
(45.9)		6.8
(44.2)		9.1
(48.4)		12.2
(54.0)		16.0
(60.8)		19.7
(67.5)		22.6
(72.7)		15.4
(59.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)15.8
(60.4)		14.7
(58.5)		12.9
(55.2)		8.6
(47.5)		5.2
(41.4)		1.9
(35.4)		0.8
(33.4)		2.3
(36.1)		4.9
(40.8)		8.2
(46.8)		11.4
(52.5)		14.2
(57.6)		8.4
(47.1)
Record low °C (°F)4.3
(39.7)		4.8
(40.6)		−2.7
(27.1)		−4.3
(24.3)		−7.8
(18.0)		−8.4
(16.9)		−9.7
(14.5)		−8.7
(16.3)		−6.9
(19.6)		−2.4
(27.7)		−0.3
(31.5)		1.5
(34.7)		−9.7
(14.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)54.2
(2.13)		50.6
(1.99)		40.2
(1.58)		26.6
(1.05)		21.3
(0.84)		7.2
(0.28)		11.1
(0.44)		14.5
(0.57)		21.5
(0.85)		38.3
(1.51)		36.2
(1.43)		41.2
(1.62)		362.9
(14.29)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)6.96.45.14.24.32.22.53.14.05.15.86.055.4
Average snowy days0.00.00.00.10.20.20.91.00.40.10.00.02.8
Average relative humidity (%)50.056.161.365.768.663.260.453.852.651.348.246.656.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 275.9243.0226.3198.0170.5159.0186.0204.6198.0241.8261.0263.52,627.6
Mean daily sunshine hours 8.98.67.36.65.55.36.06.66.67.88.78.57.2
Percent possible sunshine 73736464595152615562687163
Source 1: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional [3] [4] [5] [6]
Source 2: UNLP (percent sun 1971–1980) [7]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Pampa Energía". Pampa energia.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015.
  2. ↑ www.losandes.com.ar Archived 2014-01-08 at the Wayback Machine Los Andes
  3. ↑ "Estadísticas Climatológicas Normales - período 1991-2020" (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "Estadísticas Climatológicas Normales – período 1991–2020" (PDF) (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. 2023. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Estadística climatológica de la República Argentina Período 1991-2000" (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Clima en la Argentina: Guia Climática por San Rafael Aero". Caracterización: Estadísticas de largo plazo (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "Datos bioclimáticos de 173 localidades argentinas". Atlas Bioclimáticos (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
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