Perito Moreno is a town in the northwest of
Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, 25 km east of
Lake Buenos Aires. It should not be confused with the
Perito Moreno National Park over 300 km south by road, or the
Perito Moreno Glacier near
El Calafate. The town is the capital of the
Lago Buenos Aires Department
Lago Buenos Aires Department is a department in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American ...
. It lies on the RN43, a paved road which links
Caleta Olivia on the Atlantic coast to
Los Antiguos and the
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
an frontier 60 km west, and
Ruta 40, running north and south.
The town is a centre of cattle ranches and smallholdings producing fruit and vegetables. Tourism is also an important industry. Perito Moreno is the closest town to
Cueva de las Manos, 170 km south by road, and Parque Laguna.
In the 2010 census the town had a population of 4,617.
History
The town was founded in 1910, as a rest stop for travellers by the springs which give rise to the
Rio Deseado. The place was called Pari-Aike (meaning "place of reeds") by the
Tehuelche, but the town was officially called Nacimiento in 1927. The name was changed in 1944 to Lago Buenos Aires, and in 1952 to Perito Moreno, after the explorer
Francisco Moreno.
Geography
The town is located the northwest of
Santa Cruz Province, 25 km east of
Lake Buenos Aires.
Climate
Perito Moreno has a
cold semi-arid climate (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: BSk), bordering on a
cold desert climate (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: BWk).
Buildings
The town is home to the
Carlos J. Gradin Museum of Archaeology, named after
Carlos J. Gradin. As of 2019, the building is still under construction.
Culture
Perito Moreno is widely considered the archaeological capitol of Santa Cruz, largely due to how close it is to Cueva de las Manos.
Every year in February, the town celebrates a festival of Cueva de las Manos.
See also
*
Perito Moreno Airport—airport serving Perito Moreno, northwest of the town
References
Notes
External links
*
{{Authority control
Populated places in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina