Corrientes

Corrientes (; Guaraní: Taragüí, literally: "Currents") is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12. It has a population of 346,334 according to the 2010 Census. It lies opposite its twin city, Resistencia, Chaco.

Corrientes has a mix of colonial and modern architecture, several churches and a number of lapacho, ceibo, jacaranda and orange trees. It is also home to one of the biggest carnival and chamamé celebrations in the country.

The annual average temperature is . The annual rainfall is around .

Transportation

Located in the Argentine Littoral, near the Argentina–Paraguay border, the General Belgrano Bridge crosses the Paraná River which serves as the natural border with the neighbouring Chaco Province. On the other side of the bridge is Resistencia, capital of Chaco. To the west and up the Paraná, between Paraguay and Argentina, lies the Yaciretá dam, one of the largest hydroelectric power generators in the world.

The Doctor Fernando Piragine Niveyro International Airport at coordinates , away from the city, serves the city.

The Ferrocarril Económico Correntino narrow gauge railway line to Mburucuyá operated from 1912 until 1927.

History

In 1516 Juan Díaz de Solís commanded the first expedition to reach the area populated mainly by Guaraní aboriginals, but his expedition was attacked and Solís perished in the adventure.

Sebastian Cabot established in 1527 the ''Sancti Spiritu'' fort upstream of the Paraná River, and in 1536 Pedro de Mendoza reached further north into the basin of the river, searching for the ''Sierras of Silver''.

Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón founded the city on April 3, 1588 and named it as ''San Juan de Vera de las Siete Corrientes'' ("Saint John of Vera of the Seven Currents"), which was later shortened to ''Corrientes''. The "seven currents" refer to the seven peninsulas on the shore of the river at this place, that produced wild currents that made difficult the navigation of the river through this part.

Nevertheless, its position between Asunción - in present Paraguay - and Buenos Aires made it an important middle point, especially because of its 55-metre-high lands that prevent flooding when the water level rises.

In 1615 Jesuits settled near the Uruguay River. In 1807 the city resisted the British invasions. During the Argentine War of Independence it was in permanent conflict with the centralist government of Buenos Aires, but the Paraguayan War united them after the city was attacked by Paraguayan forces in 1865.

Climate

The annual average temperature is . The annual rainfall is around . The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is ''Cfa'' (humid subtropical climate). Frosts are rare; with the dates of the first and last frost being July 5 and July 12 respectively, indicating that most of the year is frost-free. The highest temperature recorded was on September 30, 2020, and the next day, the all-time record was broken again with . The lowest temperature ever recorded was on June 15, 1979.

Education

* National University of the Northeast
* University of Cuenca del Plata

Sister cities

Corrientes is twinned with:

* Encarnación, Paraguay
* Estepa, Spain

In fiction

The Graham Greene spy novel '' The Honorary Consul'' (1973) takes place in Corrientes.

Gallery

File:Norte_de_la_Ciudad_de_Corrientes.jpg, Corrientes, Argentina
File:Vista_aérea_hacia_la_Playa_Arazaty.jpg, View of the Corrientes waterfront (Playa Arazaty)
File:Conjunto_Urbano_Plaza_25_de_Mayo_08.JPG, Downtown Corrientes, Argentina
File:Corrientes_Montage.jpg, Corrientes, Argentina
File:Punta_San_Sebastía.jpg, Saint Sebastian Point, Corrientes, Argentina
File:Plaza 25 de mayo Corrientes.jpeg, May 25 square, Corrientes
File:Palacio San Martín Corrientes.jpeg, The Provincial Ministry of the Economy
File:Iglesia_Catedral,_Corrientes.jpg, Corrientes Cathedral, Argentina
File:Lontra longicaudis 4.jpeg, River otter and toy, Corrientes Zoo

Sports

The city's main football teams are the: Huracán Corrientes, Boca Unidos, and Deportivo Mandiyú.

See also

* Barrio Esperanza

References

External links

* MCC
*

Sights
(English)

{{Authority control

Populated places established in 1588
Populated places in Corrientes Province
Capitals of Argentine provinces
Paraná River