Corrientes Province

'''Corrientes''' ({{IPA-es|koˈrjentes}}, ''Currents'' or ''Streams''; {{lang-gn|Taragui Tetãmini}}) is a [[Provinces of Argentina|province]] in northeast [[Argentina]], in the [[Mesopotamia, Argentina|Mesopotamia region]]. It is surrounded by (from the North, clockwise): [[Paraguay]], the province of [[Misiones Province|Misiones]], [[Brazil]], [[Uruguay]], and the provinces of [[Entre Ríos Province|Entre Rios]], [[Santa Fe Province|Santa Fe]] and [[Chaco Province|Chaco]]. ==History== Before the arrival of the Spanish conquest, the [[Guarani people|Guaraní]] lived in a big area that also covered most of the current province of Corrientes. The city of Corrientes was founded on April 3, 1588 by [[Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón]] as a mid-stop between [[Asunción]] and [[Buenos Aires]]; the city flourished thanks to the traffic from the route. [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] erected [[Missionary|missions]] in the north of the province, where they dedicated themselves to the expansion of the faith. In the wars of independence from [[Spain]], Corrientes joined [[José Gervasio Artigas|Artigas]]' ''Liga de los Pueblos Libres'' (1814–1820). The attack of Paraguayan forces on the province in 1865 marked the start of the [[War of the Triple Alliance]]. In 1919 the ''[[National University of the Littoral]]'' was founded, which in 1956 became the ''[[National University of the Northeast]]''. [[File:Corrientes 1856.jpg|thumb|left|200px |Corrientes 1 real stamp (1856)]] Corrientes is legendary in the world of [[philately]] for the postage stamps it issued from 1856 to 1880. These are among the very early or "classic" postage stamps of the world (the [[Penny Black|first, from Great Britain]], were issued in 1840; [[Postage stamps and postal history of the United States#First stamps|those by the United States in 1847]]). The Corrientes stamps were close copies of the [[Ceres series (France)#Stamps of France|first issue of stamps from France]], which depicted the profile head of [[Ceres (Roman mythology)|Ceres]], the Roman goddess of agriculture, and were individually crudely engraved by hand, so that each [[Die proof (philately)|die]] is noticeably different, and were printed in small sheets. The first issues, from 1856 to 1860, bore the denomination in the lower panel; in 1860, the value panel was erased; the different denominations thereafter being indicated by the color of the paper used. As locally produced "primitives", the early Corrientes stamps have long been prized by collectors. After 1880, [[Postage stamps and postal history of Argentina|stamps of Argentina]] were used. During much of the 19th and 20th centuries, politics in Corrientes were dominated by the Romero Feris family, prominent local landowners who control most of the province's [[tobacco]] output. During most of this time, the Romero Ferises created one of Argentina's most bloated government payrolls (over 10% of total employment) and suppressed dissent and efforts at even modest land reform. Following contentious election results in 1991, however, public protest forced President [[Carlos Menem]] to remove Governor Raúl "Tato" Romero Feris from office and, though he was elected mayor of the province's capital in 1997, Romero Feris was ultimately indicted for embezzlement of public funds in 1999. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison in May, 2002. [[File:Central vista externa en gris.jpg|thumb|The Yacyretá Dam]] Corrientes had a significant impact in national politics in subsequent years. A [[Unión Cívica Radical|UCR]]-led alliance defeated the Romero Feris machine in the 2001 governor's race, but the Corrientes UCR's continued support for President [[Néstor Kirchner]] led to a rebuke from the national committee of the UCR itself, and this triggered a revolt from the Corrientes chapter of the party, as well as a number of others' (notably in [[Mendoza Province]]). These differences led to the appearance that year of [[es:Radicales K|"K" Radicals]]{{ndash}}UCR governors and other lawmakers allied to President Kirchner. The northeastern tip of Corrientes Province was chosen as the site for [[Yacyretá Dam]] following an agreement between President [[Juan Perón]] and Paraguayan President [[Alfredo Stroessner]] in 1974. Yacyretá, whose 20 year-long construction and US$11 billion cost far exceeded initial estimates, is one of the largest [[hydroelectric dam]]s in the world. Currently, an agreement is being pursued with [[Paraguay]] which would allow reservoir expansion works that could double the facility's current installed electric capacity of 4,050 MW. ==Culture== [[Image:Museo histórico provincial Corrientes.jpeg|thumb|left|Corrientes Historical Museum.]] Culture in Corrientes has been primarily informed and influenced by its European and Guarani roots,a example of this [[chamamé]] music and dance. Famous ''correntinos'' were independence hero General [[José de San Martín]] (born in 1778 in [[Yapeyú, Corrientes|Yapeyú]]), and [[Juan Bautista Cabral]] (born in Saladas), who (according to popular legend) gave his life for the General in the [[Battle of San Lorenzo]]. Tourist destinations in the Corrientes Province include the [[Iberá Wetlands]] and the [[Mburucuyá National Park]]. ==Official languages== On 28 September 2004, [http://www.romanistik.uni-mainz.de/guarani/texte/Ley5598.pdf Provincial Law No. 5598] declared [[Guaraní language|Guaraní]] to be an [[official language]] of Corrientes, alongside [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. It is the only Argentine Province with an official language other than Spanish. ==Geography and climate== As part of the [[Subtropical climate|subtropical]] area of [[Mesopotamia, Argentina|Mesopotamia]], the province has heavy rains and high temperatures with little daily and [[season]]al variation specially in the North, and no dry season. The Southern part of the province presents some signs of the neighbouring more [[temperate]] weather of the [[Pampa]]s. Summers throughout Corrientes are hot and humid: daily high temperatures in January average 33ºC (91F) and nighttime lows around 21ºC (70F). Thunderstorms and very common, and are often accompanied by lots of lightning and strong winds. Temperatures reach the 30ºC (86F) mark daily until late March or early April in the north, and by mid April, the northern regions average 26ºC (79F) during the day, and 17ºC (63F) at night, whereas further south the averages are 25ºC (77F) and 14ºC (57F). It is during the winter that the distinctions between the northern part and the southern part become more clear: in Corrientes city (northwest), midwinter averages remain very mild, with hights of 20ºC (68F) and lows of 11ºC (52F). Light morning frost happens sporadically. In Curuzu Cuatia, further south, temperatures are markedly cooler: the average high temperature is 18ºC (64F) and the average low temperature is 7ºC (45F), with frost to be expected several times every winter. The weather in the north feels summer-like in October, with highs of 28ºC (82F), whereas the spring season lags roughly one month behind in the south. Rainfall is higher in the fall and late spring, but remains high throughout the summer, and has a short, dryer spell in midwinter. The average ranges from 1,200 mm in the south to 1,800 mm in the extreme northeast. Corrientes is surrounded by two rivers, the [[Uruguay River]] to the east, and the [[Paraná River]] to the northwest, that contour the shape of the province. The low shore of the Paraná produces frequent [[flood]]ings. After the specially destructive one in 1982, a protective system has been started with the construction of barriers. The province is for the most part a [[plain]], with the highest points in the east. To the west, a series of descending platforms go down to the Paraná River. The [[Iberá Wetlands]], an area of [[lagoons]] and [[swamps]], is a vast [[Depression (geology)|depression]] from [[Volcano|volcanic]] flow, covered later with [[fluvial]] and [[Wind energy|eolic]] sediments. == Economy == Corrientes, like much of the Argentine north, has long had relatively underdeveloped economy. Its 2006 output was estimated at US$4.2 billion, or, US$4,540 per capita (about half the national average). [[Agriculture]] is still one of the main activities in the province, adding 15% to its output. It's centred in [[citrus]], [[tobacco]], [[rice]], [[tea]], [[cotton]] and [[yerba mate]], for which it's well known internationally. The [[timber]] industry uses 1,400 km² of [[pine]] and [[eucalyptus]] forests. [[Image:PortCorrientes.JPG|thumb|240px|Port of Corrientes, on the [[Paraná River]].]] [[Bovine]] cattle has problems standing the heat and the low quality of the grass specially in the north of the province. For that reason, the [[Brangus]] breed is the most common in the area. In the south, different breeds can be found. 70,000 km² of the province's land are used for more than 4 million heads of cattle. Among Corrientes' productive (non-services) activities, [[tobacco]] and its processing earns 45% of the province's gross income, food and derivates, 30%, and [[textile]]s, 16%. On the Paraná River, near the city of [[Ituzaingó, Corrientes|Ituzaingó]], the [[Yaciretá dam]] provides energy not only to the province, but to both Argentina and [[Paraguay]]. Tourism has been growing in Corrientes Province due to the relevance that [[Esteros del Ibera]] has for [[ecotourism]] and birdwatching travelers. [[Golden dorado]] fishing has long attracted both local and outside tourism to Corrientes. ==Political division== [[Image:Casadegobiernocorrientes.jpg|thumb|240px|Governor's offices.]] The province is divided into 25 [[Departments of Argentina|departments]] (''departamentos''): Department (Capital) # [[Bella Vista Department]] ([[Bella Vista, Corrientes|Bella Vista]]) # [[Berón de Astrada Department]] ([[Berón de Astrada]]) # [[Capital Department, Corrientes|Capital Department]] ([[Corrientes]]) # [[Concepción Department (Argentina)|Concepción Department]] ([[Concepción, Corrientes|Concepción]]) # [[Curuzú Cuatía Department]] ([[Curuzú Cuatiá]]) # [[Empedrado Department]] ([[Empedrado, Corrientes|Empedrado]]) # [[Esquina Department]] ([[Esquina, Corrientes|Esquina]]) # [[General Alvear Department, Corrientes|General Alvear Department]] ([[Alvear, Corrientes|Alvear]]) # [[General Paz Department]] ([[Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Caá Catí]]) # [[Goya Department]] ([[Goya, Corrientes|Goya]]) # [[Itatí Department]] ([[Itatí, Corrientes|Itatí]]) # [[Ituzaingó Department]] ([[Ituzaingó, Corrientes|Ituzaingó]]) # [[Lavalle Department, Corrientes|Lavalle Department]] ([[Lavalle, Corrientes|Lavalle]]) # [[Mburucuyá Department]] ([[Mburucuyá, Corrientes|Mburucuyá]]) # [[Mercedes Department]] ([[Mercedes, Corrientes|Mercedes]]) # [[Monte Caseros Department]] ([[Monte Caseros, Corrientes|Monte Caseros]]) # [[Paso de los Libres Department]] ([[Paso de los Libres, Corrientes|Paso de los Libres]]) # [[Saladas Department]] ([[Saladas, Corrientes|Saladas]]) # [[San Cosme Department]] ([[San Cosme, Corrientes|San Cosme]]) # [[San Luis del Palmar Department]] ([[San Luis del Palmar]]) # [[San Martín Department, Corrientes|San Martín Department]] ([[La Cruz, Corrientes|La Cruz]]) # [[San Miguel Department, Corrientes|San Miguel Department]] ([[San Miguel, Corrientes|San Miguel]]) # [[San Roque Department]] ([[San Roque, Corrientes|San Roque]]) # [[Santo Tomé Department]] ([[Santo Tomé, Corrientes|Santo Tomé]]) # [[Sauce Department]] ([[Sauce, Corrientes|Sauce]]) == External links == [http://www.corrientes.gov.ar/ Official site] [http://www.todo-argentina.net/Geografia/provincias/Corrientes/historia.htm History] * [http://www.esterosdelibera.com '''Esteros del Iberá'''] (in English and Spanish) [http://www.argentinaworld.com.ar/Provincia/Corrientes/index-xdata.php?grup=4&xdata=1 Corrientes Info] * [http://www.guiafe.com.ar/fotos-argentina/categories.php?cat_id=37 Pictures of Corrientes] {{Provinces of Argentina}} {{coord missing|Argentina}}