Córdoba, Argentina
Encyclopedia
Córdoba (ˈkorðoβa) is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas
Punilla Valley
The Punilla Valley is a broad fluvial valley in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It is located in the center-northwest of the province, bordered by the Sierras Chicas in the east and the Sierras Grandes and the Achala Pamp in the west, oriented from north to south...

 on the Suquía River
Primero River
The Primero River , also known as Suquía , runs through the city of Córdoba, Argentina....

, about 700 km (435 mi) northwest of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...

. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with about 1.3 million inhabitants according to the 2001 census. The city was founded on 6 July 1573 by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera was a Spanish Conquistador, early colonial governor over much of what today is northwestern Argentina, and founder of the city of Córdoba.-Life and times:Cabrera was born in Seville, Spain, in 1528...

, who named it after Córdoba, Spain
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...

. It was one of the first Spanish colonial capitals of the region that is now Argentina (the older city was Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 244,733 inhabitants, making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a surface area of 2,116 km². It lies on the Dulce River and on National Route 9, at a distance of...

, founded in 1553). The Universidad Nacional de Córdoba is the oldest university in Argentina. It was founded in 1613 by the Jesuit Order
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

.

Córdoba has many historical monuments preserved from the times of Spanish colonialism
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...

, especially buildings of the Roman Catholic Church. The most recognizable is perhaps the Jesuit Block (Spanish: Manzana Jesuítica), declared in 2000 as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

 by UNESCO which consists of a group of buildings dating from the 17th century, including the Montserrat School and the colonial university campus (today the historical museum of the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, which since the early 20th century has been the second-largest in the country (after the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...

) in terms of the number of students, faculty, and academic programs.

As the location of the first university founded in the land that is now Argentina, Córdoba has earned the nickname La Docta (roughly translated, "The Learned one").

First settlement

In 1570, Viceroy Francisco de Toledo entrusted the Spanish settler Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera was a Spanish Conquistador, early colonial governor over much of what today is northwestern Argentina, and founder of the city of Córdoba.-Life and times:Cabrera was born in Seville, Spain, in 1528...

, with the task of populating and to founding a settlement in the Punilla Valley
Punilla Valley
The Punilla Valley is a broad fluvial valley in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It is located in the center-northwest of the province, bordered by the Sierras Chicas in the east and the Sierras Grandes and the Achala Pamp in the west, oriented from north to south...

. Cabrera sent an expedition of 48 men to the territory of the Comechingones. He divided the principal column that entered through the north of the provincial territory at Villa María.
The one hundred man expedition set foot on what today is Córdoba on 24 June 1573. Cabrera called a nearby river San Juan (today Suquía). The settlement was officially founded on 6 July of the same year and named Córdoba de la Nueva Andalucía, possibly in honor of ancestors of the founder's wife, originally from Córdoba, Spain
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...

. The foundation of the city took place on the left bank of the river on Francisco de Torres' advice.
The settlement was inhabited by aboriginal people called Comechingones, who lived in communities called Ayllus. After four years, having repelled attacks by the aborigines, the settlement's authorities moved it to the opposite bank of the Suquía River in 1577. The Lieutenant Governor at the time, Don Lorenzo Suárez de Figueroa, planned the first layout of the city, as a grid of seventy blocks. Once the city core been moved to its current location, it acquired a stable population. Its economy blossomed due to trade with the cities in the north.

In 1599, the religious order of the Jesuits arrived in the settlement. They established a Novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....

 in 1608 and in 1610, the Colegio Maximo, which became the University of Córdoba in 1613 (today National University of Córdoba), the fourth-oldest in the Americas. The local Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 Church remains one of the oldest buildings in South America, that contains, the Monserrat Secondary School, a church, and residence buildings. To maintain such a project, the Jesuits operated five Reducciones
Jesuit Reductions
A Jesuit Reduction was a type of settlement for indigenous people in Latin America created by the Jesuit Order during the 17th and 18th centuries. In general, the strategy of the Spanish Empire was to gather native populations into centers called Indian Reductions , in order to Christianize, tax,...

in the surrounding, fertile valleys, including Caroya, Jesús María
Jesús María, Córdoba
Jesús María is a city in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, located 49 km due north from the provincial capital Córdoba, on National Route 9, within the valley of the Sierras Chicas. It has about 27,000 inhabitants as per the ....

, Santa Catalina, Alta Gracia
Alta Gracia
Alta Gracia is a city located in the north-centre of the . Its name means "High Grace". It is built upon the Sierras Chicas, in a region that the Comechingón Indians used to call Paravachasca. It has about 43,000 inhabitants .- History :...

 and Candelaria.

The farm and the complex, started in 1615, had to be left by the Jesuits, following the 1767 decree by King Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...

 that expelled them from the continent. They were then run by the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....

s until 1853, when the Jesuits returned to the Americas. Nevertheless, the university and the high-school were nationalized a year later.
Each Estancia
Estância
Estância is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 62,218 and its area is 642 km². The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Estância....

 has its own church and set of buildings, around which towns grew, such as Alta Gracia
Alta Gracia
Alta Gracia is a city located in the north-centre of the . Its name means "High Grace". It is built upon the Sierras Chicas, in a region that the Comechingón Indians used to call Paravachasca. It has about 43,000 inhabitants .- History :...

, the closest to the Block.

Early European settlement

In 1776 the King Carlos III created the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...

, in which Córdoba stays in 1785 as the Government Intendency of Córdoba, including the current territories of the provinces of Córdoba, La Rioja
La Rioja Province (Argentina)
La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:...

 and the region of Cuyo
Cuyo (Argentina)
Cuyo is the name given to the wine-producing, mountainous area of central-west Argentina. Historically it comprised the provinces of San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza. The term New Cuyo is a modern one, which indicates both Cuyo proper and the province of La Rioja...

.

According to the 1760 census, the population of the city was promoting 22,000 inhabitants. During the May Revolution in 1810, the widespread opinion of the most notable citizens was of continuing respecting the orders of Fernando VII, attitude assumed by the local authorities, which led to the Liniers Counter-revolution
Liniers Counter-revolution
When the May Revolution took place in Buenos Aires in 1810, the former viceroy Santiago de Liniers led an ill-fated counter-revolutionary attempt from the city of Córdoba. It was quickly thwarted by the patriotic forces from Buenos Aires led by Ortiz de Ocampo, who captured the leaders and...

. This position was not shared by the Dean Gregorio Funes
Deán Funes
Deán Funes is a city in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It has 20,164 inhabitants per the , and is the head town of the Ischilín Department. It is the largest city in the northwest of the province...

, who was adhering to the revolutionary ideas, beside supporting contact with Manuel Belgrano
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...

 and Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli was an Argentine lawyer. He was one of the leaders of the May Revolution, which started the Argentine War of Independence...

.

In March 1816, the Argentine Congress met in Tucumán
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...

 for an independence resolution. Córdoba sent Eduardo Pérez Bulnes
Eduardo Pérez Bulnes
Eduardo Pérez Bulnes was an Argentine statesman. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....

, Jerónimo Salguero de Cabrera
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...

, José Antonio Cabrera
José Antonio Cabrera
José Antonio Cabrera y Cabrera was an Argentine statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....

, and to the Canon of the cathedral Michael Calixto of the Circle, all of them of autonomous position.

The decade of 1820 belonged to caudillos, since the country was in full process of formation. Until 1820 a central government taken root in Buenos Aires existed, but the remaining thirteen provinces felt that after 9 July 1816 what had happened it was simply a change of commander. Cepeda's Battle faced the commanders of the Littoral with the central power.

Finally, the Federales obtained the victory, for what the country remained since then integrated by 13 autonomous provinces, on the national government having be dissolved.
From this way the period known like about the Provincial Autonomies began. From this moment the provinces tried to create a federal
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...

 system that was integrating them without coming to good port, this mainly for the regional differences of every province.

Two Córdoba figures stood out in this period: Governor Juan Bautista Bustos, who was an official of the Army of the North and in 1820 was supervised by the troops quartered in Arequito, a town near Córdoba, and his ally and later enemy, General José María Paz
José María Paz
Brigadier General José María Paz y Haedo was an Argentine military figure, notable in the Argentine War of Independence and the Argentine Civil War.-Childhood:...

. In 1821, Bustos repelled the invasion of Córdoba on the part of Francisco Ramírez and his Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

an ally, General José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera Verdugo was a Chilean general, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most important leader of the Chilean War of Independence during the period of the Patria Vieja...

. The conflict originated in a dispute with the power system that included the provinces of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...

, Córdoba and Santa Fe
Santa Fe Province
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...

; according to the 1822 census the total population of Córdoba was of 11,552 inhabitants.

Contemporary history

At the end of the 19th century the process of national industrialization began with the height of the economic agro-exporting model, principally of meats and cereals. This process is associated with the European immigration
Immigration to Argentina
Immigration in Argentina, can be divided in several major stages:* Spanish colonization starting in the 16th century, integrating the indigenous inhabitants ....

 who began to settle the city, generally possessing the education and enterprising capacity appropriate for the development of industry. The majority of these European immigrants came from Italy (initially from Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...

, Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...

 and Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...

; later from Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...

 and Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....

), and Spain (mostly Galicians and Basques)

At the beginning of the 20th century the city had 90,000 inhabitants. The city changed considerably its physionomy following the construction of new avenues, walks and public squares, as well as the installation of an electrified tram system, in 1909. In 1918, Córdoba was the epicentre of a movement known as the University Reform, which then spread to the rest of the Universities of the country, Americas and Spain.

The development of the domestic market, the British investments
English settlement in Argentina
English Argentines are citizens of Argentina who can claim ancestry originating in England. The English settlement in Argentina , took place in the period after Argentina's independence from Spain through the 19th century...

 that facilitated European settlement, the development of the railways on the pampas rapidly industrialized the city. Córdoba's industrial sector first developed from the need to transform raw materials such as leather, meats and wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....

 for export.

In 1927, the Military Aircraft Manufacturer (FMA) was inaugurated. The facility would become one of the most important in the world after the Second World war with the arrival of German technical personnel. From 1952, its production began to diversify, to constitute the base of the former Institute Aerotécnico, the state-owned company Aeronautical and Mechanical Industries of the State (IAME). Córdoba was chosen as the site of The Instituto Aerotécnico that later became the Fábrica Militar de Aviones. It employed the Focke Wulf men until President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...

 was ousted by a coup in 1955
Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...

. Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....

 purchased FMA in 1995.

Córdoba, according to the census of 1947, had almost 400,000 inhabitants (a quarter of the province's total). Subsequent industrial development led thousands of rural families to the city, doubling its population and turning Córdoba into the second largest city in Argentina, after Buenos Aires, by 1970. The city's population and economic growth moderated, afterwards, though living standards rose with the increase in the national consumption of Córdoba's industrial products, as well as the development of other sectors of economic activity.

At times rivaling Buenos Aires for its importance in national politics, Córdoba was the site of the initial mutiny leading to the 1955 Revolución Libertadora
Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...

that deposed President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...

 and the setting for the 1969 Cordobazo
Cordobazo
The Cordobazo was a civil uprising in the city of Córdoba, Argentina, in the end of May 1969, during the military dictatorship of General Juan Carlos Onganía, which occurred a few days after the Rosariazo, and a year after the French May '68...

, a series of violent labor and student protests that ultimately led to elections in 1973
Argentine general election, March 1973
The first Argentine general election of 1973 was held on 11 March. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 85.5%, it produced the following results:-President:...

. Córdoba's current economic diversity is due to a vigorous services sector and the demand for agro-industrial and railway equipment and, in particular, the introduction of U.S. and European automakers after 1954.

Geography

The city's geographic location is 31°25′0"S 64°11′0"W, taking as a point of reference San Martín Square in downtown Córdoba. The relative location of the municipal common land, is in the south hemisphere of the globe, to the south of the South American subcontinent, in the geographical centre – west of Argentina and of the province of Córdoba; to a distance of 702 km from Buenos Aires and 401 km from the city of Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....



As per the provincial laws No. 778 December 14, 1878, Not. 927 October 20, 1883, and Not. 1295 December 29, 1893, the limits of the city of Córdoba are delineated in the northern part, South, East and West located to 12 km from San Martín Square which means that the common land has 24 km from side. The city, adjoins in the northern territory with Colón Department
Colón Department, Córdoba
Colón Department is a department of Córdoba Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 171,067 inhabitants in an area of 2,588 km², and its capital city is Jesús María, which is located around 760 km from Capital Federal....

 summarizing a total surface of 562.

Geology

The city is located in the plain of the Humid Pampa
Pampa
The Pampas are the fertile South American lowlands, covering more than , that include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Córdoba, most of Uruguay, and the southernmost Brazilian State, Rio Grande do Sul...

, to the east of the oriental cord of Córdoba Hills or Sierra Chica, also known as the Sierras Cordobas, which has an average height of 550 m. It spreads at the foot of the mount, on both banks of the River Suquía, and flows into the San Roque reservoir
San Roque Lake
The San Roque Lake is a reservoir in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It was created by the damming of several rivers, especially the Suquía and the Cosquín. It is located next to the city of Villa Carlos Paz, about 600 m above mean sea level...

; from there, the Primero River
Primero River
The Primero River , also known as Suquía , runs through the city of Córdoba, Argentina....

 goes east into the plains surrounding the city of Córdoba.

Once inside the city, the La Cañada stream meets the Rio Primero near the city centre area. Two kilometers to the east, Isla de los Patos (Ducks Island) was repopulated with ducks and swans in the 1980s. It was reported in March 2006 that a large number of ducks had died due to unspecified causes. Pollution caused by chemical waste is suspected as the cause, but avian influenza is also being investigated.

Beyond the city limits, the river flows towards the Algarrobos swamp and ends its course on the southern coast of the Mar Chiquita (or Mar de Ansenuza) salt lake. All in all, the river has a length of approximately 200 kilometers and carries, on average, 9.7 m³/s, with minimum of 2 m³/s and maximum of 24 m³/s with a peak during the summer months.

Pollution of the water
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....

 and of the riverbank is a major environmental issue in Córdoba. Periodic cleaning operations are carried out to increase the quality of the water and to preserve the viability of fishing, both in the San Roque reservoir area and downstream.

Climate

The climate of the city of Córdoba, as that of most of the province, is humid subtropical
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...

 (Cwa, according to the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...

), moderated by the Pampas winds, cold winds that blow from the South-western quadrant, originates in the Antarctica.

There are four marked seasons. Summers run from late November till early March, and bring days between 28 °C (82 °F) and 33 °C (91 °F) and night between 15 °C (59 °F) and 19 °C (66 °F) with frequent thunderstorms. Heat waves are common, and bring days with temperatures over 38 °C (100 °F) and hot, sticky nights; however, Pampero winds are sure to bring relief with thunderstorms and a day or two of cool, crisp weather: nighttime temperatures can easily descend to 12 °C (54 °F) or less, but the heat starts building up right away the next day.

By late February or early March, nights start getting cooler, and in March, highs average 27 °C (81 °F) and lows 15 °C (59 °F); after cold fronts, lows below 10 °C (50 °F) and highs below 20 °C (68 °F) are recorded in this month.
April is significantly drier already; highs attain 24 °C (75 °F) on average and lows 12 °C (54 °F), creating very pleasant conditions. On some years, temperatures can approach or even attain the freezing point in late April; however, heat waves of up to 33 °C (91 °F) are still possible, but nights are rarely as hot as in the summer.
May usually brings the first frosts, and very dry weather, with under 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) of rain expected. Highs average 21 °C (70 °F) and lows average 8 °C (46 °F); however, when cold waves reach the area, highs may stay below 8 °C (46 °F) and lows can be well below freezing.

Winter lasts from late May till early September, and bring average highs of 18 °C (64 °F) and lows of 4 °C (39 °F). However, strong northwesterly winds downsloping from the mountains can bring what is known as "Veranito" (little summer) with highs of up to 30 °C (86 °F) or more and dusty, windy weather (but dry, pleasant nights) for 2–3 days. Conversely, when storms stall over the Atlantic coast, there may be several days of drizzle and cool weather, and when cold air masses invade the country from Antarctica (several times every winter), there may be one or two days with temperatures around 6 °C (43 °F), drizzle and high winds (which combined make it feel very cold), followed by dry, cold weather with nighttime lows between 0 °C (32 °F) and -5 °C and daytime highs between 8 °C (46 °F) and 15 °C (59 °F). Snowfall is very rare in the city, but more frequent in the outskirts where the Sierras begin; sleet may fall every once in a while. The record low temperature for Córdoba is -8.2 °C. In June, only 3.5 mm (0.137795275590551 in) of rain are expected, compared to 168 mm (6.6 in) in January.

Spring is extremely variable and windy: there may be long stretches of cool, dry weather and cold nights followed by intense heat waves up to 38 °C (100 °F), followed by the most severe thunderstorms with hail and high winds. It is not unusual to see temperatures drop 20 °C (68 °F) from one day to another, or to have frost following extreme heat. Drought is most common in this season, when the normal summer rainfall arrives later than expected.
By October, days are warm at 26 °C (79 °F) but nights remain cold at 11 °C (52 °F), by late November, the weather resembles summer weather with cooler nights.

The wealthier suburbs west of the city are located at slightly higher altitudes, which allows cool breezes to blow in the summer, bringing drier, comfortable nights during hotter periods, and more regular frost in the winter. Generally speaking, Córdoba's daytime temperatures are very slightly warmer than Buenos Aires' but nighttime lows are usually cooler, especially in the winter. This, combined to a lower humidity and the possibility of fleeing to higher altitudes minutes away from the city centre, makes the climate a bit more comfortable than in the capital.

The variations or thermal extents are greater than in Buenos Aires, and lower in annual rainfall: 750 mm / year. The annual average temperature calculated during the 20th century was 18 °C. In January, the hottest month of the austral summer, the average maximum is 31 °C and the minimum 17 °C.
In July, the coldest month of the year, the average temperatures are between 19 °C and 3 °C.
In winter it is very frequent that temperatures rise above 30 °C, due to the influence of the wind Zonda.

Due to the extension of the metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...

, there exists a difference of 5 °C between the central area and the Greater Córdoba. The central district, a dense high-rise area is located in a depression, and it is the core of an important heat island. In addition the city presents a phenomenon of smog, but not so dense as to present health concerns.

According to studies realized by the Meteorological National Service from 1873, the annual rainfall registered in the city, shows a significant change in the trend from the half of last century. The annual average of rains has increased more than 100 mm in the last 50 years.
The result of these studies, were compared with the global trends of temperature and was observed that the annual rainfall of the city is highly correlated by world trend of this variable. In the first half of the 20th century, the variations of the rain registered as those of the average temperature of the Hemisphere South are very slightly notable, compared with the one that is observed from 1950.

Demographics

Córdoba Metropolitan area
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!style="background:#f0f0f0;" align="left" valign="top"|Population
|style="background:#f0f0f0;" valign="top"| 1,357,200
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Male population
|valign="top"| 649,955
|-
! style="background:#f0f0f0;" align="left" valign="top"|Female population
| style="background:#f0f0f0;" valign="top"| 683,433
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Population growth
|valign="top"| 1.0%
|-
! style="background:#f0f0f0;" align="left" valign="top"|Birth rate
Birth rate
Crude birth rate is the nativity or childbirths per 1,000 people per year . Another word used interchangeably with "birth rate" is "natality". When the crude birth rate is subtracted from the crude death rate, it reveals the rate of natural increase...


| style="background:#f0f0f0;" valign="top"| 19/1,000
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Death rate
|valign="top"| 4.9/1,000
|-
! style="background:#f0f0f0;" align="left" valign="top"|Infant mortality rate
| style="background:#f0f0f0;" valign="top"| 18.1/1,000
|-
!align="left" valign="top"|Life expectancy
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...


|valign="top"|75.6 years
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="lightblue" colspan="2"|
|}

Ethnicity

The most common ethnic groups are Italian and Spanish (mostly Galicians and Basques).

Waves of immigrants from European countries arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The main contributors were Spain, Italy, France, Eastern European nations such as Croatia, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Ukraine and the Balkans (especially Greece, Serbia and Montenegro), Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Armenia and Scandinavia (especially Sweden). By the 1910s, 43 percent of the city population was non-native Argentine after immigration rates peaked.

Most immigrants, regardless of origin, settled in the city or around Greater Córdoba
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...

. However, in the first stages of immigration, some formed colonies (especially agricultural colonies
Agricultural colonies in Argentina
Agricultural colonies in Argentina were a demographically and economically important part of the evolution of the country. The Argentine government, faced with large areas of fertile land that were unpopulated or settled by aboriginal tribes , encouraged European immigration, welcoming settling...

) in different parts of the city, often encouraged by the Argentine government and/or sponsored by private individuals and organizations.

Demographic distribution

Córdoba is the second largest city in the country in population and concentrates 40.9% of the Córdoba Province population of 3,216,993 inhabitants and represents almost 3.3% of the Argentine population, which according to estimates to June 2008, reached 39,745,613 inhabitants. Driven by migration both domestic and from abroad, the city's rate of population growth was an elevated 3.2% annually from 1914 to 1960; but, it has been declining steadily since then, and has averaged around 0.4% a year, since the national census of 2001.

According to the last provincial census of 2008, the city has 1,315,540 inhabitants, representing an increase of 3.78% with regard to the 1,267,521 registered during the national census of 2001.
Greater Córdoba is the metropolitan area of the city of Córdoba, a union of medium localities of the department Colón, from the north to the south. Greater Córdoba is the second-largest urban agglomeration in Argentina in both population and surface area.

The growth of the metropolitan area was not equal in all directions, it spreads approximately up to 50 km (31.1 mi) to the northwest of the Córdoba city centre in a thin succession of small localities. This is almost the maximum distance from the Buenos Aires city center to the most distant of its metropolitan area points; whereas in the rest of the cardinal points it comes to 15 km (9 mi).

The city receives a constant flow of students from the North-East, Southwest regions of Argentina and of other South American countries, owed principally to the National University of Córdoba, which increases gradually the city population. Córdoba grows constantly, expanding especially towards the southern areas of Alta Gracia
Alta Gracia
Alta Gracia is a city located in the north-centre of the . Its name means "High Grace". It is built upon the Sierras Chicas, in a region that the Comechingón Indians used to call Paravachasca. It has about 43,000 inhabitants .- History :...

 and Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz is a city in the center-north of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in the south of the Punilla Valley, lying on the western slope of the Sierras Chicas. It has a population of about 56,000 as per the...

.
Demographic Evolution
1810 1869 1895 1914 1947 1960 1970 1980 1991 2001 2010
Population 9,080 34,458 54,763 134,935 386,828 586,015 801,771 990,968 1,179,372 1,284,582 1,330,023
Annual population growth rate 2.3 1.8 4.9 3.2 3.2 3.2 2.1 1.6 0.9 0.4

Urban structure

The use of the city soil is regulated by the municipality, which determines and destines 26,177 hectares to urban area (40.24 %), 12,267 hectares to the industrial dominant area (21.3 %), 16,404 hectares to rural area dominant (28.45 %) and 5,750 hectares to other uses as military proposes, or institutional spaces (9.98 %) of the total area of the city.

Green spaces include different types of spaces, from squares, small squares, up to urban, green linear parks of different scales as the river Suquia
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

, bicycle pathways and highway s). The surface supported by the Municipality of Córdoba in character of green Urban adds approximately 1645 hectares.

The historical centre is shaped by quadrangular blocks of some hundred thirty meters of side. The disposition of the neighborhoods and principal avenues is radial. From the city centre district large avenues that lead to the most peripheral neighborhoods are born. In conformity with the demographic growth the city has expanded principally to the northwest and to the southeast, following the trace of the National Route 9
National Route 9 (Argentina)
National Route 9 is a major road in Argentina, which runs from the center-east to the northwest of the country, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy...

.

Districts

Córdoba is home to one of the most important financial districts in South America. The district is home to the Bank of Córdoba and other private banking institutions. Sightseeing places include San Martín Square, the Jesuit Block
Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba
The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba are a former Jesuit reduction built by missionaries in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, named a World Heritage Site in 2000....

 (declared UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

) and the Genaro Pérez Museum. The streets mostly follow a regular checkerboard pattern, and the main thoroughfares are Vélez Sarsfield, Colón, General Paz and Dean Funes Avenue, and 27 April Sreet.
The point of origin of the city is the San Martin Square, surrounded by the Municipality, the Central Post Office, The streets mostly follow a regular checkerboard pattern

Downtown Córdoba is home of large shopping malls, notably Patio Olmos
Patio Olmos
Patio Olmos is an architecturally significant shoppng gallery in Córdoba, Argentina, and the city's most important.-History and overview:The development of a suburb southeast of Córdoba proper by developer Miguel Crisol was accompanied by a flurry of public investment...

. This mall is the result of a massive regeneration effort, recycling and refurbishing the west side old warehouses into elegant offices and commercial centres. An important cultural point of interest is the Palacio Ferreyra, a mansion built in 1916 based on plans by the French architect
French architecture
The history of French architecture runs in parallel with its neighbouring countries in Europe, with France being home to both some of the earliest pioneers in many architectural styles, and also containing some of the finest architectural creations of the continent.-Roman:The architecture of...

, Ernest Sanson
Ernest Sanson
Paul Ernest Sanson was a French architect trained in the Beaux-Arts manner.Sanson entered the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris at the age of eighteen, and followed the courses offered by Émile Gilbert...

. The Ferreyra palace was converted into the Evita Perón Museum of Fine Arts
Evita Fine Arts Museum
The Evita Fine Arts Museum is an art museum in Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:The museum is housed in the Ferreyra Palace, a Beaux-Arts mansion designed by French architect Ernest Sanson and built between 1912 and 1916 for Dr...

 (the city's second) in 2007. Located at the corner of Hipólito Yrigoyen and Chacabuco Avenues, it has now been restored and adapted to house the city's principal art gallery.

Nueva Córdoba has a number of important avenues such as Yrigoyen and Vélez Sarsfield. Most of the university students in this growing city live in this neighbourhood, and a recebt construction boom has been transforming this upscale area into the fastest-growing section in the city.

Ciudad Universitaria is a district located in the southern area of the city, next to the 17 hectares (43 acre) Sarmiento Park
Sarmiento Park
Sarmiento Park is the largest public park in Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:The development of a suburb south of the rapidly growing Córdoba of the late nineteenth century created the need for an extensive new green space for the area. The new neighborhood's chief developer, Miguel Crisol,...

, the city's most important one. The Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC) has most of its facilities in this area. The UNC was the first university built in Argentina, founded by Jesuits around 1622. The Universidad Nacional de Córdoba is also famous for the "Reforma Universitaria", a student led protest that started in March 1918 in the Medical School, in which the students rebelled against the prevailing university system. This was an old anachronic system in which professors were authoritarian and inefficient, with a religiously oriented curriculum. Eventually this revolt lead to a more secular curriculum and some significant re-structuring of the university government. The distinctive nature of the movement derived not only from its radical demands, but also from its extremist tactics, the level of sophistication of its organization, and its major continental impact. In fact, the Reform Movement rapidly spread from Córdoba to Lima (1919), Cuzco (1920), Santiago de Chile (1920), and Mexico (1921). Another important university, the UTN, dedicated to the teaching of engineering sciences, is located in this part of the city. There are also a gym and football stadium and tennis courts for the students. The Córdoba Zoo is located in this district.

Located about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from downtown Córdoba is the Cerro de Las Rosas. This very affluent neighborhood is famous for its schools, shops and educational institutions. This neighborhood's economic activity centers around the Rafael Núñez Avenue, a long wide road that stretches for a few miles and has restaurants, boutiques, banks and other shops. Over the last decade, this neighborhood has experienced steady growth; however, some of its most affluent inhabitants have moved to gated communities for security reasons. Some of these communities, such as "Las Delicias" and "Lomas de los Carolinos", are in the old Camino a La Calera.

Transportation

The Córdoba public transport system includes buses, trolleybuses, taxis and remis. Long-distance buses reach most cities and towns throughout the country.
Long-distance railway passenger service is provided by Ferrocentral twice weekly overnight to Buenos Aires Retiro Station and a twice weekly daytime service to Villa Maria which follows the same route. The Córdoba to Buenos Aires train has a dining car, Turista, Primera and Pullman coach class, as well as Camarote class in a sleeping car. Prices range from AR$27 for Turista to AR$240 for two people sharing a bedroom. It departs Córdoba on Wednesday at 9:13 pm and Saturday at 4:21 pm. The trip takes 15 hours and uses Hitachi made cars. The Córdoba to Villa Maria train uses ex Portuguese stainless steel coaches.

The Argentine government had projected to build a high-speed train
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...

 between Buenos Aires-Rosario-Córdoba
Buenos Aires-Rosario-Córdoba high-speed railway
The Buenos Aires–Rosario–Córdoba high-speed railway is a project designed to link the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires, Rosario and Córdoba through a high-speed rail network. The plan, announced by President Néstor Kirchner during a press conference at the Casa Rosada on 26 April 2006, would be...

. Originally scheduled to be started in 2008, with its inauguration in 2010, it is still waiting for financing to be completed. It will eventually join Córdoba and Buenos Aires, with an intermediate stop in Rosario, in about 3 hours at speeds of up to 350 km/h.

The city is served by the nation's third largest airport Ingeniero Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport
Ingeniero Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport
Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport , more commonly known as Pajas Blancas, is located north-northwest away from the center of Córdoba, the capital city of the Córdoba Province...

.

Metro

On 10 December 2007 it was announced that a consortium of Iecsa/Gela companies was to build the US$ 1.1 billion metro system in Córdoba. In April 2008, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...

, signed the project into law. The works, however, are currently "on hold" due to the world financial crisis.

Economy

Since World War II, Córdoba has been developing a versatile industrial base. The biggest sectors are car manufacturing (Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

, Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...

, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

), railway construction (Materfer) and aircraft construction (Fábrica Militar de Aviones). Furthermore, there are textile, heavy and chemical industries and some agrobusinesses.

Córdoba has been considered the technological centre of Argentina. The Argentinian spaceport (Centro Espacial Teófilo Tabanera), where satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....

s are being developed and operated for CONAE
Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales
Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales is the civilian agency of the government of Argentina in charge of the national space program.- History :...

, is located in the suburb of Falda del Carmen. The software and electronic industries are advancing and becoming significant exporters; among the leading local employers in the sector are Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...

, Vates, Intel, Electronic Data Systems
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...

, and Santex América.

Sports

Football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

, like in the rest of Argentina, is the most popular sport. Several leagues and divisions compete in the local championship annually. Some important teams are Belgrano, Talleres
Talleres de Córdoba
Club Atlético Talleres is a sports club from the city of Córdoba, Argentina, mostly known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the regionalised third division, the Torneo Argentino A...

, Instituto de Córdoba
Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba
Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba is an Argentine sports club from Córdoba, which professional football team currently plays in the Primera B Nacional, the second division of the Argentine football league system.Famous players who have played at Instituto include Osvaldo Ardiles, Mario Alberto...

, and Racing de Córdoba
Club Atlético Racing de Córdoba
Club Atlético Racing is an Argentine sports club from the city of Córdoba in Córdoba Province. The football squad currently plays in Torneo Argentino A which is the regionalised third tier of the Argentine Football Association league system.The club was founded in Nueva Italia Neighbourhood,...

.

Basketball could arguably be the second most popular sport in Córdoba city. Asociación Deportiva Atenas
Asociación Deportiva Atenas
Asociación Deportiva Atenas, known simply as Atenas or Atenas de Córdoba, is a sports club based in Córdoba, Argentina. It was founded in 1938 and is mostly known for its achievements in basketball...

 is the most popular club, and one of the most successful in Argentina, having won the National League (LNB) seven times, and being three times winner of the South American League.

Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 is also a very popular sport in Córdoba, which has close to 20 teams with many divisions. Tala Rugby Club
Tala Rugby Club
Tala Rugby Club, or simply Tala, is an Argentine rugby union and field hockey club sited in Córdoba Province. The rugby team currently plays in the Torneo del Centro league.-History:...

, Club La Tablada
Club La Tablada
La Tablada Rugby Club, or simply Club La Tablada, is a rugby union and field hockey club based in the city of Córdoba, Argentina. Founded in 1943 as a social institution, La Tablada started playing rugby union and field hockey from the 1950s.-History:...

, Córdoba Athletic Club
Córdoba Athletic Club
Córdoba Athletic Club, or simply Córdoba Athletic, is a multi-sports club from Córdoba, Argentina. Founded in 1882, CAC is the oldest sports club in Córdoba Province...

 (one of the oldest clubs in Argentina and founded by the British who worked in the building of the Argentine Railroads around 1882), Jockey Club Córdoba
Jockey Club Córdoba
Jockey Club Córdoba is a multi-sports and social club from Córdoba, Argentina.One of the wealthiest clubs in Argentina, Jockey Club possesses its own racetrack, hara, golf course, tennis courts and swimming pools....

, and Club Universitario de Córdoba
Club Universitario de Córdoba
The Club Universitario de Córdoba is a multi-sports club in Córdoba, Argentina. Today the club is mostly famous for their rugby union team.-History:...

 are some of the most prestigious teams. Córdoba is one of the strongest rugby places in Argentina, and is the home of many international players. Many of the great players in Argentina and Italy began their careers in the Córdoba's rugby clubs.

Golf and tennis are also very popular; notable players that started playing in Córdoba include Ángel "Pato" Cabrera
Angel Cabrera
Ángel Cabrera is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as "El Pato" in Spanish or in English as "The duck" for his waddling gait. He is a former U.S. Open champion and Masters champion. He is the first Argentine to win either...

 and Eduardo "Gato" Romero
Eduardo Romero
Eduardo Alejandro Romero is an Argentine professional golfer.Romero was born in Córdoba. He turned professional in 1982 at a relatively advanced age...

 in golf and David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Pablo Nalbandian is an Argentine professional tennis player and former world no. 3. He was runner-up at the 2002 Wimbledon Championships and the winner of the Tennis Masters Cup in 2005.-Biography:...

 in tennis.

Former three time world boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 champion Santos Laciar
Santos Laciar
Santos Benigno Laciar , known familiarly as Santos Laciar and nicknamed Falucho, was an Argentine world flyweight champion.-Biography:Laciar was born in Huinca Renancó, in the province of Córdoba, Argentina....

 is a native of Córdoba.

The Argentine stage
Rally Argentina
The Rally Argentina is an Argentine rally competition that has been both a round of the World Rally Championship and also the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. The rally is also a round of the South American Rally Championship and the Argentine Rally Championship...

 of the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...

 has been run not far from the city since 2004.

Hockey and tennis are also important sports in Córdoba.

Education

Córdoba has 6 Universities. National University of Córdoba
National University of Córdoba
The National University of Córdoba, , is the oldest university in Argentina, and one of the oldest in the Americas. It is located in Córdoba, the capital of Córdoba Province. Since the early 20th century it has been the second largest university in the country in terms of the number of students,...

, established since 1613, is the 4th oldest in the Americas and the first in Argentina. It has about 105,000 students. The National Technological University
National Technological University
The National Technological University is a National University of Argentina, specializing in engineering and exact sciences. Hosting over 75,000 students, its student body is comparable to Argentina's third-largest university and exceeded significantly only by the University of Buenos Aires...

 has one of their branches
National Technological University – Córdoba Regional Faculty
The National Technological University - Córdoba Regional Faculty .-Short Careers:*Superior Technic on Industrial Maintenance.*Superior Technic on Food....

 in the city. Catholic University of Córdoba is the oldest private university
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...

 in Córdoba, it has nearly 10,000 students.

Literature

Córdoba has long been considered one of the most culturally rich cities of Argentina. The Literary activity flourished in the city at the beginning of the last century. Córdoba was the city of Leopoldo Lugones
Leopoldo Lugones
Leopoldo Lugones Argüello was an Argentine writer and journalist.-Early life:Born in Villa de María del Río Seco, a city in Córdoba Province, in Argentina's Catholic heartland, Lugones belonged to a family of landed gentry...

, Arturo Capdevila and Marcos Aguinis, among many other prestigious writers. Among the city's best-known museums are the Caraffa Fine Arts Museum
Caraffa Fine Arts Museum
The Emilio Caraffa Provincial Fine Arts Museum is an art museum in Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:The institution was established as the Provincial Fine Arts Museum by the Province of Córdoba, which commissioned German Argentine architect Juan Kronfuss for its design, in 1915...

, founded in 1916, and the Evita Fine Arts Museum
Evita Fine Arts Museum
The Evita Fine Arts Museum is an art museum in Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:The museum is housed in the Ferreyra Palace, a Beaux-Arts mansion designed by French architect Ernest Sanson and built between 1912 and 1916 for Dr...

, founded in 2007. The Paseo del Buen Pastor
Paseo del Buen Pastor
Paseo del Buen Pastor is a cultural, recreational and commercial center in Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:A charitable project organized by the city and the Sisters of Our Lady of Clarity of the Good Pastor of Angers, the establishment of a women's jail, was completed by architect José Montblanch in...

, a cultural center opened in 2007, features an art museum, as well as a shopping gallery devoted to local vintners, cheese makers, leather crafters and other artisans.

Music

The typical music in Córdoba is the cuarteto
Cuarteto
Cuarteto , sometimes called cuartetazo, is a musical genre born in Córdoba, Argentina.The roots of the cuarteto ensemble are in Italian and Spanish dance ensambles...

. It can be heard in many parties and pubs. The most popular cuarteto singers are: Carlos La Mona Jiménez
La Mona Jiménez
Juan Carlos Jiménez Rufino , known as La Mona Jiménez, is a cuarteto singer. He was born in Córdoba, Argentina....

, Rodrigo
Rodrigo Bueno
Rodrigo Alejandro Bueno , mostly known as Rodrigo, was an Argentine singer of cuarteto music. His nickname among cuarteto fans was el potro ....

, La Barra and Jean Carlos, among others. The places they usually sing are named bailes (dances). One of the first groups was Cuarteto de Oro.

Other very popular music styles among the youth are electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 (or electro), as well as reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...

. These are commonly played at "boliches," as night clubs are known in Argentina. Córdoba is sometimes referred to as the Night Life City (or, the city that never sleeps), because of its wide range of clubs and teenage matinées (dancing clubs).

Córdoba also enjoys a rich musical culture that includes classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...

, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

, rock, pop and electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 in a variety of venues. Córdoba is home to the Teatro Libertador San Martín
Libertador Theatre
The Libertador San Martín Theatre is the premier stage theatre, opera house and concert hall in Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:...

, which regularly features classical music, opera, folk music, theater plays, etc.

Monuments

Córdoba has many historical monuments left over from the colonial era. In the centre, near the Plaza San Martín square, is the Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 Cathedral
Córdoba Cathedral
The Córdoba Cathedral is the central church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Córdoba, Argentina, and the oldest church in continuous service in Argentina.-Overview:...

, whose altar is made of stone and silver from Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...

. Every ornament inside is made of gold and the roof is all painted with different images from the Bible. Another important historic building is the Cabildo
Córdoba Cabildo
The Córdoba Cabildo was the Cabildo of Córdoba, Argentina.-Overview:The local government in Córdoba met in its members' private homes in the first years after the settlement's 1573 establishment. The first structure designated for the purpose was begun in 1588, and was a modest adobe and thatched...

(colonial government house), located next to the church. The Jesuit Block, the Monserrat School, the University and the church of the Society of Jesus are also located in Córdoba.

Festivals

Different festivals occur year-round. The first is in February, the Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...

, where children enjoy throwing water balloons at each other on the street.

Then in the middle of the year, on 20 July, Friends Day is celebrated. Usually, most of the teenagers meet at Parque de las Naciones or Parque Sarmiento and spend the afternoon there. At night, they go dancing to different places, and enjoy a drink.

The last festival is Spring Day, held on 21 September, which is Students' Day. Many go to the park or spend the day in the nearby city of Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz is a city in the center-north of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in the south of the Punilla Valley, lying on the western slope of the Sierras Chicas. It has a population of about 56,000 as per the...

. There they can enjoy lots of activities like concerts, dancing, going down town or visiting the river bank.

Twin cities

Córdoba has 18 sister cities:
Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...

, Uruguay Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...

, Brazil Campinas
Campinas
Campinas is a city and municipality located in the coastal interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. is the administrative center of the meso-region of the same name, with 3,783,597 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census, consisting of 49 cities....

, Brazil Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...

, China Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain Cochabamba
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and is the fourth largest city in Bolivia with an urban population of 608,276 and a metropolitan population of more than 1,000,000 people...

, Bolivia Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...

, Brazil Los Angeles, United States Florianópolis
Florianópolis
-Climate:Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter...

, Brazil
Izhevsk
Izhevsk
Izhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...

, Russia Izmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...

, Turkey Lódz
Lódz
Łódź is the third-largest city in Poland. Located in the central part of the country, it had a population of 742,387 in December 2009. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is approximately south-west of Warsaw...

, Poland Natal
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...

, Brazil Marín
Marín, Pontevedra
Marín is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. In this town is settled the Spanish Navy as the “Escuela Naval Militar de Oficiales of Marin is located here.-Demographics:Population growth....

, Spain Morelia
Morelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...

, Mexico
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...

, Bolivia Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

, United States Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...

, United States Tiberias, Israel Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, Italy Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...

, Chile Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...

, China

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