🇦🇷 San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca is the capital and largest city in Catamarca Province in north-western Argentina, on the Río Valle River, at the feet of the Cerro Ambato. The city name is normally shortened as Catamarca.
The city of 684 km² (264 sq mi), located 500 m (1,640 ft) above sea level, has 159,000 inhabitants (2010 census [INDEC]), with more than 200,000 counting the suburbia, what represents around 70% of the population of the province.
1Overview The city is located 1,130 km (702 mi) from Buenos Aires. The closest provincial capitals are La Rioja (154 km (96 mi)), Tucumán (230 km (143 mi)) and Santiago del Estero (209 km (130 mi)).
Many pilgrims come to San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca to visit the Church of the Virgin of the Valley (1694), which contains a statue of Nuestra Señora del Valle (Our Lady of the Valley).
Catamarca is also the touristic centre of the province, with its colonial architecture, and serves as a hub to many touristic points and excursions, hiking, mountain-bike tours, horse riding, and wine tasting.
1Transport San Fernando del Valle is served by Coronel Felipe Varela International Airport (CTC/SANC), with flights to Buenos Aires-AEP.
1History and politics An initial settlement, called Londres, was established here by Spanish colonists in 1558; a permanent settlement was not founded until 1683, by Fernando de Mendoza y Mate de Luna. Catamarca comes from Quechua meaning "fortress on the slope".
The city, which had only 8,000 inhabitants in 1882 and was reached by a railway line in 1888, grew very slowly, and the region remained poor even in the middle of the 20th century.
1Economy Agriculture is San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca's chief economic activity; however, low rainfall makes irrigation necessary. Fruit and grapes are grown in the oasis areas near the city, and there is a considerable production of wine. Other local production includes preserves and handwoven ponchos.
Cotton and cattle are important economically, as well as mining at the Farallón Negro, Bajo de la Alumbrera and Capillitas mines where gold, silver, copper and tin.
1Sport The most successful football clubs in Catamarca are San Lorenzo de Alem, Atlético Policial, Sarmiento, and Villa Cubas.
Catamarca was a host of the 1982 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship at the Polideportivo Fray Mamerto Esquiú.
1San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca has a population of over 159,100 people. San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca also forms the centre of the wider Catamarca Province which has a population of over 429,556 people.
To set up a UBI Lab for San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork
Twin Towns - Sister Cities San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca has links with:
🇨🇱 Copiapó, Chile🇦🇺 Murwillumbah -28.317
🇧🇷 Santo Ângelo -28.283
🇿🇦 Harrismith -28.283
🇧🇷 Passo Fundo -28.261
🇦🇺 Gold Coast -28.002
🇿🇦 Matjhabeng -27.979
🇿🇦 Masilonyana -28.517
🇿🇦 Phuthaditjhaba -28.533
🇿🇦 King Cetshwayo -28.733
🇿🇦 Sol Plaatje -28.738
🇿🇦 Richards Bay -28.751
Locations Near: San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca -65.7727,-28.4668
🇦🇷 Catamarca -65.783,-28.467 d: 1
🇦🇷 Concepción -65.583,-27.333 d: 127.4
🇦🇷 Termas de Río Hondo -64.867,-27.483 d: 141
🇦🇷 Ciudad de La Rioja -66.85,-29.4 d: 147.5
🇪🇸 La Rioja -66.855,-29.413 d: 148.8
🇦🇷 La Rioja -66.855,-29.413 d: 148.8
🇦🇷 Tucumán -65.366,-26.944 d: 174
🇦🇷 Santiago del Estero -64.267,-27.783 d: 166.1
🇦🇷 Yerba Buena -65.317,-26.817 d: 188.9
🇦🇷 San Miguel de Tucumán -65.225,-26.83 d: 189.8
Antipodal to: San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca 114.227,28.467
🇨🇳 Yichun 114.417,27.816 d: 19940.4
🇨🇳 Pingxiang 113.887,27.659 d: 19919.3
🇨🇳 Xinyu 114.917,27.819 d: 19916.3
🇨🇳 Xishan 113.497,27.646 d: 19899.1
🇨🇳 Liling 113.497,27.646 d: 19899.1
🇨🇳 Miluo City 113.16,28.761 d: 19905.9
🇨🇳 Miluo 113.16,28.761 d: 19905.9
🇨🇳 Gao'an 115.361,28.441 d: 19904.2