Santiago del Estero

Capital of the province of the same name in northwest Argentina, on the River Dulce, 150 km/93 mi southeast of San Miguel de Tucumán; population (1996) 190,863. Santiago del Estero is the oldest city in Argentina, having been founded in 1553 by conquistadores from Peru. It is the commercial and industrial centre of the province. The city is located near to the Buenos Aires–Tucumán railway line. The city is now also a major resort along with Termas del Río Hondo, with its curative waters.

Santiago del Estero

Province in northwest Argentina; area 136,351 sq km/52,645 sq mi; population (1996) 671,988. The capital is the city of Santiago del Estero. Cattle breeding is a major economic activity; Principal crops are wheat, maize, linseed, and cotton. The forests are exploited for timber, particularly the quebracho tree for tannin extract. There is some mining for manganese, clay, gypsum, and quartzite.

The terrain of Santiago del Estero consists of an alluvial plain covered with savannah and scrub forest. The main rivers are the Salado, the Dulce, and the Hondo. In the southwest, much of the land is covered by salt marshes, the most famous of which are the Salinas Grandes.

Artificial irrigation is necessary for crop cultivation in this dry province, where many rivers and streams dry up for long periods. Near Las Termas, the River Hondo has been dammed for irrigation, hydroelectricity, flood control, and recreation.