La Quiaca Observatorio

-MET-

Station Characteristics Name : La Quiaca Observatorio Country : Argentina GAW Category : Regional Platform : Ground base Location : 22.10ºS   65.60ºW   3459m a.m.s.l. Time Zone : Address : Organization : Description : La Quiaca is a small city in the north of the province of Jujuy (*), Argentina, on the southern bank of the dry river called “La Quiaca”, a border town, opposite the small village of Villazón (Bolivia). In Argentina, this city is the classic reference to the northern end of the country and it lies at the end of National Route 9, 289 km (180 mi) from San Salvador de Jujuy (the provincial capital), and at an altitude of 3,442 m (11,293 ft) above mean sea level. It is 5,200 km from Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of Argentina. It has about 15,000 inhabitants. It is the head town of the Yaví Department, which includes also the towns of Barrios, Cangrejillos, El Cóndor, Pumahuasi, and Yaví. The area is serviced by an airport located at 22°09′02″S 65°34′39″W. (*) Jujuy is a province in North-western Argentina, it borders to the West with Chile and Bolivia, to the North with Bolivia and to the East and South with the Province of Salta. La Quiaca is provided with all the services of a modern town (potable water, electricity, sewage, natural gas, Internet). This city from the Northern Puna has all the basic commodities for the tourist since it is one the most important urban settlements of North-western Argentina. It lies on a prevailing mountainous area, its elevation increases gradually from East to West. Three main mountain ranges are must be mentioned: 1.- Subandean hills 2.- The Eastern Mountain Range, with the “Quebrada de Humahuaca“ as its most relevant area. 3.- “The Puna“ The climate: is arid, with a great daily temperature amplitude which is a trait of all the Puna region of Jujuy. The mean temperature is near 10 °C, with a small annual variation of only 10°C and an annual precipitation about of 350 mm. Summers are cool, with mean temperatures under 15°C, maximum mean values seldom above 25°C, and relatively humid, with more than 80% of annual rains being concentrated in this season. Winters are quite dry and cold, rainfall is quite scarce and the mean temperature is under 5°C. Since it is a dry season the daily oscillation is too high, with a night-day difference of the mean temperature being above 20°C. As a consequence of this, the minimum mean values are quite low, under 5°C and all time low values of -15°C.