General Pico | |
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Street of General Pico
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Location in La Pampa Province |
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Location in La Pampa Province | |
Coordinates: 35°40′0″S 63°44′0″W / 35.66667°S 63.73333°WCoordinates: 35°40′0″S 63°44′0″W / 35.66667°S 63.73333°W | |
Country | Argentina |
Province | La Pampa Province |
Founded | 11 November 1905 |
Government | |
• Intendant | Jorge Tévez (PJ) |
Elevation | 143 m (469 ft) |
Population (2012) | |
• Total | 65,438 |
Time zone | OAT (UTC-3) |
• Summer (DST) | OAT (UTC-2) |
Postal code | L6360 |
Area code(s) | 2302 |
Website | www.generalpico.gov.ar |
General Pico is a city located in the north-east of La Pampa Province, Argentina. It has a surface of 2,555 km2 (986 sq mi). Is located at 143 m (469 ft) above sea level and inside the region of the Pampa Húmeda Llana (Flat-Humid Pampas). Its lands are fertile and usually apt for cattle raising and agriculture.
With a population of 53,352 (2001 census [INDEC]) it is the second largest city in the province after the provincial capital Santa Rosa, and it is the capital of the department of Maracó.
The crossing between the west and south railroads was a determinant point in the placing of this city, founded on November 11 by Eduardo Chapeaurouge. It was named after General Eduardo Gustavo Pico, who was governor of La Pampa Province, Argentina for three consecutive periods (1891-1899).
Between the most prominent activities developed in the region are the agropecuarian, producing meat that is renowned around the world and the agricultural who provide most of the grain consumed in the country.
It also has a very important section dedicated to factories and what is known as a Zona Franca, a customs free area where products can be imported and distributed to the rest of the country.
General Pico has two basketball teams in the Argentinian League: Pico Football Club and Independiente de Pico.
The city has its own airport.
General Pico has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa) featuring hot summers and cool, dry winters. Winters are cool with a July high of 14.9 °C (58.8 °F) and temperatures below freezing are common, especially at nighttime. During the summer, temperatures can be hot during the day, averaging 31 °C (87.8 °F) in January although nighttime temperatures are pleasant and cooler, averaging 16.8 °C (62.2 °F). Spring and fall are transitional seasons with warm days and cool nights and are highly variable with some days reaching above 39 °C (102.2 °F) or below freezing. The average annual precipitation is 933 millimetres (37 in), most of it being concentrated in the warmer months. The highest recorded temperature was 44.0 °C (111.2 °F) on December 28, 1971 while the lowest recorded temperature was −11.2 °C (11.8 °F) on July 10, 1988.