Morteros | |
---|---|
City | |
Location of Morteros in Argentina | |
Coordinates: 30°42′S 62°0′W / 30.700°S 62.000°WCoordinates: 30°42′S 62°0′W / 30.700°S 62.000°W | |
Country | Argentina |
Province | Córdoba |
Department | San Justo |
Government | |
• Mayor | Germán Pratto (UpC) |
Population | |
• Total | 18,129 |
Demonym(s) | mortero/a |
Time zone | ART (UTC-3) |
CPA base | X2421 |
Dialing code | +54 03562 |
Morteros is a city and municipality in the San Justo Departament in the north east of the Córdoba Province, Argentina.
The city of Morteros is one of the most important in the San Justo Department, it is near the intersection of two major highways RP 1 and RP 17 and near the ferrocarril Central Argentino.
Morteros is around 210 kilometres (130 mi) from the provincial capital Córdoba (280 by road) and 155 kilometres (96 mi) from Santa Fe.
Morteros is around 17 kilometres (11 mi) from the eastern shore of Mar Chiquita.
The micro region around Morteros is an ecotone between the Humid Pampa semi arid Gran Chaco region. The temperature varies between 12 and 30 °C (54 and 86 °F) with an annual average of 23 °C (73 °F). The first frost can be expected on March 21 and the last on September 5. The average precipitation is 700 millimetres (28 in) per year.
Local flora include the chañar, tala, Quebracho, caranday and the yatay.
Before the arrival of the conquistadores in the 16th Century the area was populated by ethnic Sanavirónes and Mocovíes.
In the 18th Century the Spanish established a fortress called Los Morteros on a rocky outcrop, the principal function of the fortress was to defend the local territory. It lay on an alternative route to the mining region of Potosí in Peru, it was used as a market for contraband such as slaves to work in the mines and silver.