Santiago Del Estero

Santiago del Estero

Santiago del Estero, city, capital of Santiago del Estero provincia (province), northwestern Argentina, and the oldest continuous settlement in the country. It was founded in 1553 by Spaniards coming from Peru, led by Francisco de Aguirre, and it was moved slightly south in 1556 to its present location on the Dulce River.

Although the region’s climate is extremely hot and dry, the surrounding irrigated plains produce considerable crops of wheat, cotton, flax, corn (maize), and alfalfa. Food processing is the main industrial activity. The city is linked by road and rail with the Argentine northwest and with the ports of Santa Fe and Rosario. Notable buildings include the Gothic-style San Francisco Solano Church (1590) and the Wagner Museum, which displays archaeological findings. Pop. (2001) 230,614; (2010 est.) 251,900.