Tigre

Tigre, cabecera (county seat) and partido (county), on the outskirts of Gran (Greater) Buenos Aires, eastern Argentina. It lies northwest of the city of Buenos Aires, in Buenos Aires provincia (province), on the Río de la Plata estuary. An early settlement of the county was centred on a chapel built in 1678 (reconstructed in 1820).

The county seat has become a river trade centre for an area extending north from Buenos Aires city to the province of Entre Ríos. It is known for its fruit market, reminiscent of the former Les Halles market in Paris. The lands of the county northeast of the Luján River are marshland interlaced with numerous rivers and canals of the Paraná River delta. These navigable waterways connect the major rivers of the region while making Tigre an attractive resort for water sports such as yachting, rowing, and fishing. Visitors to the area often enjoy cruises on tour boats or taxi launches. Each March and November, regattas are held on the Luján River. The Naval Museum was established in 1892 to exhibit ship artifacts, models, navigational instruments, and paintings of Argentine naval battles.

With the growth of the national capital, Tigre has merged into the north-northwestern suburban fringe of Gran Buenos Aires. Four railway lines serve the county, as does the national highway system. Pop. (2001) county, 296,189; (2010) county, 376,381.