Rincón de Los Sauces

Rincón de los Sauces
Rincón de los Sauces Rincón de los Sauces
Coordinates: 37°23′S 68°55′W
Country	Argentina
Province	Neuquén Province
Department	Pehuenches Department
Founded	December 20, 1970
Government
• Mayor	Diego Omar Rueda
Elevation	974 m (3,196 ft)
Population  (2010 census [INDEC])
• Total	19,398
Time zone	UTC−3 (ART)
CPA Base	Q 8319
Area code	+54 0299
Climate	BWk

Rincón de los Sauces (English: Place of the willows) is a first category municipality and the capital of Pehuenches Department in Neuquén Province, Argentina.

History

The area was first populated by settlers around the end of the 19th and the start of the 20th century until a flood of the Barrancas River caused the destruction of several buildings and a consequent population decline. After the flood, the main economic activity in the zone was based on cattle farming. YPF, then the state oil concern, discovered petroleum under Puesto Hernández in 1965, and subsequently, the population grew rapidly. Officially chartered on December 20, 1970, the town is named for the willow trees (sauce) that abound in the region. Its name, roughly translated, means Willows' Corner.

Economy

The town has been declared the National Energy Capital due to its having 50% of the proven reserves of oil and natural gas in Argentina. The town is served by a regional airport. Here lived among others Juan Pablo Gambeta, famous athlete in the region.