Andalgalá Department

Andalgalá
Location of Andalgalá in Catamarca (Argentina)
Data
Capital	Andalgalá
population	17.102 (2001, INDEC)
surface	4,497 km²
Population density	3.8 inhabitants / km²

The department of Andalgalá is located in the center of the province of Catamarca in northwest Argentina and is one of the 16 administrative units of the province.

It is bordered by the Santa María department to the north, the Tucumán province to the east, the Ambato and Pomán departments to the south, and the Belén department to the west .

The capital of the department is Andalgalá of the same name .

population

According to INDEC estimates, the population increased from 17,102 (2001) to 17,839 in 2005.

cities and communes

The department of Andalgalá is divided into the following places (Localidades):

• Aconquija
• Alto de las Juntas
• Andalgalá
• Amanao
• Buena Vista
• Chaquiago
• Choya
• El Alamito
• El Lindero
• El Potrero
• La Aguada
• La Mesada

There are also the following small settlements (Parajes or Caseríos):

Agua de las Palomas Agua Verde Campo El Pucará Ciénaga El Pozo Cóndor Huasi El Arbolito	El Durazno El Espinillo El Lampazo El Pantanito Finca Juan J.Gil La Guadita	Las Palmitas Las Rosas Ojo de Agua Río Potrero Taco yacu Villa Vil

history

Andalgalá was founded on March 1st, 1822 by Don Crisanto Gómez .

economy

Livestock and mining are the two mainstays of the economy. The Capillitas mine is the most mineral-rich mine in Argentina. Basically, the rhodochrosite stone is mined, along with 87 other minerals, including catamarcaite , a mineral that was named after the province of Catamarca.

Web links

• Andalgalá Department ( Memento of March 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (Spanish)
• Departamento Andalgalá - Gobierno de Catamarca - History ( Memento of September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (Spanish)
• Capillitas mine

Coordinates: 27 ° 36 ′  S , 66 ° 18 ′  W