Iruya
Iruya is a small town of population 4,299 (per the 2001 INDEC census)[1] in northwestern Argentina. It is located in the Salta Province of northwestern Argentina, and is the capital of the Iruya Department. Located in the altiplano region along the Iruya river, Iruya sits nestled against the mountainside at an elevation of 2,780 meters (9,120 feet). It is very remote, located over 300 kilometers (190 miles) from the province capital of Salta, and a 50-km (31-mi) portion of the route to Iruya is unpaved.[2] Nonetheless, the town is popular with tourists for its scenic location and townscape and friendly locals.[3]
8 km north of Iruya there is the village of San Isidro, 7 km north there is the village of San Juan, 28 km north there is the village of Chiyayoc, 6 km south there is the village of Pueblo Viejo.
Iruya's name is derived from the Quechua language, meaning "brave straw" or "site of the high pastures"[2]. The town may date back to pre-Columbian origins.[3]
References
- ^ "Cuadro 12.4 Provincia de Salta según localidad. Población por grupos de edad. Año 2001 (Spanish language)". Censo 2001. INDEC. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
- ^ a b "Salta: Iruya". Enjoy Travel Argentina. Enjoy Corporation SA. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
- ^ a b Ingledew, Roberto. "Off the Beaten Track to Iruya". Gosouthamerica.about.com. About.com. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
See also
22°47′30″S 65°12′59″W / 22.791585°S 65.216361°W
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