Villa Pehuenia is a village and municipality in Neuquén Province in southwestern Argentina.[1] The town is located on the northern shore of Aluminé Lake and its economy is primarily based on tourism. The village is in the Andes and is located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the border with Chile via a highway through the Icalma pass. The town is named after the pehuén or monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana), an endangered species found here at the southernmost limit of its range.

Villa Pehuenia
Municipality and village
Villa Pehuenia is located in Neuquén Province
Villa Pehuenia
Villa Pehuenia
Villa Pehuenia is located in Argentina
Villa Pehuenia
Villa Pehuenia
Coordinates: 38°53′06″S 71°10′11″W / 38.88500°S 71.16972°W / -38.88500; -71.16972
Country Argentina
ProvinceNeuquén Province
Elevation
3,816 ft (1,163 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total
1,611
Time zoneUTC−3 (ART)
ClimateCsb

History

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The Mapuche people moved into this region from Chile in the 18th century, absorbing the earlier indigenous people and dominating the region until the late 19th century. Logging was the industry that first attracted settlers of European origin. The village of Villa Pehuenia was not created until 1989 with a population at that time of 155 people. The population had grown to 1,611 in 2010, the increase attributable to the increase in tourism.[2] The indigenous Puel people (of Mapuche origin) continue to maintain a community here. [3]

A street in Pehuenia and a Pehuen tree
Lake Aluminé and Villa Pehuenia from the slopes of the Batea Mahuida volcano

Description

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Villa Pehuenia sprawls over about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of the northern shore of Lake Aluminé, but is concentrated on two narrow peninsulas extending out into the lake. Rising near the village is the Batea Mahuida volcano which reaches a maximum elevation of 1,948 metres (6,391 ft) about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of the Villa Pehuenia. A small ski resort is operated on the slopes of the volcano by the Puel people.[4]

Climate

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Villa Pehuenia has a warm-summer mediterranean climate, Csb in the Köppen climate classification system and Crlk (mild summers, cool winters) in the Trewartha climate classification.

Climate data for Villa Pehuenia 1,163 metres (3,816 ft) above sea level
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.4
(75.9)
24.0
(75.2)
21.4
(70.5)
16.9
(62.4)
11.4
(52.5)
6.7
(44.1)
6.8
(44.2)
8.9
(48.0)
12.4
(54.3)
16.7
(62.1)
19.7
(67.5)
22.0
(71.6)
16.0
(60.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 14.8
(58.6)
14.3
(57.7)
12.1
(53.8)
8.7
(47.7)
5.7
(42.3)
3.3
(37.9)
3.7
(38.7)
4.5
(40.1)
6.0
(42.8)
8.6
(47.5)
11.1
(52.0)
13.2
(55.8)
8.8
(47.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.2
(41.4)
4.6
(40.3)
2.9
(37.2)
0.5
(32.9)
0
(32)
0
(32)
0.6
(33.1)
0.1
(32.2)
−0.4
(31.3)
0.5
(32.9)
2.8
(37.0)
4.5
(40.1)
1.6
(34.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 23
(0.9)
29
(1.1)
53
(2.1)
74
(2.9)
164
(6.5)
195
(7.7)
183
(7.2)
132
(5.2)
80
(3.1)
45
(1.8)
49
(1.9)
36
(1.4)
1,063
(41.9)
Source: [5]

References

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  1. ^ Villa Pehuenia - Moquehue
  2. ^ Villa Pehuenia," https://www.interpatagonia.com/villapehuenia/historia.html, accessed 13 Apr 2018
  3. ^ "Villa Pehuenia", http://www.patagonia-argentina.com/en/villa-pehuenia/, accessed 13 Apr 2018
  4. ^ "Villa Pehuenia.org", http://www.villapehuenia.org/bateamahuida/, accessed 16 Apr 2018
  5. ^ "Villa Pehuenia Climate Table," Climate Data.org, https://en.climate-data.org/location/506322/, accessed 11 Apr 2018