Chamical facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chamical
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View southwest along Avenida Perón in downtown Chamical. The brushy Sierra de los Quinteros range can be seen in distant background |
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| Nicknames:
Perla de los Llanos
("Pearl of the Plains"), Ciudad del Cohete ("Rocket City") |
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 Chamical
Location in Argentina
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| Country |  Argentina |
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| Province | La Rioja | |
| City status | 1955 | |
| Elevation
(at City Hall)
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471 m (1,545 ft) | |
| Population
(2010 census)
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| • Total | 12,919 | |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (ART) | |
| Zip code |
F5380
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| Area code(s) | 03826 | |
| Climate | BSh | |
Chamical is a small city in La Rioja Province, Argentina. It is the main city of the Chamical Department. About 12,919 people live there, making it the third largest city in the province.
Chamical is known as the "Pearl of the Plains" and "Rocket City." This is because it is home to the CELPA aerospace test center. This center was started in 1961 and is run by the Argentine Air Force. It's a place where rockets and other aerospace equipment are tested.
The city is located on Route 38. It's about 140 kilometers (87 miles) from La Rioja and 300 kilometers (186 miles) from Córdoba. Chamical has been an important place in Argentina's history over the last 50 years.
You can find cool natural spots near Chamical. These include "Las Ollitas," which is a natural waterfall lake, and "La Salina," a long salt flat. Chamical is also known as a center for tango music and dance in La Rioja Province.
Contents
Why is it Called Chamical?
Chamical got its name from a special plant. Many plants called chamico used to grow wild in the area. Chamico is a medicinal herb, also known as "jimsonweed."
What's the Weather Like in Chamical?
Chamical is in a dry area called the Llanos Riojanos, which means "Riojan Plains." It has a hot semi-arid climate, which means it's often hot and dry.
The city experiences four distinct seasons:
- Dry Season (April to October): This period is mild to cool. July is usually the coldest month.
- Rainy Season (November to March): This time is warm to hot. January is typically the warmest month.
It rarely snows or freezes in Chamical, but sometimes there is hail. The city gets about 448.8 millimeters (17.67 inches) of rain each year. Most of the rain falls in the summer months. January is the wettest month.
Winters are cool but often sunny. Summers are very hot, which is common for La Rioja Province. Temperatures can often reach 38 degrees Celsius (about 100 Fahrenheit) or even higher. The summer rain helps to cool things down a bit. Spring is mild and windy, while fall is pleasant but can get chilly.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Chamical was 45.5 degrees Celsius (113.9 Fahrenheit) on December 25, 2013. The lowest temperature recorded was -7.7 degrees Celsius (18.1 Fahrenheit) on July 31, 1993.
| Climate data for Chamical (1991–2020, extremes 1963–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.2 (113.4) |
42.2 (108.0) |
40.5 (104.9) |
38.2 (100.8) |
34.5 (94.1) |
29.3 (84.7) |
31.5 (88.7) |
40.4 (104.7) |
41.7 (107.1) |
43.0 (109.4) |
43.7 (110.7) |
45.5 (113.9) |
45.5 (113.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 33.8 (92.8) |
31.9 (89.4) |
29.5 (85.1) |
25.6 (78.1) |
21.4 (70.5) |
18.6 (65.5) |
18.7 (65.7) |
22.4 (72.3) |
25.7 (78.3) |
29.3 (84.7) |
31.8 (89.2) |
33.8 (92.8) |
26.9 (80.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.0 (80.6) |
25.3 (77.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.3 (66.7) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.8 (53.2) |
11.0 (51.8) |
14.3 (57.7) |
18.1 (64.6) |
22.1 (71.8) |
24.6 (76.3) |
26.6 (79.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20.6 (69.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
18.0 (64.4) |
14.3 (57.7) |
10.2 (50.4) |
6.5 (43.7) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.9 (51.6) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
19.6 (67.3) |
13.7 (56.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 10.3 (50.5) |
8.9 (48.0) |
4.5 (40.1) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
4.5 (40.1) |
6.0 (42.8) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 93.4 (3.68) |
88.3 (3.48) |
67.2 (2.65) |
27.6 (1.09) |
10.2 (0.40) |
3.4 (0.13) |
3.2 (0.13) |
2.7 (0.11) |
7.8 (0.31) |
28.1 (1.11) |
45.5 (1.79) |
82.7 (3.26) |
460.1 (18.11) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 7.4 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 47.0 |
| Average snowy days | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 58.3 | 62.6 | 67.3 | 69.0 | 70.3 | 68.2 | 60.2 | 49.7 | 46.5 | 48.3 | 50.7 | 53.5 | 58.7 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 285.2 | 234.5 | 217.0 | 189.0 | 179.8 | 171.0 | 207.7 | 235.6 | 240.0 | 260.4 | 279.0 | 294.5 | 2,793.7 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 9.2 | 8.3 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 7.6 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 62.7 | 54.2 | 53.2 | 57.6 | 51.4 | 51.6 | 66.0 | 66.0 | 63.4 | 62.8 | 63.2 | 71.6 | 59.0 |
| Source 1: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (percent sun 1991–2000) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Oficina de Riesgo Agropecuario (record highs and lows) | |||||||||||||
Nearby Towns
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La Rioja | Casa de Piedra | |
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| Punta de los Llanos |  |
Chañar | ||
 Chamical  |
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| Chepes | Olta |
Images for kids
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Motor vehicles at the east entrance to Chamical on Argentina Route 38
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Chamical's former railroad station, now housing the local museum.
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This old railroad water tower was built by a British company in the late 1800s. It's a historic landmark!
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Chamical Bus Depot.
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A sounding rocket on a mobile launch pad at CELPA launching facility in 1969.
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A memorial to José de San Martín in the middle of a garden square downtown at twilight.
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This Chamical bank shows classic brutalist architecture.
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Chamical City Hall, located downtown.
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Mitre Book Club. It was established in 1921.
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The National University of La Rioja campus in Chamical is on the south side of town. Many students from all over the country come to study here.
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The main public hospital in the Llanos Riojanos is called Hospital Luis Agote. It is named after Argentina's famous doctor Luis Agote.
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The Chamical Tourist Information Center is a small attraction itself. It's located near the bus depot, just off Route 38.
See also
In Spanish: Chamical para niños
