General Pico

General Pico is a city located in the northeast of La Pampa Province, Argentina. It is located at 143 m above sea level and inside the region of the Pampa Húmeda Llana (Flat-Humid Pampas). It has a surface area of 2555 km2.

The city was founded on November 11, 1905, by Eduardo de Chapeaurouge, The city is named after former La Pampa Province governor Eduardo de Chapeaurouge. With a population of 53,352 it is the second-largest city in the province after the provincial capital Santa Rosa, and it is the capital of the department of Maracó. The region is heavily agricultural, producing meat that is renowned around the world, and most of the grain consumed in the country.

The crossing between the west and south railroads was a determinant point in the placing of this city, founded on November 11 by Eduardo Chapeaurouge. It is named after General Eduardo Gustavo Pico, who was governor of La Pampa Province for three consecutive periods (1891-1899).

General Pico has a very important section dedicated to factories and what is known as a Zona Franca, a customs-free area where products can be imported and distributed to the rest of the country.

The city has two basketball teams in the Argentinian League: Pico Football Club and Independiente de Pico. It also has its own airport.

Climate
General Pico has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa) featuring hot summers and cool, dry winters. Winters feature a July high of 14.9 C, and temperatures below freezing are common, especially at night. During the summer temperatures can be hot, averaging 31 C in January daytimes; nighttime temperatures average 16.8 C. Spring and fall are transitional seasons with warm days and cool nights, and are highly variable, with some days reaching above 39 C or below freezing. The average annual precipitation is 933 mm, most of it occurring in the warmer months. The highest recorded temperature was 44.0 C on December 28, 1971, while the lowest recorded temperature was -11.2 C on July 10, 1988.