Córdoba << KAWR duh buh >> (pop. 1,317,298) is the second largest city in Argentina. Only Buenos Aires, the capital, has more people. Córdoba is a major industrial center and the capital of the Argentine province of Córdoba. The city lies in north-central Argentina, on the Río Primero, also called the Río Suquía. It is at the foot of the Sierra Chica, part of a mountain range called the Sierra de Córdoba.
Córdoba ranks as Argentina’s top producer of automobiles and tractors. The city is also a leading manufacturer of textiles and of glass and leather products. Despite its industrialization, Córdoba has preserved such traditional features as promenades and public squares. The city center contains a number of historic buildings constructed by Jesuit missionaries during the 1600’s. These include the National University of Córdoba, established in 1613, and the Company of Jesus Church, completed in 1671. Córdoba has long been one of Argentina’s main educational centers, with several universities and several postsecondary colleges.
Spanish settlers from Peru founded Córdoba in 1573. Its location on early trade routes to Chile and Peru, along with rich agricultural land surrounding the city, helped Córdoba grow and prosper.
