Buenos Aires - Climate and City Layout

Climate of Buenos Aires

• General Climate: Buenos Aires has a temperate climate typical of the Rio de la Plata coastal plain.
• Summer (Dec-Mar):
  • Hot and humid
  • Temperatures: Low to mid-80s°F (about 28°C)
• Autumn and Spring:
  • Fluctuating temperatures
  • Rapidly changing weather
• Winter (Jun-Sep):
  • Mild but humid
  • Temperatures: Low 50s°F (about 11°C)
  • Frosts occur from May to Sep
  • Snowfall is rare
• Annual Temperature: Average is 60°F (16°C)
• Winds: Low velocity, more frequent during electrical storm season (Sep-Mar)
• Rainfall:
  • Heaviest in March
  • Average annual rainfall is 45 inches (1,140 mm)

City Layout

• Metropolitan Area:
  • Divided into Federal District and suburbs
  • Federal District holds less than 25% of the population
• City Center:
  • Built on original colonial foundation
  • Grid pattern streets
  • Major financial institutions and corporate headquarters located here
  • Expansion since late 19th century is less planned and regular
• Plaza de Mayo:
  • Historic square
  • Flanked by Cabildo (Town Hall) and Casa Rosada (Pink House)
  • Avenida de Mayo leads to Plaza del Congreso and National Congress building
  • Site of Metropolitan Cathedral and Central Bank
  • Pyramid of May marks the center

City Neighborhoods

• La Boca:
  • Picturesque area at Riachuelo River mouth
  • Known for Italian restaurants and brightly colored wooden houses
• San Telmo:
  • Restored in the 1990s
  • Known for jazz clubs and theaters
• Barrio Norte:
  • Upscale
  • Contains Recoleta Cemetery
• Puerto Madero:
  • Transformed into luxury neighborhood
  • Notable for Puente de la Mujer (Bridge of the Woman)

Outlying Areas

• Suburbs lack vibrancy and infrastructure of city center
• Industrial Counties:
  • Include Avellaneda, Lanús, and Quilmes
  • Important for petrochemical and oil-refining operations
• Tigre:
  • Tourism-focused
  • Located in Paraná delta
• Industrial expansion mostly in northern and western counties since 1970s

Housing Styles

• Single-family dwellings with interior patios or gardens
• Petit Hotels: Two- and three-story versions as population density increased
• High-rise Apartments in northern sectors
• Villas Miserias: Shantytowns characterized by lack of services
• Suburban Estates: Gated communities emerged in late 1980s

Demographics

• Predominantly descendants of Spanish and Italian immigrants
• Porteños:
  • Described as European in character
  • Often seen as extroverted, pessimistic, or arrogant
• Significant minorities: Germans, Britons, Ukrainians, Czechs, Poles, Slovenians, Lithuanians, Middle Easterners, Koreans, Japanese, Chinese
• Mestizos: Predominantly from northern Argentina and neighboring countries
• Decline in Black population since the 19th century
• Cultural Influence: Variety of ethnic neighborhoods reflecting diverse population

Religions

• Predominantly Roman Catholic
• Growing presence of Evangelical Protestantism, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican communities
• Significant Jewish community
• Emerging Eastern religions

These notes provide a high-level overview of the climate, layout, neighborhoods, housing, and demographics of Buenos Aires, as well as cultural and religious aspects.