Esperanza is a city in the center of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It has 46,753 inhabitants according to the 2022 census [INDEC] and it is the head town of the Las Colonias Department.[1]

Esperanza
Flag of Esperanza
Coat of arms of Esperanza
Esperanza is located in Argentina
Esperanza
Esperanza
Location of Esperanza in Argentina
Esperanza is located in Santa Fe Province
Esperanza
Esperanza
Esperanza (Santa Fe Province)
Coordinates: 31°26.56′S 60°55.54′W / 31.44267°S 60.92567°W / -31.44267; -60.92567
Country Argentina
Province Santa Fe
DepartmentLas Colonias
FoundedSeptember 8, 1856 (168 years ago) (September 8, 1856)
Founded byAarón Castellanos
Government
 • MayorRodrigo Müller (UCR)
Area
 • Total
289 km2 (112 sq mi)
Elevation
38 m (125 ft)
Population
 (2022 census)
 • Total
46 753
 • Density145.61/km2 (377.1/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-3 (ART)
CPA base
S3080
Dialing code+54 3496
WebsiteOfficial website

Esperanza is at the heart of the most important dairy district of the country (milk production is based on the Holando-Argentino breed). Cattle farming is also a major activity. Additionally it hosts many small and medium industries in a variety of sectors (wood, metal mechanics, food products, book printing, editorials, textile, leather, etc.).

History

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City Hall, Esperanza, Santa Fe.

Esperanza was the first formally organized agricultural colony in Argentina, formed by 200 families of immigrants from Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg who arrived during January and February 1856. The town was officially founded on 8 September 1856. The lands for each family in the colony had been set aside on 15 June 1853 by an agreement (the Agricultural Colonization Contract) between the government of Santa Fe and the entrepreneur Aarón Castellanos. The original name of the city was Colonia Esperanza, that is "Colony Hope".

The city was the third one in the province to have a Municipal Council, after Rosario and Santa Fe, on 4 May 1861. It was declared the head town of its department in 1884. In 1892, it hosted the first Agricultural Congress of the Republic.

In 1944, the national government decreed that September 8, the feast of the birth of the Virgin Mary (patron of Esperanza), was to be the National Day of the Agricultural Worker, and in 1979 Esperanza was declared permanent seat of the National Festival of Agriculture and National Agricultural Worker Day.

Notable people

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Sister Cities

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Esperanza is twinned with:

References

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  1. ^ "Municipality of Esperanza". Municipalidad de Esperanza (in Spanish).
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Hermanamiento de Esperanza con las comunas de Champéry, Hérémence, Riddes, Saint-Martin, Trient Y Vex". esperanza.gov.ar (in Spanish). Esperanza. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Histórico hermanamiento de Esperanza con seis Comunas Suizas". FM Spacio (in Spanish). May 8, 2012. Retrieved 2025-01-17.