Rawson
Ceety
Coat airms
Rawson Location o Rawson in Argentinae
Coordinates: 43°18′S 65°6′W / 43.300°S 65.100°W / -43.300; -65.100
Kintra	Argentinae
Province	Chubut
Depairtment	Rawson
Govrenment
• Mayor	Rossana Artero
Elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Population  (2012)
• Total	26,306
Demonym(s)	Rawsense
Time zone	UTC−3 (ART)
CPA base	U9103
+54	0280
Website	Offeecial wabsteid

Rawson (oreeginally "Trerawson" frae Welsh) is the caipital o the Argentine province o Chubut, in Patagonie. It haes aboot 26,000 inhabitants, an it is the heid toun o the Rawson Depairtment, which haes 122,000 inhabitants (figurs as per the 2001 census [INDEC]). Even tho it is the provincial caipital, its population is smawer than that o ither ceeties in Chubut: Comodoro Rivadavia, Trelew, Puerto Madryn an Esquel. Rawson became the provincial caipital in 1957, whan Chubut wis constitutit as a province.

Rawson is locatit on Naitional Route 3, aboot 1,360 kilometres sooth o Buenos Aires, some 20 kilometres frae baith Trelew an it is servit bi the Almirante Marco Andrés Zar Airport in Trelew. It is crossed bi the Chubut River, ower which the first brig wis built in 1889. Playa Unión, Rawson's resort beach, is 6 km frae the ceety centre.

The ceety haes a fishin port, Puerto Rawson, on the Atlantic coast, 5 km doun the river. Provincial admeenistration an the port are the main economical activities in the city.

There are twa sma museums in Rawson. The Ceety Museum haes historical objects an auld photographs. The Don Bosco Museum haes a collection o local history an wildlife, includin airtifacts frae the Welsh commonty. The General San Martín Zoo an Pairk covers 6 hectares o the shore o the Chubut River.

Rawson's climate is dry, wi temperaturs in the range o 0 °C to 15 °C in winter, an 10 °C tae 20 °C in Ware an Hairst, wi peaks o up tae 38 °C in simmer.

The first dounset in the aurie o Rawson wis foondit bi Henry Libanus Jones, a Welsh splorer an cattle dealer who haed been livin in Buenos Aires syne 1810. In 1854 he foondit a forrit post for expeditions o huntin an collection o wild cattle at the border o Chubut river.

These precarious constructions wur abandoned suin efter, but they wur foond an taken advantage o bi the first Welsh settlers who disembarked frae the clipper "Mimosa" in Puerto Madryn at 28 Julie 1865. Immediately they splorit towards the sooth in search o fresh watter, till they came tae the river.

Mimosa's settlers cried the fort "Caer Antur" (Welsh=Adventure Fort) or "Yr Hen Amddiffinfa" (Welsh=the auld bunker, or auld bunker). Ane o the settlers o the Mimosa, Abraham Matthews, describes the constructions like this: "The place that we denominatit Yr Hen Amddiffinfa wis a portion o laund surroondit bi a pit measurin saxty tae ane hunder yards in diametre. (….) These men haed excavatit the pit an thrown the soil in, so that whan raised tae the tide the pit is filled o watter, an thus mair insurances felt, acause accordin tae it wis said, the Indies o the Patagonie niver crossed the watter tae attack".

Despite the numerous studies made, the location o the fort in relation tae the modren ceety does no exist the day, syne the river haes chyngit course syne then, an nae remains o the fort can be foond the day.

The toun wis offeecially foondit on 15 September 1865, bi Colonel Julián Murga, an settled bi newly arrivit immigrants frae Wales. It wis namit efter Dr. Guillermo Rawson, the Argentine Interior Meenister o the time, who supportit the Welsh dounset in Argentinae.

Substantial construction o govrenment biggins in the 1970s resultit in the toun bein elk-namit "The little Brasilia o Patagonie". It wis oreeginally kent as Trerawson, Welsh for "Rawson's toun", a name it still retains amang Welsh speakers an some aulder residents.

• Municipal information: Municipal Affairs Federal Institute (IFAM), Municipal Affairs Secretariat, Meenistry o Interior, Argentinae. (in Spaingie)
• Interpatagonia.com: Rawson
• Ceety map Archived 2010-05-25 at the Wayback Machine
• Tourist Office o Chubut Archived 2007-06-26 at the Wayback Machine (Spanish)