Purmamarca 3.19

Purmamarca is a town in the Tumbaya Department of the Jujuy Province in Argentina.EtymologyThe name of the town can be interpreted as the combination of Aymara language words purma (desert) and marca (city), though desert in that language can refer to uncivilised or not touched by human hand, thus the name is often interpreted as Town of the virgin land.GeographyThe locality lies on Provincial Route 16, 4km West of National Route 9, 65 km from Provincial capital San Salvador de Jujuy and 22 km from Tilcara.It is located at the Quebrada de Purmamarca, sometimes considered part of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. The Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of the Seven Colours) shows its colourful face to the nearby town.EconomyHistorically relegated from the commercial axis of the province, the area gained some economic thrust mainly due to two different yet related events:On the one hand, the town's road connection has been greatly improved by the so-called Capricorn Axis asphalted commercial route via Cuesta del Lipán to Paso de Jama towards Atacama, Chile, and the Pacific Ocean. Even though this brought little direct benefit for the local industry, it did improve the influx of tourism.