The Capital department, officially department Juan Francisco Borges, from the sanction of the provincial law 6297. Is located in the center-west of the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. It is bordered to the north by the departments of Río Hondo and Banda, to the south by Choya and Silípica, to the east by the departments of Robles and Banda, and to the west by the departments of Guasayán and Choya. It is the oldest city founded by the Spaniards that still exists in Argentine territory. It is located on the Dulce River at 1,042 km from the city of Buenos Aires, on the National Route RN 9 and at 187 meters above sea level.
Historically from its foundation and during several centuries it was the capital of the Colonial Tucumán, headquarters of the civil, military and ecclesiastical government by own merit. Here the first Argentine diocese was founded, the first hydraulic work in Argentine territory, the first cathedral, the first shipment of cotton for export and the first University. It consists of 2,116 km², 1.5% of the provincial total, being by surface the 23rd department within the 27 jurisdictions in which the province is divided politically. According to the census of the year 2001, in the Capital Department lived 244,567 inhabitants, 30,40% of the provincial total. With respect to the census of 1991, a rise in the prelative population weight is observed. The departmental capital is the city of Santiago del Estero. It has 230,614 inhabitants.94% of the total of the department. Other populations of the same one are Villa Zanjón, San Pedro.
It is dedicated to the breeding of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and the most common crops are melon, sweet potato, corn, watermelon, cotton, squash, tomato, onion. The employed population of the department is 64,062 people, 7.96% of the total population.