cabecera (county seat) and partido (county) of Gran (Greater) Buenos Aires, eastern Argentina, west of the city of Buenos Aires, in Buenos Aires provincia (province). The region of the present-day county was colonized shortly after the second and permanent founding of Buenos Aires (1580). In 1730 an interim parish was founded near the estancia (landholding) of Francisco de Merlo. In that same year, Merlo founded the Villa de San Antonio del Camino, which was renamed later in his honour. For many years, the development of Merlo lagged behind the growth of nearby Morón. In 1865 the region was officially declared a county. The county seat of Merlo was formerly important solely as a railroad junction and trade centre for the surrounding agricultural and pastoral lands. About half of the county now lies within the Gran Buenos Aires urban area, and the population density is less than that of most of the counties in Gran Buenos Aires. Pop. (2001) city, 244,168; county, 468,745.