Geography of Argentina

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Geography of Argentina
Argentina topo blank.jpg
ContinentSouth America
Region Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates 34°00′S64°00′W / 34.000°S 64.000°W / -34.000; -64.000
Area Ranked 8th
  Total2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi)
  Land98.43%
  Water1.56%
Coastline4,989 km (3,100 mi)
Borders Chile 6,691 km (4,157 mi) [1]
Paraguay 2,531 km (1,572 mi) [1]
Brazil 1,263 km (784 mi) [1]
Bolivia 942 km (585 mi) [1]
Uruguay 541 km (336 mi) [1]
Highest point Cerro Aconcagua, 6,960 m [1]
Lowest point Laguna del Carbón, -105 m [1]
Longest river Paraná River, 4,700 km
Largest lake Lake Buenos Aires 1,850 km²
Exclusive economic zone1,159,063 km2 (447,517 sq mi)

The geography of Argentina is heavily diverse, consisting of the Andes Mountains, pampas, and various rivers and lakes. Bordered by the Andes in the west and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, its neighbouring countries are Chile to the west, Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, and Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast.

Contents

In terms of area, Argentina is the second largest country in South America after Brazil, and the eighth largest country in the world. Its total area is 2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi). Argentina claims a section of Antarctica (Argentine Antarctica) that is subject to the Antarctic Treaty. Argentina also asserts claims to several British South Atlantic islands.

With a population of 46.6 million, [2] Argentina ranks as the world's 31st most populous country as of 2010.

Regions

Regions of Argentina:
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Northwest
Chaco Region
Mesopotamia
Cuyo
Sierras pampeanas
Pampas
Dry Pampas
Patagonia
Antarctica islands
. Regiones geograficas arg.png
Regions of Argentina:
   Northwest
   Cuyo
   Pampas
   Patagonia
   Antarctica islands
.

Argentina's provinces are divided in seven zones regarding climate and terrain. From North to South, West to East:

Land use

Mountains and hills

Water resources

In Argentina, the fluvial net is integrated by many systems of different economic relevance, which could be measured by their amount of flow and navigability. Water flow relevance is based on its potential to be used for irrigation and as a source of energy. Depending on where the water streams drain, rivers and creeks could be classified into three different kinds of watersheds:

On the other hand, lakes and lagoons are permanent accumulations of water over impervious depressions. Their difference is mainly based on their extension and depth. They are very important for stream regulation, as a source of energy, tourist attraction and its ichthyologic wealth. In Argentina, all major lakes are in Patagonia. [3]

Rivers

Major rivers in Argentina include the Pilcomayo, Paraguay, Bermejo, Colorado, Río Negro, Salado, Uruguay and the largest river, the Paraná. The latter two flow together before meeting the Atlantic Ocean, forming the estuary of the Río de la Plata. Regionally important rivers are the Atuel and Mendoza in the homonymous province, the Chubut in Patagonia, the Río Grande in Jujuy, and the San Francisco River in Salta.

Lakes

There are several large lakes in Argentina, many of them in Patagonia. Among these are lakes Argentino and Viedma in Santa Cruz, Nahuel Huapi in Río Negro and Fagnano in Tierra del Fuego, and Colhué Huapi and Musters in Chubut. Lake Buenos Aires and O'Higgins/San Martín Lake are shared with Chile. Mar Chiquita, Córdoba, is the largest saltwater lake in the country. There are numerous reservoirs created by dams. Argentina features various hot springs, such as those at Termas de Río Hondo with temperatures between 30 °C and 65 °C.

A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 3,091 km2 of tidal flats in Argentina, making it the ninth ranked country in terms of how much tidal flat occurs there. [4]

Climate

Argentina is subject to a variety of climates. The north of the country, including latitudes in and below the Tropic of Capricorn, is characterized by very hot, wet summers (which result in a number of swamp lands) with mild drier winters, and is subject to periodic droughts during the winter season.

Central Argentina has hot summers with tornadoes and thunderstorms (in western Argentina producing some of the world's largest hail), and cool winters. The southern regions have warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall, especially in mountainous zones. Higher elevations at all latitudes experience cooler conditions.

Political geography

Argentina borders five countries. Its largest and second largest international borders are the Argentina–Chile border, which is 5,308 km (3,298 mi) long, and the Argentina–Paraguay border which is 1,699 km (1,056 mi) long. [5] [6] [7]

International agreements:

Strategic importance:

Territorial claims

National parks

The National Parks of Argentina make up a network of thirty national parks in Argentina. The parks cover a very varied set of terrains and biotopes, from Baritú National Park on the northern border with Bolivia to Tierra del Fuego National Park in the far south of the continent (see List of national parks of Argentina).

The creation of the National Parks dates back to the 1903 donation of 73 square kilometers of land in the Lake District in the Andes foothills by Francisco Moreno. This formed the nucleus of a larger protected area in Patagonia around San Carlos de Bariloche. In 1934, a law was passed creating the National Parks system, formalizing the protected area as the Nahuel Huapi National Park and creating the Iguazú National Park. The National Park Police Force was born, enforcing the new laws preventing tree-felling and hunting. Their early task was largely to establish national sovereignty over these disputed areas and to protect borders.

Five further national parks were declared in 1937 in Patagonia and the service planned new towns and facilities to promote tourism and education. Six more were declared by 1970.

In 1970 a new law established new categories of protection, so that there now were National Parks, National Monuments, Educational Reserves and Natural Reserves. Three national parks were declared in the 1970s. In 1980, another new law affirmed the status of national parks - this law is still in place. The 1980s saw the service reaching out to local communities and local government to help in the running and development of the national parks. Ten more national parks were created with local co-operation, sometimes at local instigation. In 2000, Mburucuyá and Copo National Parks were declared, and El Leoncito natural reserve was upgraded to a national park.

The headquarters of the National Park Service are in downtown Buenos Aires, on Santa Fe Avenue. A library and information center are open to the public. The administration also covers the national monuments, such as the Petrified Forest, and natural and educational reserves.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tierra del Fuego</span> Archipelago off the south of South America

Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patagonia</span> Geographical region in South America

Patagonia is a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers in the west and deserts, tablelands, and steppes to the east. Patagonia is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and many bodies of water that connect them, such as the Strait of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, and the Drake Passage to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Río Negro Province</span> Province of Argentina

Río Negro is a province of Argentina, located in northern Patagonia. Neighboring provinces are from the south clockwise Chubut, Neuquén, Mendoza, La Pampa and Buenos Aires. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neuquén Province</span> Province of Argentina

Neuquén is a province of Argentina, located in the west of the country, at the northern end of Patagonia. It borders Mendoza Province to the north, Rio Negro Province to the southeast, and Chile to the west. It also meets La Pampa Province at its northeast corner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bariloche</span> City in Río Negro, Argentina

San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. After development of extensive public works and Alpine-styled architecture, the city emerged in the 1930s and 1940s as a major tourism centre with skiing, trekking and mountaineering facilities. In addition, it has numerous restaurants, cafés, and chocolate shops. The city had a permanent population of 108,205 according to the 2010 census. According to the latest statistics from 2015, the population is around 122,700, and a projection for 2020 estimates 135,704.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisco Moreno</span> Argentine explorer

Francisco Pascasio Moreno was a prominent explorer and academic in Argentina, where he is usually referred to as Perito Moreno. Perito Moreno has been credited as one of the most influential figures in the Argentine incorporation of large parts of Patagonia and its subsequent development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerro Catedral</span> Mountain in Argentina

Cerro Catedral is a mountain located 19 kilometres (12 mi) from San Carlos de Bariloche, and inside the Nahuel Huapí National Park, in Patagonia, Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nahuel Huapi Lake</span> Lake in Patagonia

Nahuel Huapi Lake is an Andean lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The lake has a northwest-southeast elongated shape and complex geography with several branches, peninsulas and islands. The city of Bariloche is on the southern shore of the lake and the town of Villa La Angostura lies on its northwestern shores. The lake is wholly inside Nahuel Huapi National Park. It is one of the largest lakes in northern Patagonia. It is drained by Limay River and it is part of the watershed of Negro River which discharges into the South Atlantic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regions of Argentina</span>

The provinces of Argentina are often grouped into eight geographical regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limay River</span> River in Argentina

The Limay River is an important river in the northwestern Argentine Patagonia. It originates at the eastern end of the Nahuel Huapi Lake and flows in a meandering path for about 380 kilometres (240 mi), collecting the waters of several tributaries, such as the Traful River, the Pichileufú and the Collón Curá. It then meets the Neuquén River and together they become the Río Negro. At this confluence lies the city of Neuquén.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tehuelche people</span> Ethnic group

The Tehuelche people, also called the Aónikenk, are an Indigenous people from eastern Patagonia in South America. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Tehuelche were influenced by Mapuche people, and many adopted a horseriding lifestyle. Once a nomadic people, the lands of the Tehuelche were colonized in the 19th century by Argentina and Chile, gradually disrupting their traditional economies. The establishment of large sheep farming estates in Patagonia was particularly detrimental to the Tehuelche. Contact with outsiders also brought in infectious diseases ushering deadly epidemics among Tehuelche tribes. Most existing members of the group currently reside in cities and towns of Argentine Patagonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrocarriles Patagónicos</span> Former Argentine State-owned railway company (1908–1948)

Ferrocarriles Patagónicos was an Argentine State-owned railway company that built and operated several rail lines in Patagonia region. FP were part of the Argentine State Railway created in 1909 during the presidency of José Figueroa Alcorta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Argentina</span> Country in South America

The following outline is provided as an overview of, and introduction to Argentina:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manso River (Argentina and Chile)</span> River in Argentina, Chile

The Manso River is a river of Rio Negro Province of Argentina and Los Lagos Region of Chile, both part of Patagonia. The Manso River is located in the Andes. It follows a winding route through snow-capped mountains and connects many glacial lakes. The Manso flows generally southward until its confluence with the Puelo River in Chile. The river while in Argentina flows through the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Most of the southern part of Nahuel Huapi is in the drainage basin of the Manso River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nahuel Huapi National Park</span> National park in Argentina

Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest national park in Argentina, established in 1922 as Parque Nacional de Sud and reconfiguered in 1934. It surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of 7,050 km2 (2,720 sq mi), or nearly 2 million acres. Its landscapes represent the north Patagonian Andean Zone consisting of three types, namely, the Altoandino, the Andino-Patagónico and the Patagonian steppe. It also represents small parts of the Valdivian Rainforest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tierra del Fuego National Park</span> Argentine park

Tierra del Fuego National Park is a national park on the Argentine part of the island of Tierra del Fuego, within Tierra del Fuego Province in the ecoregion of Patagonic Forest and Altos Andes, a part of the subantarctic forest. Established on 15 October 1960 under the Law 15.554 and expanded in 1966, it was the first shoreline national park to be established in Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Deseado Railway</span> Argentine railway company (1911–1978)

The Puerto Deseado and Colonia Las Heras Railway was a State-owned railway company that ran between the cities of Puerto Deseado to Colonia Las Heras in Santa Cruz Province. The 283-km broad gauge railway was established with the intention of encouraging settlement in Patagonia, which was sparsely populated at that point. The railway also contributed to the commercialisation of wool in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentina–Chile border</span> International border in South America

The Argentina–Chile border is the longest international border of South America and the third longest in the world after the Canada–United States border and the Kazakhstan–Russia border. With a length of 5,308 kilometres (3,298 mi), it separates Argentina from Chile along the Andes and on the islands of Tierra del Fuego. However, there are some border disputes, particularly around the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It is the largest border of the two countries, beating the Argentina–Paraguay and Chile–Bolivia, Argentina's and Chile's second largest borders, respectively.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The world Factbook: Argentina". The World Factbook . Central Intelligence Agency . Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  2. "CIA World Factbook: Argentina" . Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  3. Carlevari and Carlevari (2007).{{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Murray, N.J.; Phinn, S.R.; DeWitt, M.; Ferrari, R.; Johnston, R.; Lyons, M.B.; Clinton, N.; Thau, D.; Fuller, R.A. (2019). "The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats". Nature. 565 (7738): 222–225. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8. PMID   30568300. S2CID   56481043.
  5. "INDEC: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos de la República Argentina". www.indec.gob.ar.
  6. "PARAGUAY GEOGRAFIA". August 17, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-08-17.
  7. "Límites". September 2020.

Bibliography