MundoAndino Home : Argentina Guide at MundoAndino
Geography of Argentina
Topics: Geography of Argentina
Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. It is bordered by Paraguay and Bolivia in the north, Brazil and Uruguay in the northeast and Chile in the west.
Argentina is the second largest country of South America after Brazil and the 8th largest country in the world. Its total area is approximately 2.7 million km. Argentina claims a section of Antarctica (Argentine Antarctica) but has agreed to suspend sovereignty disputes in the region as a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty. Argentina also asserts claims to several South Atlantic islands administered by the United Kingdom.
Geographical zones
The country's provinces are divided in 6 zones regarding climate and terrain. From North to South, West to East:
Argentine Northwest: Jujuy, Salta, Tucuman, Catamarca, La Rioja
Gran Chaco: Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero
Mesopotamia: Misiones, Entre Rios, Corrientes
Cuyo: San Juan, Mendoza, San Luis
The Pampas: Cordoba, Santa Fe, La Pampa, Buenos Aires
Patagonia: Rio Negro, Neuquen, Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego
Climate
Mostly temperate
Arid in southeast
Sub-antarctic in southwest
Land use
Arable land:9%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 52%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 17,000 km (1993 est.)
Rivers and Lakes
Major rivers in Argentina include the Pilcomayo, Paraguay, Bermejo, Colorado, Rio Negro, Salado, Uruguay and the largest river, the Parana. The latter two flow together before meeting the Atlantic Ocean, forming the estuary of the Rio de la Plata. Regionally important rivers are the Atuel and Mendoza in the homonymous province, the Chubut in Patagonia, the Rio Grande in Jujuy, and the San Francisco River in Salta.
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 Rio Negro and Fagnano in Tierra del Fuego, and Colhue Huapi and Musters in Chubut. Lake Buenos Aires and O'Higgins/San Martin Lake are shared with Chile. Mar Chiquita, Cordoba, is the largest salt water lake in the country. There are numerous reservoirs created by dams. Argentina features various hot springs, such as those at Termas de Rio Hondo with temperatures between 30C and 65C.
Environment
Current issues: Environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrialising economy such as soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution. Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets.
Natural hazards:
San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes
Pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast
Heavy flooding in the Mesopotamia
Geographical Politics
International agreements:
Party to: Antarctic Treaty, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Strategic importance:
Location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans
See also
List of islands of Argentina
List of mountains in Argentina
List of regions in Argentina
Protected areas of Argentina
List of rivers of Argentina
References
UT Perry Castenada Map - Argentina Map Website Map
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Geography of Argentina
