Geography of Argentina

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Argentina

Continent	South America
Subregion	Southern Cone
Geographic coordinates	34°00′S, 64°00′W
Area  - Total  - Water	Ranked 8th 2,766,890 km² 30,200 km² (1.09%)
Coastline	4,989 km
Land boundaries	9,861 km
Countries bordered	Chile 5,308 km Paraguay 1,880 km Brazil 1,261 km Bolivia 832 km Uruguay 580 km
Highest point	Cerro Aconcagua, 6,960 m
Lowest point	Laguna del Carbón, -105 m
Longest river	Parana River, 4,700 km
Largest inland body of water	Lake Buenos Aires 1,850 km²
Land Use  - Arable land  - Permanent    crops  - Other	10.03 % 0.36 % 89.61 % (2005 est.)
Irrigated Land	15,500km²
Climate:	Temperate to arid to subantarctic
Terrain:	plains, plateau, mountains
Natural resources	fertile plains, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Natural hazards	earthquakes, windstorms, heavy flooding
Environmental issues	deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air and water pollution

Argentina by subject
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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 km². 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.

Contents 1 Geographical zones 1.1 Climate 1.2 Land use 2 Rivers and Lakes 3 Environment 4 Geographical Politics 5 See also 6 References

[edit] Geographical zones

Regions of Argentina
Argentine Northwest
Gran Chaco
Mesopotamia
Cuyo
Pampas
Patagonia
Antártida Argentina (Antartctic territorial claim suspended by the Antarctic Treaty)
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Main article: Regions of Argentina

The country's provinces are divided in 6 zones regarding climate and terrain. From North to South, West to East:

• Argentine Northwest: Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja
• Gran Chaco: Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero
• Mesopotamia: Misiones, Entre Ríos, Corrientes
• Cuyo: San Juan, Mendoza, San Luis
• The Pampas: Córdoba, Santa Fe, La Pampa, Buenos Aires
• Patagonia: Rio Negro, Neuquén, Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego

[edit] Climate

• Mostly temperate
• Arid in southeast
• Sub-antarctic in southwest

[edit] Land use

• Arable land:9%
• Permanent crops: 1%
• Permanent pastures: 52%
• Forests and woodland: 19%
• Other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 17,000 km² (1993 est.)

[edit] Rivers and Lakes

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.

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 salt water 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.

[edit] 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 Tucumán 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

[edit] 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 (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

[edit] 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

[edit] References

• This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
• This article contains material from the US Department of State's Background Notes which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.
• UT Perry Castenada Map - Argentina Map Website Map

v • d • e Geography of South America Sovereign states Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama1 · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago1 · Uruguay · Venezuela Dependencies Aruba1 / Netherlands Antilles1 (Netherlands) · Falkland Islands / South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) · French Guiana (France) 1 Territories also in or commonly reckoned elsewhere in the Americas (North America).