The geographical position of Argentina determines its unique natural conditions and contributes to the economic development of the country.
general characteristics
The name "Argentina" is often translated as "silver", so it is often called the country of silver mountains. The capital of Argentina is the city of Buenos Aires, other large settlements: Cordoba, La Plata, Salta, Rosario. The country's population is 44 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish.
Argentina is a republic. Administratively, the territory is divided into 22 provinces, the national territory of Tierra del Fuego and the metropolitan area. The head of state is the president, who is elected every 6 years. The highest authorities are represented by a bicameral parliament and cabinet.
Argentina: geographical location
The state is in South America. More precisely, the geographical position of Argentina is defined as follows: the southeastern part of the mainland South America. In addition to the mainland, the country includes many small islands and the eastern part of the island of Tierra del Fuego. In the south and west it borders on Chile, in the north - with Bolivia, in the northeast with Paraguay and Brazil. The eastern neighbor of the country is Uruguay. The Atlantic Ocean washes it from the east, subantarctic waters from the south.
The area of Argentina is 2780 thousand square meters. km Of all the countries of the continent, only Brazil surpasses it in size. The territory of the country is very elongated from north to south, the coasts are not very dissected. In the southeastern part, the La Plata estuary, formed by the Uruguay and Parana rivers , crashes into the coast for almost 300 kilometers.
The position of Argentina in the historical and geographical regions is similar to Chile, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands (the disputed territory between Argentina and Great Britain).
Natural features
The geographical position of Argentina and the large extent determined the diverse topography and climatic conditions of the country. According to them, the territory of Argentina can be divided into four natural regions.
In the first region there are large mountain ranges - the Andes. They are located along the western border of the country. Mountain ranges in the south, covered with snow and ice, reach a height of about 4 thousand meters. In this region there is also a large lake region, continuing in the territory of Chile. In the northwestern part of the Andean ranges are much higher. There is little rainfall, so there are high-mountain steppes and deserts.
The Northern Plains region is located between the Andes and the Parana and Paraguay rivers. This is a subtropical zone with heavy rainfall. There are many rivers in this area that often flood, flooding the banks (especially in the Chaco plain). Plains are mainly used for pasture.
The third region - Pampa - is flat and hilly. Its relief is composed of loose sediment. In the east there are several low hills. In the southern part, the height of the plains decreases, there are many swamps. A huge part of Pampa is occupied by loess. On the western border of the region are sand dunes.
Patagonia is located in southern Argentina, between the Andes and the Atlantic Ocean. This natural area is characterized by frequent winds and a dry climate. On the western border there is a chain of deep depressions (mountain depressions), the seashore is steep. From west to east, the plateau of Patagonia is indented by canyons.
Economy
The economic and geographical position of Argentina is very favorable. Most of the borders are land - about three quarters. Argentina stretches for 3.7 thousand km from north to south, and 1.4 thousand km from east to west. The coastline has a length of 2.5 thousand km, which contributes to the development of trade relations.
In general, the geographical position of Argentina creates favorable conditions for establishing external contacts and economic recovery of the country. However, there are a number of reasons that hinder rapid development. The first reason is the considerable distance from commercially viable countries, for example, from North America, Europe and Southeast Asia. The second is the similarity in the specialization of manufactured goods with neighboring countries.
Among the countries of Latin America, Argentina is one of the most powerful. The main place in the country's economy is occupied by the service sector (57.2%). The industrial sector is also well developed. The predominant industry is heavy industry: ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, uranium, woodworking, oil refining industry. The country has some of the largest uranium deposits in the world.
Agriculture makes up only 9.9% of the state economy; corn, wheat, fruits, and tobacco crops are grown. In the field of animal husbandry, beef cattle breeding and meat and wool sheep breeding are developing. The agricultural products that Argentina produces provide for the country's own needs, and are also exported abroad.
Conclusion
The South American country, due to its elongation from north to south, is located immediately in several natural and climatic zones. Its territory is divided into four natural areas: Andes, Northern Plains, Pampa and Patagonia. The fertile plains of Pampa and the northern plains contribute to the development of agriculture in the country. The large maritime border creates the conditions for foreign trade relations. The main economic areas of Argentina are industry and services.