Geographical position of Argentina, natural features and the economy of the country

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 Land of the Silver Mountains. The capital of Argentina is the city of Buenos Aires, other large settlements: Cordoba, La Plata, Salta, Rosario. The population of the country 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 district. The head of state is the president, who is elected every 6 years. The highest authorities are represented by a bicameral parliament and a cabinet of ministers.

Argentina: geographical location

The state is in South America. More precisely, the geographical position of Argentina is defined as follows: the south-eastern part of the continent of 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 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, the subantarctic waters from the south.

The area of Argentina is 2780 thousand square meters. Km. Of all the countries of the continent, in size, it is surpassed only by Brazil. The territory of the country is strongly stretched from north to south, the banks are not severely dismembered. In the southeastern part, the estuary of La Plata, formed by the rivers Uruguay and Paraná, cuts almost 300 kilometers into the coast.

The situation of Argentina in historical and geographical regions is similar to Chile, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands (disputed territory between Argentina and Britain).

Natural features

The geographical position of Argentina and a long distance caused a variety of relief 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 ridges 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 district, which continues on the territory of Chile. In the north-western part, the Andean ranges are much higher. Precipitation is low, so there are high-altitude steppes and deserts.

The Northern Plains region is located between the Andes and the Parana and Paraguay rivers. It is a subtropical zone with heavy rainfall. In this area there are many rivers that often spill over, flooding the banks (especially in the Chaco plain). Plains are mainly used for pasture.

The third region - Pampa - is flat-hilly. Its relief is composed of loose sedimentary deposits. In the east, there are several low hills. In the southern part the height of the plains decreases, there are many marshes here. A huge part of Pampa is occupied by loess. On the western border of the region there are sand dunes.

Patagonia is in the southern part of Argentina, between the Andes and the Atlantic Ocean. Frequent winds and dry climate are typical for this natural area. On the western border there is a chain of deep depressions (mountain depressions), the sea shore is precipitous. From west to east the Patagonia plateau is cut by canyons.

Economy

The economic and geographical position of Argentina is very profitable. Most of the borders are overland - about three quarters. From north to south Argentina stretched for 3.7 thousand km, and from east to west - for 1.4 thousand km. 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 impede rapid development. The first reason is the considerable distance from commercially viable countries, for example, from North America, Europe and South-East 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 economy of the country is the service sector (57.2%). The industrial sector is also well developed. The predominant industry is heavy industry: ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine building, uranium, woodworking, oil refining industry. There are some of the world's largest uranium deposits in the country.

Agriculture accounts for only 9.9% of the state economy, corn, wheat, fruits, and tobacco crops are grown. In the sphere of animal husbandry, meat cattle breeding and meat-wool sheep breeding are developing. Agricultural products produced by Argentina provide for the country's own needs, and also are exported beyond its borders.

Conclusion

The South American country, due to its elongation from the north to the south, is located immediately in several natural and climatic zones. Its territory is divided into four natural areas: the Andes, the Northern Plains, Pampa and Patagonia. The fertile plains of Pampa and the areas of the Northern Plains contribute to the development of agriculture in the country. A large sea border creates conditions for foreign trade relations. The main economic directions of Argentina are industry and services.