Argentina is 5,000km (3,107 miles) in length and 1,800km (1,118 miles) wide in parts, making it the world's eighth-largest country with a landmass of almost 3 million sq. km (1.2 million sq. miles). Such vastness means great contrasts regarding geographical features.
The Pampas -- This flat terrain is an agricultural powerhouse and where a third of the population resides. It consists of the central eastern provinces of Buenos Aires and La Pampa and the southern parts of Santa Fe and Córdoba. The climate is humid, with lots of rainfall (900mm a year) and sweltering summers that force much of the population to decamp to the Atlantic coast on its eastern fringe.
Patagonia -- Desolate and romantic, Patagonia is like a country within a country, consisting of four provinces and huge contrasts. The northern alpine Lake District is far away from the arid steppes that host lots of sheep and few humans and the spectacular glaciers farther south. The Andes form a wall of ice, blocking rain from Chilean Patagonia on the other side. Comodoro Rivadavia is an oil town, while Rio Gallegos is sustained by agriculture.
Tierra del Fuego -- The Andes mountains are pulled eastward, forming one large island and a multitude of smaller ones holding famous bays and inlets such as the Beagle Channel and the Magellan Straits. Because of this tectonic shift, Ushuaia is the only Argentine town on the other side of the Andes and is surrounded by icy peaks. The northern half of the island is a desolate plain of brown furze that supports sheep and llama.
Mesopotamia & El Chaco -- The northeastern part of Argentina is hot and humid, with the border province of Misiones resembling a jungle frontier. Here you'll find the famous Iguazú Falls and the triple border shared with Brazil and Paraguay and formed by the Rio Uruguay and Rio Parana. The vast wetlands of Esteros del Ibera lie farther south in Corrientes province. Farther north and east, the land becomes a dry, inhospitable shrub, known as El Chaco, that extends all the way to Bolivia.
The Andes -- The Andes form the backbone of Argentina, stretching the whole way from Bolivia to Tierra del Fuego and rising as high as 6,960m (22,835 ft.) at Mt. Aconcagua in Mendoza province, the highest peak outside the Himalayas. The huge differences in altitude mean the landscape varies dramatically, with the red desert plateaus of Salta province contrasting with the temperate lakes of Tafi del Valle and the humid cane fields of Tucuman. Farther south, the provinces of San Juan and Mendoza consist of vast desert scrub with little rain. Yet together they are one of the most prolific wine regions in the world, thanks to melted snow channeled toward the vineyards through a vast network of canals.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
