Argentina: Major Landscapes and Ecosystems
Report prepared by Enrico Barbon and Ann Marie Gorecki, students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation Program.
The principle land regions of Argentina are:
• Northern Argentina
• The Pampa
• The Andine
• Patagonia
• Argentine Antarctica
Northern Argentina comprises areas east of the Andes and north of Cordoba and Mendoza. The region includes:
• Puna: a high level area in the west
• Gran Chaco: forested lowland in the centre
• Mesopotamia: partly swampy, heavily forested area between the Parana and Uruguay rivers
The Pampa is a fertile, grassy plain which extends about 480 km northwest, west and south of Buenos Aires. The Andine is a western region including the Andes Mountains that occupies about a third of the country. Patagonia is a dry, windswept plateau in southern Argentina with wooded areas and many glacial lakes.
Argentine Antarctica is a section of Antarctica that Argentina considers part of its National Territory. The Argentine Antarctic region consists of the Antarctic Peninsula and a triangular section which extends to the South Pole. Some of the richest soil in the Western Hemisphere lies in this region.
Argentina claims the Argentine Antarctic region of Antarctica as part of its national territory. This region, where some of the richest soil in the Western Hemisphere can be found, includes the Antarctic Peninsula and a triangular section which ends at the South Pole.
The major rivers of Argentina are: Pilcomayo, Paraguay, Bermejo, Colorado, Río Negro, Salado, and Uruguay. The largest river is the Paraná.
Argentina’s natural resources include: fertile plains, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron, ore, manganese, petroleum, and Uranium.
Funded by TEK