La Pampa Province

Area: 143,440 KM2

Population: 298,460 (2001).

Capital City: Santa Rosa.

Main Cities: Santa Rosa, General Pico, General Acha, Eduardo Castex.

The province of La Pampa is bounded by the provinces of Mendoza, San Luis and Córdoba, on the north; the province of Buenos Aires, on the east; the Río Negro Province, on the south; and the provinces of Neuquén and Mendoza, on the west.

It has an area of 143,440 square kilometers, representing 3.9% of the national total.

Most of the southwestern portion of La Pampa’s territory is located in the Patagonia region, bearing its specific characteristics; in the east, a smaller, although the most productive and populated area, belongs to the Pampean region, and has the definite features of this region.

Geography

In the middle of the Pampas region, the low flat lands steppe receives 500 mm of rain a year, diminishing towards the West. The little humidity in the temperate weather results in a high contrast in temperature between day and night, what is also reflected in the vegetation.

The Northwest, is part of the Humid Pampas, next to the Buenos Aires Province. Also the influence of the Cuyo region can be seen to the west, with a low mountain range of 600 meters.

There are only 2 main rivers in the province: the Colorado on the border with the Río Negro Province, and the Salado River ("Salty River") crossing it. The Salado's level has being dropping, as its tributaries in the Mendoza Province are used for irrigation..

Weather:

Although there are no definite drainage systems, the eastern sector of La Pampa, the most productive and populated, records from 550 to 750 mm of annual rainfalls, which allows the practice of dryland farming, and makes it suitable for cattle fattening. Average annual temperature is 16°C/60.8°F.

Political Organization and Demographic Structure:

This province, having Santa Rosa as its capital city, is divided into 22 departments, with separate political and administrative powers.

Annual growth rate is 21‰, while density amounts to 1.8 inhabitants per square kilometer. Urban population represents 76%. (2001).

Economic Structure:

In 1994, the primary sector, consisting basically in agricultural and animal husbandry activities, contributed 47% to the value added of the total supply of goods and services. The secondary sector generated 14%, and the remaining 39% of the global economic activity, corresponds to the supply of financial, transport and communications, commerce, tourism, and government services.

The province shows a high relative specialization in raw materials, basically agriculture, cattle and hydrocarbons.

In the agricultural sector, which during the last years has incorporated technology and increased the use of agrochemicals, the most important commodities are wheat, sunflower, corn, sorghum, oats, rye, barley and forage crops; of lesser significance are the irrigation crops (fruit trees and horticulture).

Industry, having a lower relative weight, is mainly concentrated on cold-storage plants, dairy products, flour mills and textiles.

Tourism:

Tourist attractiveness is chiefly based on Lihuel Calel National Park.