Its population is, however, very unevenly distributed over the 2.8 million square kilometers. While one third of the 43 million Argentinians live in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, the vast plains of Patagonia are almost deserted.
Even in the 1870s, only two million people lived in the vast land before mass immigration from Europe, driven by a targeted settlement policy, made Argentina the “most European” country in Latin America.
This politically intended development of the second half of the nineteenth century was at the expense of the indigenous population, which was nearly exterminated around the penultimate century.
In addition to the fascinating metropolis of Buenos Aires, travelers in today’s Argentina are visiting mostly the scenic highlights in the country.
The immense north-south expansion and an extreme topography provide for a dramatic variety, which stretches from the north-western sixthousand meters high Andean peaks to the tropical rainforest of Iguazú Falls in the extreme north-east, from the glaciers of Patagonia to the Atlantic seaside resorts of Mar del Plata. (read more …)