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<b>El Sur del Sur<br>
The Southernmost South </b> <a href="indexingles.html">Our Land</a> <br>
<br>
From the point of view of <b>geography</b>, <b>Argentina</b> can be divided into
<b>eight different regions</b> defined by a homogeneous <b>climate</b> and <b>relief</b>;
these, in turn, are sub-divided according to its most salient features:<a name="llanura"></a>
<b> PLATA PLAIN:</b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">This
great surface of <b>463,322 sq. mi. (1,200,000 km<sup>2</sup> )</b> is located
in the north-east of the country and its boundaries are set to the north by <b>Pilcomayo</b>,<b>
Paraguay</b> and <b>High Paraná</b> Rivers; to the south, by <b>Colorado</b>
Rivers; and the west boundary is set by the foot of the big mountainous masses.<br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">The
Plata Plain is, in turn, divided into the following regions: <br>
<a name="chaco_plain"></a> <b>Chaco Plain: </b> It occupies the north part of
the region and integrates four morphological units: the <b>High Chaco</b>, whose
soil has thick sands and slime; the <b>Depressed Chaco</b>, which presents wide
surfaces covered by swamplands and marshlands; the <b>Low Chaco</b>, characterized
by its clayish-sandy soil and by the numerous swamplands and frequent floods;
finally, there is the <b>Fluvial Diagonal of Santiago del Estero</b>, with its
vast swamplands. <b> Corrientes Marshlands: </b> This is a depressed area. Different
changes of relief and climate determined the formation of marshlands; the most
important ones in this area are those of Iberá, Maloyas, Batel y Santa
Lucía. <a name="pampean_plain"></a> <b>Pampean Plain: </b> It is located
in the south of the region. Three different types of low sierras are found in
this area: Mahuidas, Tandilia y Ventania.<br>
The Pampa Plain is divided into three parts: the <b>undulating Pampa</b>, whose
territory presents soft slopes, where you can distinguish ravines and fluvial
terraces; the <b>depressed Pampa</b>, with permanent floods and the <b>high Pampa</b>,
where some salty lagoons, salt-pits and dune formations can be found. <br>
<b> Entre Ríos Slopes: </b> This sub-region can be found towards the east
of this region and the south of the Corrientes <b>Marshlands</b>. <br>
With a slightly undulating relief, it presents clayish soils and copious rainfalls.
<br>
<b> Deltaic Plain: </b> The islands characterizing this region were formed by
the constant <b>deposit of sediments</b> from Paraná River. A slow and
permanent delta forming process determines the constant change in the shape and
size of the islands. <a name="meseta"></a> <b>Sub-tropical Plain: </b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">This
region is located towards the <b>north-east area</b> of Argentina, its boundaries
coincide with those of Paraguay and Brazil, and it is separated from the Plata
Plain by the <b>Aguapey</b> River. <br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">The
frequent rains determine the vaulted relief of this plateau due to the <b>erosion</b>
they produce. Furthermore, it presents some <b>hills</b> which are about 3,280
ft (1,000 m) high. The rivers in this area usually have <b>waterfalls</b> and
brooks and define the important<b> hydraulic potential </b>of the region. <a name="noroeste"></a>
<b>The North-West: </b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">As
indicated by its name, it is located in the north-west area of the country. It
is divided into three sub-regions: <a name="puna"></a> <b> Puna: </b> It is a
vast altiplane going beyond the boundaries of Argentina.<br>
The place is characterized by plateaus between 9,842 and 11,483 ft (3,000 and
3,500 m) high, separated by sierra ranges. <br>
<b> Eastern Cordillera:</b> It presents three different kinds of relief; one of
them is <b>mountainous</b>, within which you distinguish two chains, the Western
and the Eastern; another relief kind is represented by <b>quebradas</b> (the Humahuaca
and de Santa María-Guachipas are among the most important); and finally,
the <b>valley</b>, generally wide and with soft slopes. <br>
<b> Sub-Andean Sierras: </b> They are low, parallel sierras, looking from north-east
to south-west. <br>
<a name="cuyo"></a> <b>Cuyo: </b><br>
Located along the west border of the country and extending from the south of the
Puna up to latitude 37º South, this region is basically mountainous. High
summits and constant snowfalls are their main characteristics. In the Main Cordillera
there is the <b>Aconcagua</b>, <b>the highest peak in America</b>, with <b>22,381
ft</b> (<b>6,959 m</b>). <br>
The foot of the mountains, to the east of the mountainous ranges constitutes the
plain area within this region. <br>
In hydrographical terms, this area presents rivers with a thawing regime, making
up the <b>Desaguadero system</b> in one of the driest places in the country. <br>
<a name="sierras"
></a> <b>Pampas sierras: </b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">This
region is in the center of the country, occupying part of the provinces of <b>Tucumán,
Catamarca, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, San Luis</b> and <b>San
Juan.</b> <br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">The
predominance of sierra ranges with flat tops, separated by valleys, fields or
hollows, is the main characteristic of the area. These ranges are the following:
the <b>Eastern or the Aconquija</b>, <b>Austral, Central or Velasco</b>, and <b>Western
or Fátima system</b>. <a name="patagonia"></a> <b>Patagonia:</b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">Located
towards the south of <b>Colorado River</b>, Patagonia is divided into two sub-regions:
<b> Andean Patagonia: </b> It is compounded by mountain ranges separated by valleys
and lakes, whose summits are covered by glaciers. <br>
<b> Extra-Andean Patagonia:</b> It is a plateau, and its morphology is varied
and complex, presenting stair-shaped plateaus, sierras, depressions and wide fluvial
valleys. <br>
<a name="mar"></a> <b>Argentine Sea: </b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">With
a <b>386,102 sq. mi.(1,000,000 km<sup>2</sup>)</b> surface, the Argentine shelf
is one of the largest ones in the world and it is covered by the Argentine Sea.<br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">It
progressively widens towards the south and is morphologically similar to the Extra-Andean
Patagonia, due to the stair-shaped plateaus.<br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">The
<b>Malvinas</b> Islands are within the Argentine platform.<br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">The
Argentine Sea generally presents a moderate surge and its tidal-range increases
towards the south. <br>
<a name="antartida"></a> <b>Argentine Antarctica: </b><br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">Being
the southernmost region of the Argentine territory, it is covered by ice and snow
most of the year. The swift winds reach 124 mph (200 kmph).<br>
<IMG WIDTH=15 HEIGHT=10 vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0 align=BASELINE src="../../iconos/b88p.gif">This
region is compounded by these <b>islands</b>: <b>South Orcadas, South Shetland,
Decepción, Palmer, Biscoe, Belgrano, Elephant, Clarence, Berkner, Portillo</b>
and <b>Quijada.</b> <br>
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<b><a href="textoingles.html#noroeste">The North-West </a><br>
<a href="textoingles.html#meseta">Subtropical Plain </a> <br>
<a href="textoingles.html#sierras">Pampas Sierras </a><br>
<a href="textoingles.html#llanura">Plata Plain</a><br>
<a href="textoingles.html#cuyo">Cuyo </a><br>
<a href="textoingles.html#patagonia">Patagonia </a><br>
<a href="textoingles.html#mar">Argentine Sea </a> <br>
<a href="textoingles.html#antartida">Argentine Antarctica</a></b> <br>
<i><a href="geo_icon/mapa_fisico.jpg">Map of the Argentine Republic<br>
JPG Document 191KB<br>
Instituto Geográfico Militar</a></i>
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