Santa Fe Province
Encyclopedia
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe (santa ˈfe), is a province
of Argentina
, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco
(divided by the 28th parallel south
), Corrientes
, Entre Ríos
, Buenos Aires
, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero
. Together with Córdoba and Entre Ríos, the province is part of the economico-political association known as the Center Region
.
Santa Fe's most important cities are Rosario
(population 908,000), the capital Santa Fe
(369,000), Rafaela
(83,000), Villa Gobernador Gálvez
(74,000), Venado Tuerto
(69,000), Reconquista
(66,000), and Santo Tomé
(58,000).
The adult literacy rate in the province is 96.3%
, Timbúes, Mocovíes, Pilagá
s, Guaycurúes, and Guaraníes. They were nomadic, lived from hunting, fishing and fruit recollection.
The first European settlement was established in 1527, at the confluence of the Paraná
and Carcarañá
rivers, when Sebastián Gaboto
, on his way to the north, founded a fort named Sancti Spiritus, which was destroyed two years later by the natives.
In 1573 Juan de Garay
founded the city of Santa Fe in the surroundings of present town Cayastá, but the city was moved in 1651 and 1660 to its present location.
In 1812 the lawyer and general Manuel Belgrano
created and displayed for the first time the Argentine flag
on the banks of the Paraná River, at Rosario
(by that time a small village), 160 km (99.4 mi) south of Santa Fe.
In 1815, while Alvear
's central government felt due to Ignacio Álvarez Thomas
' rebellion (at that time commander of an army sent to Santa Fe against Artigas
), Francisco Candioti, the local militia
chief, took over, peacefully, of government, thus starting the era of Santa Fe as an autonomous province. This period was short lived, since that same year Candioti died and central government reestablished the dependent government. However, in 1816, the caudillos Mariano Vera
and Estanislao López
deposed the governor delegate and proclaimed the sovereignty
of the province and its membership into Artigas
's Free Peoples League (Liga de Pueblos Libres).
López drew, in 1818, a provincial constitution of a strongly conservative flavour, after rejecting a project proposed by a provincial assembly; Santa Fe was the first province to have its constitution. During the civil strifes of 1820, Santa Fe troops were decisive in the defeat of Buenos Aires
' centralist army. So, in time, López gradually became the Federation's Patriarch, establishing himself as the central figure of the Federal Party until his death in 1838.
After López's death it was his secretary and right hand, José María Cullen the one elected governor. However, being Cullen a potential rival of Buenos Aires governor and Confederation's Foreign Affairs Representative, Juan Manuel de Rosas
, he sought and got Cullen's capture and execution, naming pro-Rosas Juan Pablo López
as governor. The new governor maintained in power, alterning with Pascual Echagüe
, until the province invasion by Justo José de Urquiza
's Great Army in 1851, and during his term the province adopted a new constitution in 1841.
After the organization of the nation, the province entered an era of peace and prosperity; in 1872 the railways already connected many points of the province, as well as the telegraph lines, and in 1889 the Provincial University of Santa Fe
was founded.
The political hegemony of the conservative groups was challenged by the new ideas brought by the European immigrants gave birth to the Radical Civic Union
(UCR) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), and the creation of the Argentine Agrarian Federation. These two parties had many strong electoral contests with the province's conservative parties.
After the Electoral Reform of Roque Sáenz Peña
in 1912, the UCR reached the government and stayed until the coup of 1930. During this time, more precisely in 1919, the National University of the Littoral
was founded. In 1932 it was the PDP who got the governor's seat.
The contentious 1958 elections (from which Peronist
candidates were barred) brought an ally of President-elect Arturo Frondizi
to power in Santa Fe, Dr. Carlos Sylvestre Begnis
. Gov. Begnis quickly steered budgets into sorely needed public works, most notably the construction of the Hernandarias Tunnel
, a 10 miles (16.1 km)-long connection between the city of Santa Fe and neighboring Paraná. The tunnel, most of which runs under the massive Paraná River, is the longest in Argentina.
Forced to resign after conservative pressure drove Pres. Frondizi from office in 1962, Begnis had the satisfaction of seeing Hernandarias open in 1969 and voters overwhelmingly return him to office in 1973 (this time, as a Peronist).
Santa Fe suffered the violence of the late '70s and the depression of the 1980s more than most other provinces. It continued to languish economically during the prosperous 1990s, as the revalued Argentine peso
put pressure on its productive sectors. Touching bottom around 2002, its economy has grown by 7% a year since then. The heart of Argentina's lucrative soy harvest, the province's importance has continued to grow, now rivaling Buenos Aires Province
as the nation's leading agricultural producer, with Rosario
as one of the most important ports in Argentina.
region. There are low sierras to the west. The north has higher temperatures, with an annual average of 19 °C (66.2 °F) and precipitations of up to 1100 millimetres (43.3 in) in the east, decreasing towards the west, where there is a distinctive dry season during the winter. The south presents lower temperatures, averaging 14 °C (57.2 °F), and slightly less precipitations.
Summers are hot and humid throughout the province, with average highs ranging from 30°C (86F) in the south to 34°C (93F) in the northwest corner, and night temperatures between 17°C (63F) in the south and 21°C (70F) in the north. Thunderstorms are common, and so are heat waves what can bring temperatures up to 40°C (104F) and hot muggy nights. These are often interrupted by cold fronts that bring crisp, cool weather from the south.
March brings cooler nights in the south, and April brings comfortable weather, with highs ranging from 22°C (72F) in the south to 26°C (79F) in the north, and lows from 10°C (50F) to 15°C (59F). Frost arrives in May in the south, where it occurs frequently until September; in the extreme north, frost is much more sporadic: some years might bring frosty May days, on other years it may come in July, but generally speaking there will always be a few frosty days every year even in the extreme north.
Winter is dryer in the west of the province and wetter in the east. In the south, temperatures range from 15°C (59F) in the day to 4°C (39F) at night, whereas in the north, from 21°C (70F) to 9°C (48F). Cold waves often bring temperatures of -5°C (23F) in the south, with extremes of -8°C (18F) recorded; further north, the thermometer descends occasionally to -2°C (28F) and very rarely to -5°C (23F). There are often short warm periods of up to 30°C (86F) during the winter, followed by much colder weather with drizzle and temperatures around 6°C (43F). Spring starts as soon as the end of August in the north, with very warm weather already present by early October; in the south, nights remain cool until most of November. Generally speaking, spring is unpredictable, with heat waves followed by extended periods of cool weather, as well as dry spells followed by severe thunderstorms.
Rainfall ranges from 1,200 mm (47 in) in the northeast to 800 mm (31 in) in the southwest and extreme northwest. Snowfall is unprecedented in the northern two thirds of the province, and very rare in the south, where the last occurrence was in 2007 with several centimeters accumulated.
This humid, temperate climate explains why Central and Southern Santa Fe are among the nation's richest agricultural regions, with crops such as maize and soybeans popular, and a very well developed dairy industry.
The main river, and connection to open sea through the Río de la Plata
is the Paraná River
. There are also other tributaries to the Paraná including the Salado del Norte, the Carcarañá
and the Arroyo del Medio
. The plain lands tend to be flooded after heavy rains due to the growth of the Paraná and Salado rivers. In 2003
a rapid rise of the Salado produced a catastrophic flood
of the capital and many communities in the north-center of the province, prompting the evacuation of no fewer than 100,000 people and major economic losses. In 2007, several days of heavy rainfall flooded more than 60 towns
in the center and south of the province, including sections of Santa Fe and Rosario, causing tens of thousands of people to be evacuated, crop losses, and widespread damage to the physical infrastructure of the area.
Santa Fe's economy is the fourth most important in the country, having been displaced from third place by neighboring Córdoba Province around 1970. Accounting for 8% of the Argentine total, its output was estimated at US$27 billion in 2006, or, U.S.$9,000 per capita (about the national average). Though the economy is well-diversified, agriculture continues to play an indispensable role through its profitability and foreign exchange earnings via exports. Twenty-one percent of the cultivated lands of Argentina are in Santa Fe, whose main crops are soybean
(main national producer), sunflower
, maize
, wheat
, and rice
. In smaller scale strawberry
, honey
and derivatives (300,000 beehive
s), wood, and cotton are produced.
The green grass of the province is ideal for the 6.5 million heads of cattle
(20% of national stock), which is not only source of meat but of 2.6 billion of litres of milk per year (40% of the national production), which is processed by over 5,000 dairies
.
The ports between Rosario
and San Lorenzo
are departure points for the export of the production of the Santa Fe and many other provinces; through them leave 65% of the Argentine cereal and 55% of the country's exports. In 2004, Santa Fe's exports (7,170 million USD) accounted for 21% of the national total. Between 2001 and 2004 they increased 65.2%. Derivates of soybean, flours and vegetable oils comprised over 2 billion USD and over 7.6 million tonnes. In 2005 the ports of southern Santa Fe shipped 60% of the grains, 93% of the agricultural subproducts and 85% of the vegetable oils exported by Argentina.
Manufacturing in Santa Fe represents 18% of its economy and is also among the top in Argentina. Mills
that produce different flour
s and oils, beer
, and other food industries, leather and textiles, hydrocarbon
refineries, steel
(1 million tonnes a year) and metals production, industrial and agricultural machines, car industry and others.
The services sector is well-developed and very diversified, relying little on tourism or the public sector. Tourism is not an important activity in spite of the wide range of hotels and restaurants. Rosario
, home to the National Flag Memorial
(Monumento Nacional a la Bandera) and a number of museums, receives a number of visitors from Argentina. The replica of the Sancti Spiritus Fort, the ruins of Cayastá and the city of Santa Fe
are also common destinations.
From 1991, the executive and legislative officials were elected in single-round elections by a controversial system known as the Ley de Lemas
. This system was abolished in 2004; the new one includes compulsory primary election
s, which were held for the first time in August 2005, with good results according to most analysis. The parliamentary elections of 23 October 2005 were the first main elections to be held after the abolition of the Ley de Lemas.
(in Spanish, departamentos), and the departments are divided in districts which can be organized as communes or municipalities
. The communes are smaller towns, generally administered by a local commission led by a "communal president". The municipalities, which must have more than 10,000 inhabitants, are what is commonly called "cities". Municipalities have an executive officer (a mayor, called intendente) and a legislative body (called Concejo Municipal, a deliberative council). For administrative purposes, each department has a head town (cabecera), which may be either kind of district.
Provinces of Argentina
Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco
Chaco Province
Chaco is an Argentine province located in the north of the country, near the border with Paraguay. Its capital is Resistencia on the Paraná River opposite the city of Corrientes...
(divided by the 28th parallel south
28th parallel south
The 28th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 28 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
), Corrientes
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
, Entre Ríos
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero Province
Santiago del Estero is a province of Argentina, located in the north of the country. Neighbouring provinces are from the north clockwise Salta, Chaco, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Catamarca and Tucumán.-History:...
. Together with Córdoba and Entre Ríos, the province is part of the economico-political association known as the Center Region
Center Region (Argentina)
The Center Region of Argentina is the political and economical association of the provinces of Córdoba, Santa Fe and Entre Ríos...
.
Santa Fe's most important cities are Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
(population 908,000), the capital Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
(369,000), Rafaela
Rafaela
Rafaela is a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, about 96 km from the provincial capital. It is the head town of the Castellanos Department. It has a population of 99,150 per the ....
(83,000), Villa Gobernador Gálvez
Villa Gobernador Gálvez
Villa Gobernador Gálvez is a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, located on the western ravine of the Paraná River, within the metropolitan area of Greater Rosario. It has 74,509 inhabitants per the . It is separated from Rosario, to the north, by the Saladillo Stream...
(74,000), Venado Tuerto
Venado Tuerto
Venado Tuerto is a city in the south-west of the , 322 km from the provincial capital. It has about 70,000 inhabitants .Venado Tuerto was founded on April 26, 1884 by Eduardo Casey, born in Lobos, Buenos Aires, in 1847. He was the son of two Irish immigrants who had amassed considerable wealth...
(69,000), Reconquista
Reconquista, Santa Fe
Reconquista is a city in the north of the , from the provincial capital. It is the head town of the General Obligado Department, and it has 66,187 inhabitants according to the ....
(66,000), and Santo Tomé
Santo Tomé, Santa Fe
Santo Tomé is a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located only 9 km from the capital city . It has a population of about 58,000 inhabitants and estimated at 80,000 inhabitants based on population growth rate provided by the INDEC, and is classified as a second-category...
(58,000).
The adult literacy rate in the province is 96.3%
History
The aboriginal tribes who inhabited this region were the TobasToba (tribe)
The Toba are an ethnic group in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. They are part of a larger group of indigenous inhabitants of the Gran Chaco region, called the Guaycurues. As of 2005, there are 47,951 Toba in Argentina, living in the provinces of Chaco, Formosa and Santa Fe.The Toba name themselves...
, Timbúes, Mocovíes, Pilagá
Pilagá
Pilagá is a language spoken by 6,000 people in the Bermejo and Pilcomayo River valleys, western Formosa Province.-Sociocultural context:The geographical distribution into communites is permeated bypan-Chacoan social organization of people into bands...
s, Guaycurúes, and Guaraníes. They were nomadic, lived from hunting, fishing and fruit recollection.
The first European settlement was established in 1527, at the confluence of the Paraná
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
and Carcarañá
Carcarañá River
The Carcarañá River is a river in Argentina. It is born at the confluence of the Río Tercero and the Saladillo River in the south-east of the province of Córdoba and flows eastward into the province of Santa Fe, which it crosses.In Santa Fe the river first turns south, then...
rivers, when Sebastián Gaboto
Sebastian Cabot (explorer)
Sebastian Cabot was an explorer, born in the Venetian Republic.-Origins:...
, on his way to the north, founded a fort named Sancti Spiritus, which was destroyed two years later by the natives.
In 1573 Juan de Garay
Juan de Garay
Juan de Garay was a Spanish conquistador.Garay was born in Orduña, Spain. He served under the Spanish crown, in the Viceroyalty of Peru...
founded the city of Santa Fe in the surroundings of present town Cayastá, but the city was moved in 1651 and 1660 to its present location.
In 1812 the lawyer and general Manuel Belgrano
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...
created and displayed for the first time the Argentine flag
Flag of Argentina
The national flag of Argentina is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue, white and light blue. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors...
on the banks of the Paraná River, at Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
(by that time a small village), 160 km (99.4 mi) south of Santa Fe.
Carlos María de Alvear
Carlos María de Alvear was an Argentine soldier and statesman, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1815....
's central government felt due to Ignacio Álvarez Thomas
Ignacio Álvarez Thomas
José Ignacio Álvarez Thomas was a South American military commander and politician of the early 19th century....
' rebellion (at that time commander of an army sent to Santa Fe against Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas is a national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood".-Early life:Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764...
), Francisco Candioti, the local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
chief, took over, peacefully, of government, thus starting the era of Santa Fe as an autonomous province. This period was short lived, since that same year Candioti died and central government reestablished the dependent government. However, in 1816, the caudillos Mariano Vera
Mariano Vera
Mariano Vera was a caudillo and governor of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, between 12 April 1816 and 23 July 1818.Vera was a supporter of federalism, against the idea of a centralized government...
and Estanislao López
Estanislao López
Estanislao López was a governor and caudillo of the , between 1818 and 1838, a hero of provincial federalism and an ally of Juan Manuel de Rosas during the Argentine Civil War.-Biography:...
deposed the governor delegate and proclaimed the sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
of the province and its membership into Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas is a national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood".-Early life:Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764...
's Free Peoples League (Liga de Pueblos Libres).
López drew, in 1818, a provincial constitution of a strongly conservative flavour, after rejecting a project proposed by a provincial assembly; Santa Fe was the first province to have its constitution. During the civil strifes of 1820, Santa Fe troops were decisive in the defeat of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
' centralist army. So, in time, López gradually became the Federation's Patriarch, establishing himself as the central figure of the Federal Party until his death in 1838.
After López's death it was his secretary and right hand, José María Cullen the one elected governor. However, being Cullen a potential rival of Buenos Aires governor and Confederation's Foreign Affairs Representative, Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
, he sought and got Cullen's capture and execution, naming pro-Rosas Juan Pablo López
Juan Pablo Lopez
Juan Pablo López is an undefeated Mexican professional boxer in the Light Welterweight division.-Professional career:On April 10, 2010, Lopez beat Daniel Eduardo Yocupicio by 2nd round K.O...
as governor. The new governor maintained in power, alterning with Pascual Echagüe
Pascual Echagüe
Pascual Echagüe, was an Argentine soldier and politician. He served as Governor of Entre Ríos and Santa Fe provinces and Minister of War and Navy during the governments of Urquiza and Derqui...
, until the province invasion by Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García was an Argentine general and politician. He was president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.He was governor of Entre Ríos during the government of Juan Manuel de Rosas, governor of Buenos Aires with powers delegated from the other provinces...
's Great Army in 1851, and during his term the province adopted a new constitution in 1841.
After the organization of the nation, the province entered an era of peace and prosperity; in 1872 the railways already connected many points of the province, as well as the telegraph lines, and in 1889 the Provincial University of Santa Fe
National University of the Littoral
The National University of the Littoral is a university in Argentina. It is based in Santa Fe, the capital of the province of the same name, and it has colleges and other academic facilities in Esperanza, Reconquista and Gálvez, also in Santa Fe Province.-History:The original institution was...
was founded.
The political hegemony of the conservative groups was challenged by the new ideas brought by the European immigrants gave birth to the Radical Civic Union
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
(UCR) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), and the creation of the Argentine Agrarian Federation. These two parties had many strong electoral contests with the province's conservative parties.
After the Electoral Reform of Roque Sáenz Peña
Roque Sáenz Peña
Roque Sáenz Peña Lahitte was President of Argentina from 12 October 1910 to 9 August 1914, when he died in office...
in 1912, the UCR reached the government and stayed until the coup of 1930. During this time, more precisely in 1919, the National University of the Littoral
National University of the Littoral
The National University of the Littoral is a university in Argentina. It is based in Santa Fe, the capital of the province of the same name, and it has colleges and other academic facilities in Esperanza, Reconquista and Gálvez, also in Santa Fe Province.-History:The original institution was...
was founded. In 1932 it was the PDP who got the governor's seat.
The contentious 1958 elections (from which Peronist
Peronism
Peronism , or Justicialism , is an Argentine political movement based on the programmes associated with former President Juan Perón and his second wife, Eva Perón...
candidates were barred) brought an ally of President-elect Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi Ercoli was the President of Argentina between May 1, 1958, and March 29, 1962, for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union.-Early life:Frondizi was born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province...
to power in Santa Fe, Dr. Carlos Sylvestre Begnis
Carlos Sylvestre Begnis
Carlos Sylvestre Begnis was a medical doctor and politician, born in Alto Grande, a village near Bell Ville, Córdoba province in Argentina. He was a rural physician and worked as a surgeon in hospitals of the city of Rosario, province of Santa Fe.He entered politics through the Radical Civic Union...
. Gov. Begnis quickly steered budgets into sorely needed public works, most notably the construction of the Hernandarias Tunnel
Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel
The Raúl Uranga – Carlos Sylvestre Begnis Subfluvial Tunnel , formerly known as the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel, is an underwater road tunnel that connects the provinces of Entre Ríos and Santa Fe in Argentina, crossing the Paraná River between the capital of Entre Ríos, Paraná, and Santa Cándida...
, a 10 miles (16.1 km)-long connection between the city of Santa Fe and neighboring Paraná. The tunnel, most of which runs under the massive Paraná River, is the longest in Argentina.
Forced to resign after conservative pressure drove Pres. Frondizi from office in 1962, Begnis had the satisfaction of seeing Hernandarias open in 1969 and voters overwhelmingly return him to office in 1973 (this time, as a Peronist).
Santa Fe suffered the violence of the late '70s and the depression of the 1980s more than most other provinces. It continued to languish economically during the prosperous 1990s, as the revalued Argentine peso
Argentine peso
The peso is the currency of Argentina, identified by the symbol $ preceding the amount in the same way as many countries using dollar currencies. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. Its ISO 4217 code is ARS...
put pressure on its productive sectors. Touching bottom around 2002, its economy has grown by 7% a year since then. The heart of Argentina's lucrative soy harvest, the province's importance has continued to grow, now rivaling Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
as the nation's leading agricultural producer, with Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
as one of the most important ports in Argentina.
Geography and climate
Most of the province consists of green flatlands, part of the humid Pampas, bordering to the north with the Gran ChacoGran Chaco
The Gran Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semi-arid lowland region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, where it is connected with the Pantanal region...
region. There are low sierras to the west. The north has higher temperatures, with an annual average of 19 °C (66.2 °F) and precipitations of up to 1100 millimetres (43.3 in) in the east, decreasing towards the west, where there is a distinctive dry season during the winter. The south presents lower temperatures, averaging 14 °C (57.2 °F), and slightly less precipitations.
Summers are hot and humid throughout the province, with average highs ranging from 30°C (86F) in the south to 34°C (93F) in the northwest corner, and night temperatures between 17°C (63F) in the south and 21°C (70F) in the north. Thunderstorms are common, and so are heat waves what can bring temperatures up to 40°C (104F) and hot muggy nights. These are often interrupted by cold fronts that bring crisp, cool weather from the south.
March brings cooler nights in the south, and April brings comfortable weather, with highs ranging from 22°C (72F) in the south to 26°C (79F) in the north, and lows from 10°C (50F) to 15°C (59F). Frost arrives in May in the south, where it occurs frequently until September; in the extreme north, frost is much more sporadic: some years might bring frosty May days, on other years it may come in July, but generally speaking there will always be a few frosty days every year even in the extreme north.
Winter is dryer in the west of the province and wetter in the east. In the south, temperatures range from 15°C (59F) in the day to 4°C (39F) at night, whereas in the north, from 21°C (70F) to 9°C (48F). Cold waves often bring temperatures of -5°C (23F) in the south, with extremes of -8°C (18F) recorded; further north, the thermometer descends occasionally to -2°C (28F) and very rarely to -5°C (23F). There are often short warm periods of up to 30°C (86F) during the winter, followed by much colder weather with drizzle and temperatures around 6°C (43F). Spring starts as soon as the end of August in the north, with very warm weather already present by early October; in the south, nights remain cool until most of November. Generally speaking, spring is unpredictable, with heat waves followed by extended periods of cool weather, as well as dry spells followed by severe thunderstorms.
Rainfall ranges from 1,200 mm (47 in) in the northeast to 800 mm (31 in) in the southwest and extreme northwest. Snowfall is unprecedented in the northern two thirds of the province, and very rare in the south, where the last occurrence was in 2007 with several centimeters accumulated.
This humid, temperate climate explains why Central and Southern Santa Fe are among the nation's richest agricultural regions, with crops such as maize and soybeans popular, and a very well developed dairy industry.
The main river, and connection to open sea through the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
is the Paraná River
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
. There are also other tributaries to the Paraná including the Salado del Norte, the Carcarañá
Carcarañá River
The Carcarañá River is a river in Argentina. It is born at the confluence of the Río Tercero and the Saladillo River in the south-east of the province of Córdoba and flows eastward into the province of Santa Fe, which it crosses.In Santa Fe the river first turns south, then...
and the Arroyo del Medio
Arroyo del Medio
The Arroyo del Medio is a small river of Argentina, located on the border between the provinces of Buenos Aires and Santa Fe. Its catchment basin comprises about 3,200 km². The Arroyo empties into the Paraná River at the city of San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Buenos Aires, opposite the Constitución...
. The plain lands tend to be flooded after heavy rains due to the growth of the Paraná and Salado rivers. In 2003
2003 in Argentina
-January:* 3 January: The Assembly of the Justicialist Party, with three presidential candidates, proposes using the Ley de Lemas in the main election instead of selecting one candidate in primaries. The opposition is outraged.-February:...
a rapid rise of the Salado produced a catastrophic flood
2003 Santa Fe flood
This article is about the flooding of Santa Fe, capital of the , in April 2003. Santa Fe is the fifth most populated city in Argentina , and it is surrounded by rivers...
of the capital and many communities in the north-center of the province, prompting the evacuation of no fewer than 100,000 people and major economic losses. In 2007, several days of heavy rainfall flooded more than 60 towns
March 2007 floods in the Argentine littoral
The littoral region of Argentina underwent heavy rainstorms in the early autumn season of 2007. Starting in late March and ending in mid-April, the rains caused several major rivers to rise and/or overflow their banks, partly or completely flooded many towns and large cities, ruined a significant...
in the center and south of the province, including sections of Santa Fe and Rosario, causing tens of thousands of people to be evacuated, crop losses, and widespread damage to the physical infrastructure of the area.
Economy
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
(main national producer), sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
. In smaller scale strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
and derivatives (300,000 beehive
Beehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
s), wood, and cotton are produced.
The green grass of the province is ideal for the 6.5 million heads of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
(20% of national stock), which is not only source of meat but of 2.6 billion of litres of milk per year (40% of the national production), which is processed by over 5,000 dairies
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
.
The ports between Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
and San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo, Santa Fe
San Lorenzo is a city in the south of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, located 23 km north of Rosario, on the western shore of the Paraná River, and forming one end of the Greater Rosario metropolitan area...
are departure points for the export of the production of the Santa Fe and many other provinces; through them leave 65% of the Argentine cereal and 55% of the country's exports. In 2004, Santa Fe's exports (7,170 million USD) accounted for 21% of the national total. Between 2001 and 2004 they increased 65.2%. Derivates of soybean, flours and vegetable oils comprised over 2 billion USD and over 7.6 million tonnes. In 2005 the ports of southern Santa Fe shipped 60% of the grains, 93% of the agricultural subproducts and 85% of the vegetable oils exported by Argentina.
Manufacturing in Santa Fe represents 18% of its economy and is also among the top in Argentina. Mills
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
that produce different flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
s and oils, beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, and other food industries, leather and textiles, hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
refineries, steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
(1 million tonnes a year) and metals production, industrial and agricultural machines, car industry and others.
The services sector is well-developed and very diversified, relying little on tourism or the public sector. Tourism is not an important activity in spite of the wide range of hotels and restaurants. Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
, home to the National Flag Memorial
National Flag Memorial (Argentina)
The National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Argentina, is a monumental complex built near the shore of the Paraná River...
(Monumento Nacional a la Bandera) and a number of museums, receives a number of visitors from Argentina. The replica of the Sancti Spiritus Fort, the ruins of Cayastá and the city of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
are also common destinations.
Government
The provincial government is divided in the usual three branches: the executive, headed by a governor, popularly elected for non-reelegible four-year terms, who appoint the cabinet; the legislative, formed by a bicameral legislature (a 50-member Chamber of Deputies and a 19-member Senate, all elected for four-year terms); and the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court and completed by several inferior tribunals.From 1991, the executive and legislative officials were elected in single-round elections by a controversial system known as the Ley de Lemas
Ley de Lemas
||The ley de lemas is the Spanish name of the double simultaneous voting system which is, or has been, used in elections in Argentina, Uruguay and Honduras...
. This system was abolished in 2004; the new one includes compulsory primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s, which were held for the first time in August 2005, with good results according to most analysis. The parliamentary elections of 23 October 2005 were the first main elections to be held after the abolition of the Ley de Lemas.
Administrative division
The province is divided into 19 departmentsDepartments of Argentina
Departments form the second level of administrative division in the provinces of Argentina. There are no departments in the city of Buenos Aires, which has so far been divided into neighbourhoods as its administrative divisions, but is to be divided now into communes by a recently passed local act...
(in Spanish, departamentos), and the departments are divided in districts which can be organized as communes or municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
. The communes are smaller towns, generally administered by a local commission led by a "communal president". The municipalities, which must have more than 10,000 inhabitants, are what is commonly called "cities". Municipalities have an executive officer (a mayor, called intendente) and a legislative body (called Concejo Municipal, a deliberative council). For administrative purposes, each department has a head town (cabecera), which may be either kind of district.