Neptune's Needle

City and federal district (1991 pop. 2,960,976; pop. metropolitan area Gran Buenos Aires 11,255,618), (cap.) Argentina, E Argentina, on the Rio de la Plata; 36º00'S 60º00'W. One of the largest cities of Lat. Amer., Buenos Aires is Argentina’s chief port and its financial, industrial, commercial, and social center. Located on the eastern edge of the Pampa, Argentina’s most productive agr. region, and linked with Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil by a great inland river system, the city is the distribution hub and trade outlet for a vast area. The historical importance of its port, one of the world’s busiest, has led the citizens of Buenos Aires to call themselves porteios [people of the port] The city was 1st founded in 1536 by a Span. royal gold-seeking expedition under Pedro de Mendoza. However, Native Amer. attacks forced the settlers in 1539 to move Asuncion (now the capital of Paraguay), and in 1541 the old site was burned by natives. A 2d and permanent settlement was planted in 1580 by Juan de Garay, who set out from Asuncion. During the 17th cent. the city ceased to be endangered by natives, but Fr., Port., and Dan. raids were frequent. Prosperity increased with the gradual removal of restrictions on trade, which formerly had to pass through Lima, Peru. The creation of an open port at Buenos Aires by Charles III of Spain, however, only made the porteios more desirous of separation from the Span. Empire.

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Compiler

Peter Richards