HELPFUL INFORMATION
Santa Fe province is located in the west of the Littoral region; it is part of the integrated central region. It is bordered to the north by Chaco province, to the east (separated by the Paraná River) by Corrientes and Entre Ríos provinces, to the south by Buenos Aires province, and to the west by Córdoba and Santiago del Estero provinces.
- Surface: 133.007 Km2
- Height above sea level: 10 m at the coasts of the Paraná River, and 125 m at the limit with Córdoba province.
- Location: between 59° and 63° West longitude, and 28° and 34° South latitude.
- Average annual temperature: between 15 °C in the south, and 21 °C in the north.
- Average annual rainfall: between 950 mm in the west, and 1100 mm in the east.
- Total population: 2,998,951 inhabitants
- Average density: 22,4 inhab/Km2
- Inhabitants in urban centers: 92%
Main Economic Activities
- Agriculture: Especially in the south-central zone, called the Undulated Pampa; soya, wheat, maize, sunflower.
- Stockbreeding: 6,500,000 head of beef cattle, mainly fed on natural pastures. Also, there is an important dairy basin which produces 30% of the country’s dairy products.
- Industries: There are 11,462 establishments dedicated to the elaboration of dairy products, oils, meat processing plants, steel and metal-mechanic industries, chemical and petrochemical industries, and automotive industries.
Environments
Since it is located in the Chaco-Pampean Plain, our province has no major orographic accidents. Yet, its landscape presents smooth undulations, strongly shaped by the rivers that run through the plain.
According to the relief features, the temperature gradient, and the humidity, there are six environmental regions in Santa Fe province.
This region is located in the General Obligado and Vera departments, in the northwest of the province. The relief is plain, with a smooth gradient towards the south and the east, which conditions the runoff of numerous streams, dales and lakes. It is an arboreal formation from the Parque Chaqueño which introduces itself in our territory as a wedge, as indicated by its name. It is constituted by hardwood forests: red and white Quebracho trees, carob trees, Guaraniná trees. Fauna: gray brocket, puma, fox, parrot, yacare caiman.
This region is located in the Vera department. There are more than 2 million hectares with no relief changes, where floods and droughts alternate. It has no trees, only esparto grass adapted to water and salts.
It is a narrow strip in the 9 de Julio department, on the border with Santiago del Estero province. It is a high area with surface runoff towards the east (the Lower Submeridionals.) The low rainfall only permits the growing of trees and bushes which have adapted to the hydric deficit: red and white Quebracho trees, Guayacán trees, palm trees. Fauna: vizcacha, iguana, white-lipped peccary, anteater.
It is located in the center of the province, with a Chaco-like environment in the north, and a Pampean-like environment in the south. The relief is smoothly undulated, rather plain, or sunken near the streams and rivers, such as the Salado River. It presents low forests and wide savannahs, with meadows and scrublands. Fauna: fox, owl, partridge, martineta tinamou, armadillo.
From the Carcarañá River to the provincial border, this area presents greater undulations. There is a preponderance of meadows; there are trees only near water bodies. Fauna: guinea pig, owl, weasel, skunk.
Along the entire province, and on the eastern border, the Paraná River is found along with its islands and associated streams. This region is permanently changing; its entire landscape is modified by the rhythm of the flood and ebb tides. With rising tides, the river erodes and drags material; during the dry season, it creates sand banks where vegetation forms ‘forest in galleries’ with alders, willows, pacara earpod trees, laurels. Fauna: otter, yacare caiman, capybara, neotropic cormorant, dorado, spotted sorubim.
Natural Areas
Santa Fe province has the ecoregions of: Chaco Húmedo and Semiárido, Bajos Submeridionales, Cuña Boscosa, Espinal, Pampa Húmeda, Delta and Islands of the Paraná River. These landscapes are ideal for natural locations.
The water basin of the Melincué Lake is an area located in the south-center of Santa Fe province, completely encompassed in the General López department. On July 24th, 2008, it was declared as a Wetland of International Importance, and it was registered in the List of Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention.
This site is located in the center of the Argentine Republic, in the Paraná-Plata river basin; it includes the main channel and the alluvial plain of the Paraná River, in its middle and lower sections. It covers part of the territory of the San Jerónimo department, in Santa Fe province, and the area of Islands of the Diamante department, in Entre Ríos province.
The Abipones, the indigenous peoples from the region, were called ‘Jaaukanigás’ which means ‘water people.’ This Ramsar site of international importance is inhabited by monkeys, caimans and an incredible variety of birds.
Only two types of typical residents remain: the islander and the coast dweller. The first one permanently lives on the Islands, works as a vendor, supplies with all the natural resources, and only goes to the coast to get provisions, or when floods occur. The second one is dedicated to fishing or stockbreeding, living according to the rhythm of the river, since the animals are kept on floodable low islands; a truly nomadic individual who herds cattle from one side to another, depending on the floods. Nowadays, there also are tourist guides (local experts in the different places of the island and transportation means), stallholders, and caretakers of weekend houses.
With dense vegetation and diverse animal species, such as capybaras and otters, this site allows for nautical excursions. There is also the Archeological Park Santa Fe La Vieja, a historical and cultural patrimony which shows how life was in the settlement founded by Juan de Garay in 1573.
In the National Park Santa Fe Islands there are island landscapes, exotic flora and fauna to observe, to explore and to preserve. This land has witnessed conflicts with the Spanish and the Portuguese, foundational experiences, Jesuit missions, and independence movements.
HOW TO ARRIVE?
Air travel:
- International Airport of Rosario “Islas Malvinas” (Jorge Newbery Avenue, NN, S2000 Rosario, Santa Fe): Only air terminal in Santa Fe Province with international category aeropuertorosario.com
- Santa Fe – Sauce Viejo Metropolitan Airport (National Route 11 – Km. 452,50, S3017 Sauce Viejo, Santa Fe): It regularly operates commercial flights, from and to Jorge Newbery Airfield in Buenos Aires, as well as private flights to different cities in Argentina. The airport is international by request; prior permission is necessary in order to guarantee the presence of Immigration and Customs staff.
Land route:
- Terminal Station “General Manuel Belgrano” (2910 Belgrano Street, S3000 Santa Fe, Santa Fe)
- Bus Station “Mariano Moreno” (corner of Cafferata and Santa Fe streets, S2000 Rosario, Santa Fe)
- Rafaela New Station (1651 Ernesto Salva Avenue, S2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe)
- Cañada de Gómez Bus Station (728-752 San Martín Street, S2500 Cañada de Gómez, Santa Fe)
- Venado Tuerto Bus Station (2000 Belgrano, S2600 Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe)
- Reconquista Bus Station (1105 P. Diez, S3560 Reconquista, Santa Fe)
- Casilda Bus Station (2197 Ovidio Lagos Boulevard, S2170 Casilda, Santa Fe)
