Argentina is divided into twenty-three federated states called provinces ( Spanish : provincias , singular provincia ) and one called the autonomous city ( ciudad autónoma ) of Buenos Aires , which is the federal capital of the republic (Spanish: Capital Federal ) as decided by the Argentine Congress . The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions and exist under a federal system .
38-510: Mendoza ( Spanish pronunciation: [menˈdosa] ), officially Province of Mendoza , is a province of Argentina , in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders San Juan to the north, La Pampa and Neuquén to the south, San Luis to the east, and the republic of Chile to the west; the international limit is marked by the Andes mountain range. Its capital city
76-586: A Deliberative Department (legislature) to run local services. The mayor is elected by a simple majority of the popular vote every four years, while half of the Deliberative body is renewed every two years (re-election is allowed in both cases). The departments can make regulations in accordance with the provincial constitution and the Organic Law of Municipalities, but financially cannot levy taxes, but only charge for services. The most populous cities within
114-531: A department may have citizens' committees appointed by the municipal government to perform certain functions. Provinces of Argentina During the War of Independence the main cities and their surrounding countryside became provinces though the intervention of their cabildos . The Anarchy of the Year XX completed this process, shaping the original thirteen provinces. Jujuy seceded from Salta in 1834, and
152-532: A head in April 1972, however, when violent protests forced the newly unpopular Gabrielli to resign. Upon the return to democracy in March 1973, Mendoza voters turned to a left-leaning Peronist , Alberto Martínez Baca. Quickly enacting needed labor and land reforms, Martínez Baca, however, made the mistake of appointing affiliates of the extreme-left Montoneros movement, an organization whose armed wing had perpetrated
190-544: A string of violent crimes since 1970 (and would continue to do so). Alarmed by this move from the otherwise pragmatic Martínez Baca, President Perón had him removed in June 1974. Becoming more politically independent-minded following these two disappointments, Mendoza voters elected centrist Radical Civic Union as well as populist Justicialist Party lawmakers since Argentina's return to democracy in 1983. Though Mendoza has generally prospered since then, its critical wine industry
228-579: A supreme court, a governor , an autonomous police force , and a congress ; in eight provinces, the legislature is bicameral , comprising an upper chamber (the Senate) and a lower chamber (the House of Deputies), while in the remaining fifteen provinces and in Buenos Aires City, it is unicameral . In case of sedition, insurrection, territorial invasion, or any other emerging threats against
266-750: Is a significant, and not uncommon, problem in the regional viticulture . There are fertile lands surrounding the basins of the many rivers born in the glaciers of the Cordillera. The lowlands have very hot summers (30 °C to 33 °C during the day, or 86 °F to 91 °F) with warm nights in the north (18 °C, or 64 °F) and cooler evenings in the south (15 °C, 59 °F). Precipitation falls mainly as very scarce, but often severe thunderstorms that bring hail and high winds. Falls are pleasant and dry, and winters are cool with daytime highs around 14 °C (57 °F) and nighttime lows of 2 °C (35F). When Zonda winds blow downslope from
304-586: Is divided into the usual three branches: the executive, headed by a popularly elected governor, who appoints the cabinet; the legislative; and the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court. The legislative branch is a bicameral body composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The Legislature is charged with introducing and passing local laws. The Constitution of Mendoza Province forms the formal law of
342-408: Is the homonymous city of Mendoza . Covering an area of 148,827 km, it is the seventh biggest province of Argentina with 5.35% of the country's total area. The population for 2022 is 2,014,533 inhabitants, which makes it the fifth most populated region of the country, or 4.38% of the total national population. Archeological studies have determined that the first inhabitants in the area date from
380-535: The Argentine Senate , currently María Perceval , Ernesto Sanz and Mónica Troadello . Mendoza is represented by 10 deputies in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies . On 16 July 2008, Vice President Cobos stunned observers by casting the tie-breaking vote against a presidentially-sponsored measure in the Senate that would have raised export taxes on an array of agricultural goods. His faction of
418-547: The Desaguadero River . Other important rivers include Mendoza River , Tunuyán River , Diamante River and Atuel River . The climate is continental, sunny and dry in the entire territory of the province, with warm summers and relatively cold winters. The arid soil due to the scant precipitation and the great temperature difference between day and night allows mainly xerophytes and few trees to grow. The annual precipitation lies between 150 and 350mm, and hail
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#1732772469544456-650: The Holocene , but there are few remains of those people to know their habits. The earliest sites of human occupation in Mendoza Province, Agua de la Cueva and Gruta del Indio , are 12,000–13,000 years old. In the basins of the Atuel River , in 300 BC, lived a group of people that lived via hunting and the cultivation of maize, pumpkins and beans . Those valleys saw the rise of the Agrelo culture, ancestor of
494-537: The Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province in 1990. Argentina is a federation of twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city , Buenos Aires . Provinces are divided for administration purposes into departments and municipalities , except for Buenos Aires Province , which is divided into partidos and localidades . Buenos Aires City itself is divided into communes ( comuna ) and non-official neighbourhoods ( barrios ). Provinces hold all
532-569: The governorates of Misiones, Formosa, Chaco, La Pampa, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego. The agreement about a frontier dispute with Chile in 1900 created the National Territory of Los Andes ; its lands were incorporated into Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca in 1943. La Pampa and Chaco became provinces in 1951. Misiones did so in 1953, and Formosa , Neuquén , Río Negro , Chubut and Santa Cruz , in 1955. The last national territory, Tierra del Fuego, became
570-766: The 20th century, some provinces have had governments that were traditionally controlled by a single family (i.e. the Saadi family in Catamarca, or the Sapag family in Neuquén); in one case, it is still the same situation as of 2009: the province of San Luis was ruled almost without a break by the Rodríguez Saá family since December 1983. Article 61 of the Constitution of the city of Buenos Aires states that " Suffrage
608-830: The Andes are dry and sunny; however, precipitation increases as one approaches the border with Chile, especially toward the south, where some areas receive over 600 mm (24 in), falling exclusively in the winter, and mostly as snow. Altitudes over 2,600 m in the north and over 2,000 m in the far south usually have ample snow cover. Summer days may be warm and sunny, but nights are always cold, whereas winter temperatures tend to be moderate, with long stretches of sunny (but very windy) weather alternating with very intense snowstorms where several meters of snow may pile up, providing excellent skiing conditions in resorts like Las Lenas, Penitentes and Vallecitos. Mountains often surpass 5,000 meters, and Aconcagua reaches 6,959 meters: at these altitudes,
646-426: The Andes, temperatures may soar to 30 °C (86 °F); however, Pampero winds can keep day temperatures below 5 °C (41 °F) and nighttime lows of −8 °C (18 °F) can be recorded. Snow is uncommon in the north, and occasional in the south. The area around Malargue is located at higher elevation (1400 meters) and thus the weather is significantly colder: summers average 28 °C (82 °F) during
684-656: The Argentine market) are apples, pears, tomatoes, onions, plums , olives , cherries , peaches and quince . Apiculture , with 30,000 beehives , is another growing activity favoured by Mendoza's dry weather. Mining is important to the Mendoza economy and has grown sharply in recent years, now accounting for 22% of output in 2005 (nearly 5 times the national average). Fourteen percent of the national reserves of petroleum are in Mendoza, also home to large-scale mining of lime and uranium . Manufacturing has long contributed to
722-552: The Houses' immediate reassembly. Once the intervention is declared the compromised district's government is immediately dissolved—in whole or in part depending on Congressional decision—and the President appoints a representative or intervenor, who will serve for a short time until the emergency is solved. Since 1983 four provinces were intervened, namely Catamarca, Corrientes (twice), Santiago del Estero (twice), and Tucumán. During
760-695: The Huarpes. They were later influenced greatly by the Inca empire during the 15th century. The first Spanish conquerors came around 1550, from the Viceroyalty of Peru . In 1561, Mendoza was founded by the conquistador Pedro del Castillo . Until the creation of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata in 1776, the area of what is now Mendoza Province belonged to the Captaincy General of Chile . With
798-457: The Mendoza economy (Argentina's fifth largest) is, however, quite diversified. Its 2013 output was estimated at US$ 18.8 billion, or, US$ 10,758 per capita below the national average, at a level similar to Turkey and above Mexico. Agriculture, to be sure (though 7% of the total economy), has long accounted for much of Mendoza's foreign exchange earnings (followed closely by tourism, mainly from Chile). Besides wine, other important crops (mainly for
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#1732772469544836-623: The UCR won a significant victory in the 2009 mid-term elections in Mendoza. The geography of the province descends from 6,960.8 metres (22,837 ft) at the summit of Aconcagua to the semi-flat lands of the east. A series of longitudinal valles, such as the Uspallata, separate the Andes from the Precordillera lower mountains. To the east, the Cuyean plains are crossed by tributaries of
874-597: The climate is extremely cold and windy year round, with temperatures down to −40 °C. Different wind fronts affect the landscape, mainly the Zonda wind , but also the mild Pampero , the warm Viento Norte and, in winter, the very rare Sudestada from the Southeast. The latter wind mostly affects the pampas. Famed worldwide for its viticulture (with 70% of the 1.5 billion liters in Argentine wine production),
912-650: The conservative Democratic Party , which secured the Vice Governor's post in 1958. Increasing their presence in the Mendoza Legislature, the Democrats became an obstacle to progressive Governor Ernesto Ueltschi , an ally of president Arturo Frondizi 's. With majorities in both houses by 1961, they had Gov. Ueltschi removed and Democrat Vice-governor Francisco Gabrielli appointed in his stead. Elected governor in his own right in 1963, Gov. Gabrielli
950-585: The creation of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata , its 30,000 inhabitants became part of the intendency of Cuyo de Córdoba del Tucumán , but in 1813, the intendency was separated and the Province of Cuyo created, with José de San Martín as its first Governor. He received important support from Mendoza when he led his Army of the Andes from Plumerillo to the 1817 crossing of the Andes , in his campaign to end Spanish rule in Chile . The Province of Cuyo
988-531: The day, but only 11 °C (53F) at night, and winters range from 10 °C (50 °F) to −2 °C (28 °F). Here, precipitation is somewhat higher (350 mm) and winter is stormier than the summer, with 45 mm (1.8 in) falling in July. Snow is much more common, and falls several times every year: on occasion, it can be heavy. Temperatures often fall to −12 °C (10 °F) and up to −23 °C (-9 °F) have been recorded. The first slopes of
1026-457: The laws of the nation on any province or the federal capital, the Congress has the authority to declare a federal intervention on the compromised district, even in the absence of a formal request by the affected part. When Congress is in recess and thus unable to intervene, the President is entitled to decree such intervention, but this executive order is subject to Congressional override upon
1064-430: The opposition of his party, Julio Cobos accepted the post of running mate to first lady Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of the ruling Front for Victory , in the presidential elections of October 2007 . Fernández and Cobos won in the first round, and Cobos became Vice President of Argentina ; he was replaced by pro-Kirchner Justicialist candidate Celso Jaque as governor. The province is represented by three senators in
1102-471: The power that they chose not to delegate to the federal government ; they must be representative commonwealths and must not contradict the Constitution . Beyond this, they are fully autonomous: they enact their own constitutions, freely organize their local governments, and own and manage their natural and financial resources. Thus, each province has its own set of provincial laws and justice system,
1140-512: The province around 1900, Mendoza began to grow quickly, attracting tens of thousands of European immigrants, particularly Spaniards. In 1939, the National University of Cuyo , one of the more important universities of the country, was founded in the province. Partly in reaction to President Juan Perón 's populist policies, some of which taxed agriculture heavily to finance urban development and public works, Mendoza landowners formed
1178-461: The province's prosperity and still accounts for 16% of the economy. Mendoza's main industries are, of course, wine production with 1,200 wineries turning out 1.1 billion liters in 2005, followed by canned fruits, a large petroleum refinery (in Luján de Cuyo ), cement and others. Mendoza's services sector is somewhat less developed and diversified than the national average. Tourism, long active in
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1216-558: The province. In Argentina, the most important law enforcement organization is the Argentine Federal Police but the additional work is carried out by the Mendoza Provincial Police. The province is divided into 18 local government areas called departments (Spanish: departamentos ). Each is divided into one or more districts, and has an Executive Department (led by a mayor or intendente ) and
1254-594: The province. Wineries along the wine route generally offer free tours of the premises with wine-tastings at the conclusion of the tour. In the wine-producing region , the Fiesta de la Vendimia (grape harvest festival) receives many visitors in late February or early March. The Christ the Redeemer of the Andes statue in the mountains on the Chilean border is a destination for many excursions. The provincial government
1292-662: The scenic province, has, since the 2002 devaluation of the Argentine peso , become one of its most important sources of income, with around 700,000 visitors per year. The main attractions are the Las Leñas ski centre, the Aconcagua mountain, and the provincial parks of the Atuel Canyon, Puente del Inca and others. With the recent developments in Argentine wine production, enotourism has also become very popular, with numerous wine-tourism oriented hotels appearing throughout
1330-400: The thirteen provinces became fourteen. After seceding for a decade, Buenos Aires Province accepted the 1853 Constitution of Argentina in 1861, and its capital city was made a federal territory in 1880. A law from 1862 designated as national territories those territories under federal control but outside the frontiers of the provinces. In 1884 they served as bases for the establishment of
1368-595: Was deposed following the June 1966 coup against President Arturo Illia ; but still benefiting from conservative credentials, he was appointed de facto governor by the same military regime in 1970. In contrast to the pragmatism that had distinguished his 1963–66 term, Gabrielli governed with a hard line, freezing state salaries and ordering large utility rate increases, used the Mendoza police to repress dissent and took foreign policy prerogatives like collaborating with Chilean saboteurs opposed to their country's new Marxist president, Salvador Allende . These events came to
1406-483: Was left reeling from the 1983 collapse of state-owned vintner Bodegas GIOL, whose dictatorship-era receivers had run the wine conglomerate (then the world's largest outside Europe), and accumulated over US$ 6 billion of debt; GIOL closed in 1991. Elected in 2003, Radical Civic Union Governor Julio Cobos highlighted this independent sentiment by parting ways with many in his party and endorsing newly elected Peronist President Néstor Kirchner 's policies in 2004. Over
1444-400: Was ultimately divided in 1820, and Mendoza parted ways with San Luis and San Juan Provinces. The 1861 earthquake nearly destroyed the city of Mendoza, which had to be almost entirely reconstructed. In 1885, railways were built to the province, allowing for easy transport of the region's wines to the country's trade hub of Buenos Aires . Following the development of the wine industry in
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