La Pampa, heart of the country


Tango dancers

La Pampa’s mythical lands cannot be stripped from its local identity of agricultural production and gauchos. Besides tradition, its wide plains invite visitors to engage in bird-watching and also to get some good rest at its quiet estancias.

Located right in central Argentina, this province is bordered by Córdoba and San Luis in the north, Mendoza in the northwest, Neuquén in the southwest, Río Negro in the south and Buenos Aires in the east. La Pampa has a surface area of 143,440 sq km, representing 6% of the total national surface area, and a population of approximately 300 thousand people. Its lands set the beginning of the Patagonia.

The province’s capital city is the placid Santa Rosa with a population of 100 thousand people. Other major important cities are: General Pico, General Hacha and 25 de Mayo.

Alternative tourism sees its best opportunity in this area due to its vast and natural environments, varied plant and animal species and amazing scenery.

La Pampa stands as one of Argentina’s identity hallmarks both geographically and symbolically: its agricultural feature is seen in its vast and fertile lands, gaucho lifestyle and “asado” (Argentine-style barbecue). However, not only will visitors be amazed at this traditional scenario but also at its growing adventure tourism offer, bird and animal watching, soothing sunsets and miles and miles of deserted plains.

Its central location proves strategic: major tourist spots and towns are located within 700 km to the province. An excellent highway system and air traffic with domestic and international freight airports, including a free zone area, connects La Pampa to the rest of the country.

Rural villages dispersed throughout Buenos Aires narrate part of the Argentine history, large estancias account for a farming past and present, leather and silver craftsmen open their workshops to visitors and gastronomy is based on the best Argentine meat— all these elements give life to a one-of-a-kind lifestyle. In some of these villages you will find “pulperías” (typical Argentine old grocery stores, similar to the old saloon bars of the American Wild West, where groceries and tools are sold), where stories about payadores (traveling country singers who accompany themselves on the guitar and improvise songs) who fought between rimes and facones (large knives used by Gauchos) are still heard.

San Antonio de Areco is one of the oldest and most typical villages of the Argentine country area. In Luján and Carlos Keen, the costumes and traditions of the past remain intact today; and in Mercedes, Tomás Jofré and Carmen de Areco, the characteristic style of the Pampas is still present.

Capilla Del Señor has been declared “Site of Historical and National Interest” in 1994 and it is an outstanding example of the native Pampas population. This cozy village has been integrated to the countryside and it has preserved its original architectonic styles while it gradually took more and more collective memory elements.

Lobos, Monte and Chascomús stand out due to its lakes and the services provided there, where sport fishing and water sports are combined. In one of the “pulperías” located in Lobos, the famous Gaucho Juan Moreira was killed. Also, you may learn practise or how to play polo in a large estancia of great architectonic value. In San Miguel del Monte, you can get acquainted with the history of Juan Manuel de Rosas, who organized the force of Gauchos called “Colorados del Monte” (Red Soldiers from the Mount) at one of his estancias. Chascomús has national historic attractions as well.

In General Lavalle, there are lots of stories about Creoles and natives linked to old farmhouses and surrounding buildings; in this area known as "Pagos del Tuyú", the payador Santos Vega became famous. Finally, General Madariaga is a genuinely "Gaucho town”, featuring its popular asados (barbecues) around a bonfire, folk festivals, Gaucho parades and jineteadas (riding exhibitions).

Geography
Different geographical regions are comprised in this area: hills, plateaus, plains and valleys. The Mediterranean climate cause temperatures to have a wide range: between 5ªC and 35ªC. The most attractive seasons are the spring and the fall. In the spring the landscape flows and wild flowers provide a colorful look. In the fall, on the other hand, the landscape becomes yellowish and ochre.

History
La Pampa is one of the newest Argentine provinces since it was proclaimed as such in 1952. The first settlers to the land were Tehuelche groups who spread along a big portion of Patagonia. This indigenous community, however, had a strong control in the territory. Their livelihood was based on guanaco and choqui (rhea) hunting as well as wild produce collection. They moved along an extended area and left no trace.

The Ranqueles, farmers and horse-back hunters, recognized back in 1700, used to do bartering with other ethic groups. The contact with the Tehuelche group and language similarity with the Mapuches resulted in both groups to become one heterogeneous group.

The second indigenous period is at its height between 1834 and 1873 when the Mapuches or Araucaros, from Chile, carried out what is known as “auracanization” (the process of turning into an Araucaro). The incorporation of the horse as a means of transportation enabled them to have access to this territory. By living together with European conquistadores, their economy also started to be based on exchanging with the new settlers.

In 1879, the military campaigns held during the Desert Conquest established the decline of the indigenous period. Some were exterminated and others doomed to marginalization or confinement.

In 1880, people from neighbor towns and Spanish immigrants were part of the first populating wave. In the beginning of the 20th century, the “golden era” of farmers’ colonization got started. Due to immigration laws, which were adapted from the colonization system to the tenancy system, La Pampa became the home to numerous groups of immigrants who, escaping famine, poverty and ideological and social persecution, plucked up courage and conquered new horizons.

With the eventual land valuation, farming-related activities started to turn into commercial activities: livestock breeding, wheat monoculture, etc.

Economy
As before stated, La Pampa is the land of farming and livestock breeding by excellence. The northeast region of the province is where agricultural production prevails. This is so because of its soil quality and rainfall. Cereal, oil seeds, fodder, corn and sunflowers crops are found here, wheat crops being the most significant one.

Livestock breeding is the most profitable activity for the province’s economy and is mainly based on bovines.

Apiculture, mining and hydrocarbon extraction have seen a considerable growth in the last few years.

On the other hand, La Pampa’s government and a licensed company have jointly developed a project known as: Industrial Pole – Free Zone General Pico with the aim of encouraging companies and foreign trade in the area. Companies have experienced improvement in production and commercialization through different benefits such as tax relief for the nationalization of capital goods, customs territory sales, management positions and provincial taxes, among others.