Formosa Province () is a

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

in northeastern

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

, part of the

Gran Chaco The Gran Chaco or simply Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland tropical dry broadleaf forest natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion o ...

Region. Formosa's northeast end touches Asunción, Paraguay, and the province borders the provinces of Chaco and

Salta Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Salta Province, the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the List of cities in Argentina, 7th most-populous ...

to its south and west, respectively. The capital is Formosa.

Source of the provincial name

The name of the city (and the province) comes from the archaic Spanish word (currently ) meaning "beautiful". The name or was used by Spanish sailors in the 16th century to describe the area where the

Paraguay River The Paraguay River (''Ysyry Paraguái'' in Guarani language, Guarani, ''Rio Paraguai'' in Portuguese language, Portuguese, ''Río Paraguay'' in Spanish language, Spanish) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bol ...

makes a turn, right in front of the actual city. These sailors were searching for the legendary Sierra del Plata.

History

Native inhabitants of these lands include the

Pilagá fThe Pilagá (in Pilagá language, Pilagá language: ''pit'laxá'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous people of the Guaycuru peoples, Guaycuru group that inhabits the center of the province of Formosa Province, Formosa, in Arge ...

s, Wichis and Tobas, whose languages are still spoken in the province. Sebastian Cabot and

Diego García de Moguer Diego García de Moguer (1484 or 1496–1544) was a Spanish explorer who also sailed for the Portuguese Crown later in life. The Diego Garcia island, the largest of the Chagos Archipelago, is named after him. Biography Spanish sources indicat ...

first explored the area at the beginning of the 16th century trying to find a route from

Viceroyalty of Peru The Viceroyalty of Peru (), officially known as the Kingdom of Peru (), was a Monarchy of Spain, Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in ...

Asunción Asunción (, ) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of Asunción in the north ...

. Because the Pilcomayo and Bermejo Rivers are so shallow, the attempts to set a route towards Asunción was abandoned. The area's first European settlement, ''Concepción del Bermejo'', was established in 1585. Following the establishment of Argentine and Paraguayan independence in the 1810s, the area fell under dispute between the two nations, a matter not settled until after the War of the Triple Alliance (1865–70). Commander Luis Jorge Fontana founded the settlement of Formosa in 1879, bringing the remote area into national attention and helping to secure a territorial status in 1884. Formosa had less than 20,000 inhabitants in 1914; but in 1955, when it acquired the status of Province by decree of President

Juan Perón Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine military officer and Statesman (politician), statesman who served as the History of Argentina (1946-1955), 29th president of Argentina from 1946 to Revolución Libertad ...

, it had already more than 150,000. Following the Rincón Bomba massacre by the Argentinean Gendarmerie of nomadic

Amerindians In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...

in 1947, President Perón initiated a program of

land reform Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution. Lan ...

in the province; the program, by the time of his 1955 overthrow, had issued only around 4,000 land grants, however. Continuing to grow slowly, though relatively steadily, the Formosa campus of the National University of the Northeast was established as the National University of Formosa in 1988.

Geography

Located within the

geographic coordinates A geographic coordinate system (GCS) is a spherical or geodetic coordinate system for measuring and communicating positions directly on Earth as latitude and longitude. It is the simplest, oldest, and most widely used type of the various ...

26° 22°30' south, and 57°30' 62°25' west, the plains run between the Bermejo and Pilcomayo Rivers with a slight inclination towards the southeast. Due to this flatness, riverbeds are not stable, and small lagoons that are slowly reabsorbed arise.

Climate

The average annual temperature is 21 °C; during summer it can rise to 45 °C. The

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

weather is characterized with uniform annual rains in the east (1000 mm annual), while in the rest of the country winter is a drier season (80 mm). The humidity variation results in the jungle vegetation on one side, and the Chaqueño forest in the other. The limit with the

Salta Province Salta () is a Provinces of Argentina, province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa Province, Formosa, Chaco Province, Chaco, Santiago del Estero Province, Santiago del Es ...

is known as the ''Impenetrable'' ("Impenetrable"). Formosa's protected areas are the Río Pilcomayo National Park and the Formosa National Reserve.

Fauna

Formosa, a province located in northern Argentina, is renowned for its exceptional fauna diversity. The region's diverse ecosystems, encompassing wetlands, forests, grasslands, and rivers, provide a wide array of habitats for a rich variety of animal species. The fauna of Formosa showcases a remarkable assortment, playing a vital role in preserving the ecological balance of this vast environment and contributing to the overall functionality of the ecosystem. Nevertheless, the indigenous animals of Formosa have faced significant declines as a result of human activities. The yaguareté, once a prevalent inhabitant of the forests and jungles, has experienced a population decrease. Other felids, such as pumas and various feline species, also inhabit the area. The humid forest areas are home to tapirs and monkeys, with the distinctive howler monkey, known as carayá, standing out among them. In the drier forest zones, armadillos, including the giant armadillo, locally known as tatú carreta, alongside foxes and rodents commonly found in the Chaco region, have established their habitats. The bird and reptile populations in Formosa share similarities with those found in other provinces of Argentina.

Mammals

In Formosa Province, one can still find both large and small feline species, such as the jaguar, puma, ocelot, mountain cat, and pampas cat. In the grassland areas, the maned wolf, known as "aguara-guazu," can be found, although its population is currently declining. In more open and cleared areas, armadillos such as the mulita, giant armadillo, mataco, and peludo can be found. Other abundant mammals in Formosa include coatis, tapirs, small deer known as corzuelas, foxes, skunks, vizcachas, overa weasels, howler monkeys or caraya, and various rodent species. The 27 species of mammals that have been identified in Formosa are: *

Giant Anteater The giant anteater (''Myrmecophaga tridactyla'') is an Insectivore, insectivorous mammal native to Central America, Central and South America. It is the largest of the four living species of anteaters, which are classified with sloths in the or ...

Southern Tamandua The southern tamandua (''Tamandua tetradactyla''), also called the collared anteater or lesser anteater, is a species of anteater from South America and the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. It is a solitary animal found in many habitats, from ...

* Marsh Deer * Gray brocket *

Collared Peccary The collared peccary (''Dicotyles tajacu'') is a peccary, a species of artiodactyl (even-toed) mammal in the family Peccary, Tayassuidae found in North America, North, Central America, Central, and South America. It is the only member of the gen ...

* White-lipped Peccary *

Maned Wolf The maned wolf (''Chrysocyon brachyurus'') is a large canine of South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of a red fox, but it is neither a fox nor ...

* Crab-eating Fox * Pampas Fox *

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...

* Puma *

Jaguarundi The jaguarundi (''Herpailurus yagouaroundi''; or ) is a wild felidae, cat native to the Americas. Its range extends from central Argentina in the south to northern Mexico, through Central America, Central and South America east of the Andes. T ...

Geoffroy's Cat Geoffroy's cat (''Leopardus geoffroyi'') is a small wild cat native to the southern and central regions of South America. It is around the size of a domestic cat. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to it being widespread and a ...

* Tayra (Eira barbara) *

Neotropical Otter The neotropical otter or neotropical river otter (''Lontra longicaudis'') is a near-threatened (per the IUCN) otter species found in freshwater systems from Mexico and Central America through mainland South America, as well as the island of Trini ...

* Crab-eating Raccoon * South American Coati * Screaming Hairy Armadillo * Southern Three-banded Armadillo *

Nine-banded Armadillo The nine-banded armadillo (''Dasypus novemcinctus''), also called the nine-banded long-nosed armadillo or common long-nosed armadillo, is a species of armadillo native to North America, North, Central America, Central, and South America, making ...

* Common tapeti * South American Tapir * Azara's Night Monkey * Black Howler Monkey *

Capybara The capybara or greater capybara (''Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris'') is the largest living rodent, native to South America. It is a member of the genus '' Hydrochoerus''. The only other extant member is the lesser capybara (''Hydrochoerus isthmi ...

* Chacoan Mara * Brazilian guinea pig

Birds

Formosa is one of the preferred destinations for nature enthusiasts due to the excellent state of conservation of its ecosystems across much of its territory. It is renowned for its rich birdlife, with many species easily observable during a day trip into nature. Within this province, one can encounter rheas (ñandúes), various species of partridges among the terrestrial birds, and herons among the aquatic species. Other notable bird species include toucans, southern lapwings, crested caracaras, crows, caracaras, magpies, woodpeckers, kingfishers, different species of doves and ducks, guans, hoatzins, ovenbirds, cattle tyrants, fork-tailed flycatchers, owls, and nightjars, seedeaters, swans, and spoonbills. In the areas near rivers, especially along the Paraná River, common parakeets and the yellow-chevroned parakeet and blue-fronted parrot are abundant. It could be said that half of Argentina's bird species are found in Formosa, as 367 species have been recorded out of the 1,020 documented across the entire country. These are just a few examples of the diverse avian inhabitants of the province: Some of the birds found in Formosa include: * Rhea * Southern Screamer * Red-and-green Macaw *

Brazilian Teal The Brazilian teal or Brazilian duck (''Amazonetta brasiliensis'') is the only extant species of duck in the genus ''Amazonetta''. It is widely distributed in eastern South America. Taxonomy The Brazilian teal was Species description, formally ...

* Glittering-bellied_emerald * Black-throated Mango * Andean Flamingo * White-barred Piculet *

Toco Toucan The toco toucan (''Ramphastos toco'') is a species of bird in the toucan Family (biology), family Ramphastidae. It is the largest species of toucan and has a distinctive appearance, with a black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-Covert ( ...

* Ringed Kingfisher *

Scarlet Macaw The scarlet macaw (''Ara macao'') also called the red-and-yellow macaw, red-and-blue macaw or red-breasted macaw, is a large yellow, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas. Its range extends from south ...

Reptiles

Formosa is home to a variety of reptiles, each with its own characteristics and level of danger. Among them are the lampalagua, the false yarará, the yarará or cross snake, and the coral snake, with the latter two being highly venomous. In addition to these venomous snakes, the chaco region is also inhabited by the overas and coloradas iguanas, as well as land turtles. The reptiles found in Formosa include: * Yacare caiman * Broad-snouted caiman * Yellow anaconda *

Boa constrictor The boa constrictor (scientific name also ''Boa constrictor''), also known as the common boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. The boa constrictor is a member of the Family (b ...

* Argentinian rainbow boa * Micrurus altirostris * South American rattlesnake * Crossed pit viper * Ameiva *

Scorpion mud turtle The scorpion mud turtle or Tabasco mud turtle (''Kinosternon scorpioides'') is a species of mud turtle in the family Kinosternidae. It is found in Mexico, Central and South America. Description The scorpion mud turtle is a medium to large kin ...

Demographics

According to the 2022 Argentine national census, the Province of Formosa has 606,941 inhabitants.

Economy

Remote and saddled by its inhospitable geography and climate, Formosa's economy has long been one of Argentina's poorest. Its economy in 2006 was estimated at US$2.082 billion, or, US$4,278 per capita. Its economy is the third-smallest and second-least developed in Argentina, yet it has shared in Argentina's recovery since 2002 very well.I.A.D.E.R
/ref> Poorly industrialized, Formosa's economy is based on

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

and

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

activities like cotton and

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

cultivation, these being mostly centered in the Patino, Pilagás and Pilcomayo departments. Cattle in Formosa exceed 1.5 million head and ranching has long been the agricultural mainstay of the province. Like elsewhere in Argentina, agriculture has long since been overtaken by other activities and amounts to about 10% of Formosa's output (somewhat more than average).

Cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

cultivation passed from over 100,000

ton Ton is any of several units of measure of mass, volume or force. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses. As a unit of mass, ''ton'' can mean: * the '' long ton'', which is * the ''tonne'', also called the ''metric ...

s at the end of the 1970s to 10,000 at the end of the 1990s because of the drop of the international price, and the

fixed exchange rate A fixed exchange rate, often called a pegged exchange rate, is a type of exchange rate regime in which a currency's value is fixed or pegged by a monetary authority against the value of another currency, a currency basket, basket of other currenc ...

. After the 2001 crisis, production slightly revived to 50,000 tons a year in 2004. More than 70% of the area sown with cotton belongs to small family-run farms of less than 10

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. ...

s. Cotton represents half of the agricultural wealth of the province followed by

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

(25,000 tons a year) and

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

(55,000 tons), who have experienced a less dramatic invigoration after the 2001 crisis.

Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...

s, grown mainly for domestic consumption, amount to a steady annual average crop of 70,000 tons.

Citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. ''Citrus'' is nativ ...

and juice production for exportation, specially

grapefruit The grapefruit (''Citrus'' × ''paradisi'') is a subtropical citrus tree known for its relatively large, sour to semi-sweet, somewhat bitter fruit. The flesh of the fruit is segmented and varies in color from pale yellow to dark red. Grapefru ...

, is growing rapidly, with 1,200 planted hectares and an annual production of around 15,000 tons. Others;

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...

(273 tons) and derivatives,

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

-wood (140,000 tons) and textile industry (cotton, leather). Tourist infrastructure is barely developed. Sites of interest include the city of Formosa, the Río Pilcomayo National Park, ''Bañado La Estrella'', ''Laguna Yema'', ''Herradura'' town, and ''Misión Laishí''.

Government

The provincial government is divided into the usual three branches: the executive, headed by a popularly elected governor, who appoint the cabinet; the legislative; and the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court. The Constitution of Formosa Province forms the formal law of the province. In Argentina, the most important law enforcement organization is the

Argentine Federal Police The Argentine Federal Police ( or PFA) is the national civil police force of the Argentine federal government. The PFA has detachments throughout the country. Until January 1, 2017, it also acted as the local law enforcement agency in the cap ...

but the additional work is carried out by the Formosa Provincial Police.

Political division

The province is divided into nine departments:

Villages

* Herradura, settlement * Villa General Güemes, settlement

State anthem

Formosa has its own anthem, called "Himno Marcha Formosa". On April 8, 1955, the Anthem "Marcha Formosa" was sung for the first time, in 1964 the definitive arrangement of it was made and it became official as a song. By decree No. 1471 of July 21, 1988, compulsory education was established in primary, secondary and tertiary establishments and its intonation in public events.

References

External links

Provincial government
(Spanish)

economic info, with a map (can be enlarged)
Tourist Office
(Spanish)
Encyclopedia Libre article
(Spanish only)
Provincial portal
(Spanish only) {{coord, 26, 11, 00, S, 58, 10, 30, W, source:kolossus-eswiki, display=title Provinces of Argentina States and territories established in 1955 1955 establishments in Argentina