What are the Pampas in South America?
Learn More in these related Britannica articles: Argentina: The Pampas. Pampa is a Quechua Indian term meaning “flat plain.” As such, it is widely used in southeastern South America from Uruguay, where grass-covered plains commence south of the Brazilian Highlands, to Argentina. South America: Pampas.
What is the average height of the Pampas?
Description. Though the Pampas have a gradual slope northwest to southeast, from 1,650 feet (500 meters) to 66 feet (20 meters) above sea level, most of the region appears flat. The Pampas is a distinctive geographical feature of South America and covers a staggering 295,000 miles (760,000 square km).
What is the soil like in the Pampas?
The Pampas. The soil consists chiefly of fine sand, clay, and silt washed down toward the Atlantic by the great rivers or blown in dust storms from the west. Cool winds from the south periodically meet warm air from the tropical north, creating violent gales accompanied by heavy rain in the neighbourhood of Buenos Aires.
What is the main economic activity in the Pampas?
Modern Significance Since the beginning of the 20th century, agriculture is the primary economic activity in the Pampas. The western belt, from Sante Fe to Bahia Blanza, is cultivated chiefly for alfalfa and wheat while maize and flax are grown around Rosario.
What is in the Pampas region Argentina?
Best known for being the home of the gauchos, Argentina's famous baggy-trousered cowboys, the pampa stretches south and west from Buenos Aires. It's a region of endless yawning plains, the fertile soils of which support succulent pasture for the country's revered beef cattle, along with golden wheat and sunflowers.
What is produced in the Pampas?
Wheat is Argentina's largest crop in harvested land area, and it is the main crop in the cattle-raising southern Pampas of Buenos Aires and La Pampa provinces. Wheat and corn (maize) dominate in the north. Planting of corn and wheat began simultaneously in the northern Pampas.
What are the main products of Pampas?
agriculture has remained the chief economic activity of the Pampa; livestock grazing and wheat growing are found in the drier W Pampa while corn and other grains along with dairying and truck crops are found in the more humid E Pampa.
What is the main activity in the Pampas of Argentina?
The Argentine Pampas is one of the most productive rainfed regions of agriculture and livestock in the world.
Why is the Pampas important?
With fertile soil and rich grasses, the Pampas area has consistently provided for the rest of the country and, even with cattle prices falling, it still contributes highly to the Argentina national income.
What are Pampas used for?
When planted outside, pampas grass can get up to 10-feet tall, but people are using it indoors as a pretty decoration in everything from living rooms to bathrooms. Wisler said it's a great accent piece because of its texture. “It's both fluffy and visually textural, soft but architectural.” he explained.
Why are the Pampas unique?
The humid Pampas ecosystem is one of the richest grazing areas in the world. Because of its temperate climate and rich, deep soil, most of the Pampas has been cultivated and turned into croplands.
What animals live in the Pampas?
Characteristic animals of the Pampas include foxes, skunks, small herds of guanaco, viscachas, bush dogs, and many bird species related to the sparrows, hawks, and waterfowl of the North American prairies. Pampa is a Quechua Indian term meaning “flat plain.” As such, it is widely used in southeastern...
Why Pampas is known as the granary of South America?
PAMPAS IS KNOWN AS THE GRANARIES OF SOUTH AMERICA BECAUSE THE BULK OF WORLD'S EXPORT OF WHEAT.
What kind of activity are the Pampas ideal for?
Must-see places to visit in the Argentina Pampas. Activities in the Pampas of Argentina satisfy nature lovers, culinary connoisseurs, culture enthusiasts, and history buffs alike! You can be as active as you want to be, horseback riding, fishing, hiking, etc.
Why are the Pampas becoming endangered?
Abstract. The pampas deer, Ozotoceros bezoarticus, was, until the recent past, widespread in South America from 5°S to 41°S; however, it is now considered to be one of the most endangered South American cervids because of habitat destruction and fragmentation.
Why has soy production increased in the Pampas region?
Two major technological innovations have fuelled soybean's exponential growth in Argentina: the farming technique known as direct seeding and the introduction of herbicide resistant soybeans.
What plants live in the Pampas?
A few of the plants in the pampas include cattails, water lillies, reeds. These plants usually prefer wetlands but they have adapted to the dryer Pampas grasslands. There are not very many trees because fires frequently occur in the pampas.
Why has soy production increased in the Pampas region?
Two major technological innovations have fuelled soybean's exponential growth in Argentina: the farming technique known as direct seeding and the introduction of herbicide resistant soybeans.
What animals live in the Pampas?
Characteristic animals of the Pampas include foxes, skunks, small herds of guanaco, viscachas, bush dogs, and many bird species related to the sparrows, hawks, and waterfowl of the North American prairies. Pampa is a Quechua Indian term meaning “flat plain.” As such, it is widely used in southeastern...
What is the climate like in the Pampas?
The Pampas occupy a transitional area between high summer temperatures to the north and cooler summers to the south. Buenos Aires, located on the northern edge of the Pampas, has a climate similar to that of cities in the southeastern United States, with hot, humid summers and cool, mild winters.
What are the Pampas?
The Pampas (from the Quechua: pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American lowlands that cover more than 1,200,000 square kilometres (460,000 sq mi) and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul.
What is the dominant vegetation type in the Pampas?
The dominant vegetation types are grassy prairie and grass steppe, in which numerous species of the grass genus Stipa are particularly conspicuous. "Pampas grass" ( Cortaderia selloana) is an iconic species of the Pampas. Vegetation typically includes perennial grasses and herbs.
Where is the Savanna in Uruguay?
The Uruguayan Savanna lies east of the Parana River, and includes all of Uruguay, most of Entre Ríos and Corrientes provinces in Argentina, and the southern portion of Brazil's state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Humid Pampas include eastern Buenos Aires Province, and southern Entre Ríos Province.
What are the animals that have lost their habitats in the Pampas?
Human activity has caused major changes to the wildlife of the Pampas. Species such as the puma, rhea, and Pampas deer have lost their habitats especially due to the spread of agriculture and ranching.
What is the climate in the Pampas?
Climates. The climate of the Pampas is generally temperate, gradually giving way to a more subtropical climate in the north and a semiarid climate on the western fringes (like San Luis Province and western La Pampa Province ). Summer temperatures are more uniform than winter temperatures, generally ranging from 28 to 33 °C (82 to 91 °F) ...
What is Argentina's history of immigration?
As a result, Argentina's history of immigration in Buenos Aires Province is typically associated with cities and urban life, unlike in Entre Ríos Province and Santa Fe Province, where European immigration took on a more rural profile.
What is the temperature in the Pampas?
However, most cities in the Pampas occasionally have high temperatures that push 38 °C (100 °F), as occurs when a warm, dry, northerly wind blows from southern Brazil.
What are the animals that live in the Pampas?
The Pampas of Argentina are inhabited by a limited number of indigenous animals. Among the birds are rheas and a series of smaller birds, including the popular ovenbird ( Furnarius rufus ), the name of which comes from its globe-shaped nest made of mud. Endemic mammals include the mara ( Dolichotis patagona ), a long-legged, long-eared rodent; the plains viscacha ( Lagostomus ), a burrowing rodent related to the chinchilla; the guanaco ( Lama guanacoe ), a South American mammal related to the camel but resembling a deer; and Pampas deer ( Blastoceros campestris ). The restricted number of the larger herbivorous mammals is quite remarkable and illustrates the scarcity of recent mammalian types in the Neotropical region.
What are the animals that live on the arid coast of Peru?
The limited variety of animals that inhabit the arid coast of Peru and northern Chile is especially striking when compared with the richness of offshore marine life. The cold upwelling water of the Peru Current, rich in salts, are swarming with life, from plankton to fishes, including the Peruvian anchovy ( Engraulis ringens ); those small forms of life provide food for higher levels of the marine community, represented, for example, by sea lions and birds, many of which are endemic to the area. Birdlife includes a penguin, many species of gulls and terns, shearwaters, petrels, cormorants, pelicans, and boobies (a kind of gannet). Three kinds of those birds—the guanay (or Peruvian cormorant; Phalacrocorax bougainvillii ), the variegated booby ( Sula variegata ), and the brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis )—nest by the millions on small islands off the coast, where their droppings accumulate to form guano, a highly prized fertilizer.
What are the animals that live in southern Chile?
The forests of southern Chile are inhabited by a specialized animal life, with a high percentage of endemic species. Parakeets and hummingbirds are found as far south as Tierra del Fuego. A marsupial, the rincolesta of Chiloé ( Rhyncholestes raphanurus ), is one of the most primitive mammals still in existence.
Why is the Pampas region so famous?
The Pampas region of Argentina is famous for a couple of reasons, which are inextricably linked with the culture and history of Argentina. First, much of Argentine folklore since the Spanish conquest centers around the both mythic and authentic gaucho figure, who still work these fertile plains to this day on some of the private estancias (ranches). Second, in addition to cowboy life on the estancias, the Pampas are home to some intriguing up-and-coming vineyards in all of Argentina.
What are the activities in the Pampas?
Activities in the Pampas of Argentina satisfy nature lovers, culinary connoisseurs, culture enthusiasts, and history buffs alike! You can be as active as you want to be, horseback riding, fishing, hiking, etc. At the same time, spend some quality relaxation time with one of the most precious natural backdrops and incredible local fare.
When is the best time to go to The Pampas grasslands in Argentina?
There’s truly no terrible time to visit the Pampas of Argentina due to the pleasant climate year-round. The austral summer months from December to February are the hottest reaching the lower-eighties in Fahrenheit, while the winter months between June and August are relatively mild, never dropping below mid-fifties, for the most part.
What does "pampa" mean in Spanish?
In South America, pampa means grasslands or prairie. And although Spanish-Speakers understand its meaning instantly, it is actually a loan word from the original Quechua, meaning “flat space” or “flatness.” When it comes to the Pampas in Argentina, the word evokes a romantic notion of living off of the land, rough and tumble gaucho culture, and raising some of the best cattle in the world!
What animals live in the Pampas?
In addition to the roaming cattle and sheep, plenty of wild fauna inhabits the Argentina Pampas. Here you will find herds of wild guanacos (a type of Andean camelid slightly smaller than llamas but bigger than alpacas), foxes, bush dogs, viscachas (in the chinchilla family), hawks, waterfowl, and a feline resembling the long-lost cousin of an angora housecat called the Pampas cat.
Where is San Antonio de Areco?
Just a short 70 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, San Antonio de Areco remains one of the steadfast “gaucho towns” in the Pampas. Home to some original Argentine estancias turned all-inclusive accommodations, visiting San Antonio de Areco promises one of the most romantically rustic experiences you can have in all of Argentina.
Where are the vineyards in Argentina?
Argentina is also known for its exemplary wines and vineyards, many of which belong to the Mendoza province, including the Pampas region to the east. The largest concentration of vineyards lies at the base of the Andes in Mendoza; however, there is now a surge of vineyards closer to the grassy plains of central Argentina as well.
Where are the Pampas?
The Pampas are vast plains that range across central Argentina from the Atlantic coast to the foothills of the Andes. It is bounded by the Gran Chaco, the alluvial lowland, to the north and the Patagonia scrubland to the south. Though the Pampas have a gradual slope northwest to southeast, from 1,650 feet (500 meters) to 66 feet (20 meters) above sea level, most of the region appears flat. The Pampas is a distinctive geographical feature of South America and covers a staggering 295,000 miles (760,000 square km). It is divided into two zones: the western dry zone is largely barren with large saline fields, sandy deserts, and brackish streams. In the east is the humid sections of the Pampas, a much smaller area with water sources. It includes part of the Buenos Aires province, the economic center of Argentina and the country’s most populated area.
What are the Pampas known for?
Parts of the Pampas are noted for their vineyards, especially in the region of Mendoza, which alone produces half the wines of entire South America. Argentina’s gaucho literature is heavily ...
What are the animals that live in the Pampas?
Native animal species of the Pampas include foxes, bush dogs, skunks and small herds of guanaco. Carnivores include pumas, Geoffrey’s cats, and pampas foxes. Other mammals include the vizcachas, cuis pampeano, nutria and the opossum. Among the feathered friends are species related to the hawks, sparrows, and waterfowl of the North American prairies. There are various other bird species, including migratory birds, whose names will not make much sense to a person outside South America. Trees are rare in the Pampas, and frequent wildfires allow only various kinds of grasses to flourish. These are mostly prairie and steppe type grasses. ‘Pampas grass’ is the distinct species of the region. These grasses grow in various strata because water is available in gradients. The soil is comprised chiefly of clay, fine sand and silt washed towards the Atlantic by the great rivers; they are also blown to the region by dust storms from the west. Warm air from the tropical north periodically meets cool winds from the south and creates pamperos, violent storms with heavy rain in the vicinity of Buenos Aires.
What did the Argentinean landlords do after independence?
After independence, Argentinean landlords drove the Indians from the plains and employed immigrants to grow alfalfa, maize, and lush pastures. The southeastern stretches of Pampas between Tandil and Mard Del Plata contain much swampland and are relatively cool.
What were the animals that were introduced to the Pampas region?
4. Historical Role. After colonizing South America, the Spaniards introduced cattle and horses to the Pampas region. The animals were collared by gauchos who are well-known for their horsemanship and lawlessness. After independence, Argentinean landlords drove the Indians from the plains and employed immigrants to grow alfalfa, maize, ...
How high is the Pampas?
Though the Pampas have a gradual slope northwest to southeast, from 1,650 feet (500 meters) to 66 feet (20 meters) above sea level, most of the region appears flat. The Pampas is a distinctive geographical feature of South America and covers a staggering 295,000 miles (760,000 square km).
Why are the Pampas grasslands under threat?
Like all other natural ecosystems of the world, the Pampas grasslands are also under severe threat from human activities . Extensive areas of valuable grassland have already been cleared for cultivation and cattle grazing purposes. Competition with human-bred livestock depletes the food sources of the wild herbivores inhabiting the grasslands. Persecution and poaching of the wild species have also severely reduced their numbers in the Pampas. The entire ecosystem is thus currently under threat and needs to be conserved by law in order to save the wild beauty and natural treasures of this habitat.
What is the Pampas region made of?
In the previous section we said that the Pampean region itself is an extensive meadow and, therefore, is made up of various plant communities dominated by grassland species . Some of the most characteristic plant species of the Pampas region are:
Where is the Wavy Pampas?
Wavy Pampas: it is located in the north of the Pampas region, from the center to the east. It is one of the most urbanized and industrialized subregions.
What is the climate of the Pampean region?
Regarding the climate of the Pampean region , we can indicate that it is temperate and with well-marked seasons: cold winters with frosts and hot summers, in which most of the rainfall occurs .
How many animals are in danger of extinction in Argentina?
To learn more about the fauna of this country, we advise you to read these other posts about the 30 native animals of Argentina and 34 animals in danger of extinction in Argentina . In addition, to better understand both the flora and fauna of this country, do not hesitate to enter this other article about the Flora and fauna of Argentina .
Is the Pampean biome flat?
In principle, the biome of the Pampean region is classified as a wide, mainly flat grassland and, in fact, it is the most extensive grassland in Argentina since its extension includes the provinces of Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, La Pampa and Buenos Aires .
Where are the Pampas in Argentina?
Pampas Argentina is a huge region of Argentina. It consists of the humid pampas that wander along the seaboard to the dry pampas of the west and south, but it also includes Buenos Aires-- not to mention the world-class beaches. So if you don?t think you have seen Pampas Argentina, think again, because it covers such a wide range--It's hard to miss.
What is the significance of the Pampas Gaucho?
Join the Pampas gauchos in their romanticized lives of tending to cattle on the plains. The Argentina history of the gaucho is held in high regard. The word gaucho came into existence during the late 1700's to describe a rough individual, with tough manners, that either travels alone or with a woman with only a knife for baggage. They are the eternal wanderers, the hard working horsemen that stand as one of the best-known cultural icons of Argentina. The Argentina history has been elevated from the troublemakers who slaughtered cattle to the level of myth, which is celebrated in both song and prose. They are truly heroic figures to the eyes of their countrymen, who pronounce their virtues as knights would with strength, bravery and honor. There is even a Pampas gaucho festival in their honor every December.
Where to go on a vacation in Argentina?
Take a holiday to the endless grassy horizons of Pampas Argentina. This is Argentina's breadbasket of fertile land where thousands of cattle are raised each year by pampas gauchos, also known as cowboys. Discover the South American flat lands that stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes Mountains with all the sights and sounds to experience in between. It is a land that is difficult to see in one trip. You may want to get jump started on your next vacation. It is a never-ending land with as much beauty as your heart will allow.
When did the Pampas move to soy?
The shift to soy began in the early 1990s with President Carlos Menem’s liberalization of the economy. He opened the country to the world market, and allowed for the introduction of genetically modified soy, which is cheaper and easier to grow than any other crop. But it was what farmers see as the Kirchner’s war on their sector—one that seeks cheap food and high government income—that set in place this fundamental shift in the way the Pampas are farmed.
What is the soyazation in Argentina?
The “soyazation” has been an undercurrent in the ongoing tension between Argentina’s farmers and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. In the spring of 2008, Fernández, who followed in the policy footsteps of her husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, sought to raise export taxes on grains and soy above the then current rates, which were already as high as 35%. The move sparked months of protests by farmers, who blocked off highways and halted sales, leading to food shortages in the cities. The revenue from the tax hike was supposed to go primarily to the urban poor. But months after the president raised the taxes, the Senate voted them down, leaving the rates at their previous levels. Throughout the debate, the president’s popularity declined. And while she gave up her bid to raise taxes higher, she has not given in to other demands including a call to lower the soy tax below 35%. Fernández’s ruling party lost its majority in June’s Congressional elections and many hoped that a humbled president might back down.
Overview
The Pampas (from the Quechua: pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than 1,200,000 square kilometres (460,000 sq mi) and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. The vast plains are a natural region, interrupted only …
Topography
This region has generally low elevations, whose highest levels do not exceed 600 metres (1,970 feet) in altitude. The coastal areas and most of the Buenos Aires Province are predominantly plain (with some wetlands) and the interior areas (mainly in the southern part of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay) have low ranges of hills (like Serras de Sudeste in Brazil and Cuchilla Grande in Uruguay). Low hills covered by grasslands are called coxilhas (Portuguese pr…
Climates
The climate of the Pampas is generally temperate, gradually giving way to a more humid subtropical climate in the north (Cfa, according to the Köppen climate classification); a cold semi-arid climate (BSk) on the southern and western fringes (like San Luis Province, western La Pampa Province and southern Buenos Aires Province); and an oceanic climate (Cfb) in the southeastern part (…
Wildlife
Human activity has caused major changes to the wildlife of the Pampas. Species such as the puma, rhea, and Pampas deer have lost their habitats especially due to the spread of agriculture and ranching.
Herbivores of the pampas are the Pampas deer, gray brocket, plains viscacha, Brazilian guinea pig, southern mountain cavy and coypu. The biggest predator o…
Vegetation
Historically, frequent wildfires ensured that only small plants such as grasses flourished, while trees were less common. The dominant vegetation types are grassy prairie and grass steppe, in which numerous species of the grass genus Stipa are particularly conspicuous. "Pampas grass" (Cortaderia selloana) is an iconic species of the Pampas. Vegetation typically includes perennial grasses …
Immigration
Starting in the 1840s but intensifying after the 1880s, European immigrants began to migrate to the Pampas, first as part of government-sponsored colonization schemes to settle the land and later as tenant farmers "working as either a sharecropper or as paid laborers for absentee landowners" in an attempt to make a living for themselves.
However, many immigrants eventually moved to more permanent employment in cities, as indus…
See also
• Dry Pampa
• Estancia
• Federal University of Pampa
• Gaucho
• Humid Pampas
External links
• Encyclopædia Britannica: The Pampas
Description
Historical Role
- After colonizing South America, the Spaniards introduced cattle and horses to the Pampas region. The animals were collared by gauchos who are well-known for their horsemanship and lawlessness. After independence, Argentinean landlords drove the Indians from the plains and employed immigrants to grow alfalfa, maize, and lush pastures. The southeaste...
Modern Significance
- Since the beginning of the 20th century, agriculture is the primary economic activity in the Pampas. The western belt, from Sante Fe to Bahia Blanza, is cultivated chiefly for alfalfa and wheat while maize and flax are grown around Rosario. These are also the industrial regions with the principal transportation networks, where significant enterprises are meatpacking and food pr…
Habitat and Biodiversity
- Native animal species of the Pampas include foxes, bush dogs, skunks and small herds of guanaco. Carnivores include pumas, Geoffrey’s cats, and pampas foxes. Other mammals include the vizcachas, cuis pampeano, nutria and the opossum. Among the feathered friends are species related to the hawks, sparrows, and waterfowl of the North American prairies. There are various …
Environmental Threats and Territorial Disputes
- Like all other natural ecosystems of the world, the Pampas grasslands are also under severe threat from human activities. Extensive areas of valuable grassland have already been cleared for cultivation and cattle grazing purposes. Competition with human-bred livestock depletes the food sources of the wild herbivores inhabiting the grasslands. Persecution and poaching of the wild s…