Formosa Province

( Details)

( Details)

- Total - Percentage of Argentina

72,066 km ² 2.6

- Total 2001 - Density

486 559 inhabitants 6.8 inhabitants / km ²

Formosa is a province in northeast Argentina, which belongs geographically to the Gran Chaco region. Formosa bordered to the north and east, Paraguay. The northeastern tip is opposite the Paraguayan capital Asunción. In the west, Formosa borders the province of Salta and on the south by the province of Chaco. The provincial capital is also called Formosa.

Geography and climate

The entire territory of the province is flat. The climate is subtropical with hot, humid summers and dry, mild winters. In the west of the province you will find the Impenetrable, an impenetrable bramble forest.

Population

Much of the population lives in the eastern third of the province, which is a more humid and less harsh climate than the west. The largest cities are the provincial capital Formosa with 210,000 inhabitants, the border city of Clorinda 50,000 and Pirané with 35,000 inhabitants.

A high proportion ( about 50%) of the population are mestizos. There are also numerous traditional living groups of indigenous peoples among whom the Wichi or Matacos and the Toba and the Pilagá are the most numerous, followed by the Chiriguano and the Khans in the West.

History and Politics

Formosa was lost to the Triple Alliance War ( 1865-70 ) part of Paraguay. It was at the end of the 19th century repeatedly disputes between Argentina and Paraguay on the membership of Formosa. Although the U.S. President Hayes as an arbitrator ruled in 1878 in favor of Paraguay, but Argentina refused the territory returned. Today's Formosa was built in 1884 from the division of the territory in the Chaco Chaco and Formosa. It was only on 28 June 1955, the territory was then also charged to the province.

Formosa belongs politically to the most backward provinces of Argentina. Democracy is decimated and the provincial government must open to allegations that exploit the many illiterate for electoral fraud and to make the welfare of the political attitude of the receiver dependent. Head of government is Gildo Insfrán (PJ).

Administrative divisions

The provincial constitution of 1957 ( in 1991 and reformed in 2003 ) provides for the division of the province into nine departments ( counties ) ago. The departments in turn consist of municipalities ( municipios ), 'Commissions Juntas de Fomento and Vecinales Provinciates. Community or municipality may call themselves settlements with more than 1,000 inhabitants. The municipalities in the province are divided into three categories: Municipalities of the first category are the municipalities with 30,000 or more inhabitants, municipios in the second category are those with a population 5000-29999 and municipios in the third category must show between 1,000 and 4,999 inhabitants. A Comisión de Fomento requires at least 500 inhabitants. A junta Vecinal Provincial represents settlements under 500 inhabitants. It is administratively assigned to a community.

Economy

The timber industry and to a lesser extent, the agricultural and livestock sector has always been as the main carrier of the economic strength of the province, which is well below average. Approximately 60 % of the population lives off the state social support, there is a high poverty rate (65%, average: 45%). A large role in the northeast of the province, and especially the border city of Clorinda also plays the smuggling.

Tourism

The biggest tourist attraction is the National Park Pilcomayo River in the north of the province, which protects a portion of the Chaco plains and has a rich fauna (including jaguars, pumas, turtles and snakes).

Others

Hymn of the Province

The text for the anthem of the Province of Formosa comes from Armando De Vita Lacerra, the melody was written by Víctor Rival. Marcha a Formosa was sung on April 8, 1955 for the first time, in 1964 it was officially recognized as the anthem. In 1988, the schools were by decree obliged to teach the national anthem and its history to students of all ages. Besides, the anthem must be played at all official occasions in the province by decree in 1467.