Mendoza Province

Mendoza, in the text of the provincial Constitution: Province of Mendoza, is one of the twenty-three provinces of the Argentine Republic. In turn, it is one of the twenty-four self-governing states or jurisdictions of the first order that make up the country, and one of the twenty-four national legislative electoral districts. Its capital is the homonymous Mendoza.

It is located to the southwest of the Nuevo Cuyo region and more precisely Cuyo, to the west of the country, bordering to the north with San Juan, to the east with the Desaguadero river, which separates it from San Luis, to the southeast with the province from La Pampa, to the south with Neuquén (part of its border is formed by the Colorado River), to the west with the Chilean regions of Valparaíso, Metropolitana de Santiago, O'Higgins and Maule, whose limit is determined by the watershed of the Andes mountain range. The limits of the provinces of La Pampa, Río Negro, Mendoza and Neuquén meet at one point, at the intersection of the Colorado River with the 68°15′W meridian.

With 2,086,000 inhabitants in 2020, it is the fifth most populous first-order jurisdiction —behind the province of Buenos Aires, the province of Córdoba, the province of Santa Fe and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. With 148,827 km² it is the seventh largest, behind the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Cruz, Chubut, Río Negro, Córdoba and Salta.

History

Pre-Columbian times

From archaeological analysis it has been possible to determine that the first settlers of Mendoza arrived during the Holocene. However, there is little existing material from those first settlers to know in depth their customs and activities (see Culture of Ansilta).. Some of the earliest with abundant records are those who inhabited the Atuel River Valley in 12,300 BC. C. dedicating themselves to hunting and to an incipient agriculture of corn, squash, quinoa, beans, etc. They dominated basketry and pottery in a rudimentary way. In this valley the Agrelo Culture developed, considered the ancestor of the Huarpes. In the northern part of the province, this last culture developed, who were in turn influenced by the Inca Empire during the XV century. Oral tradition establishes the arrival of the Inca Túpac Yupanqui in Coquimbo around the year 1470.

Between the Barrancas and Diamante rivers lived the Puelches, gatherers and hunters, related to the Pehuenches. It is noteworthy that, until the beginning of the XVII century, ethnically the Pehuenches were mainly Huarpes who would later become Mapuchis. As for the puelches (people from the east in mapudungun) this ethnonym given by the mapuches encompassed ethnic groups of various lineages in what is now the south and southeast of Mendoza (mainly huarpes from the south, guenaken or patagones from the north, and even het (former pampas), all these towns were mapuchized from the second half of the XVIII century.

Colonial period

The city of Mendoza in the colonial era

The first Spaniards who entered the current territory of Mendoza did so under the orders of Francisco de Villagra, who came from Peru via the Tucumán route with the aim of joining Pedro de Valdivia in Chile. Not being able to cross the Andean passes, because they were closed by snow, Villagra camped in Huentota in 1551 with 185 men and 500 horses, there he established relations with the Huarpes and explored the area up to the Diamante River.

The first settlement was founded on March 2, 1561. Captain Pedro del Castillo founded the city of «Mendoza del Nuevo Valle de La Rioja», later transformed into the provincial capital, giving it the name of the governor of Chile, García Hurtado de Mendoza. At first the population was 47 residents, of which 30 were encomenderos in charge of some 2,500 Indians.

Another expedition under the command of Captain Juan Jufré, sent by Villagra, García Hurtado de Mendoza's successor in the Chilean government, moved the city to the left bank of the river with «<two shots from an arquebus » to the southwest, on March 28, 1562. The city was renamed «City of the Resurrection in the Province of the Huarpes», but finally its original name endured.

Mendoza was part of the corregimiento of Cuyo with its head in the City of Mendoza itself, integrating the Captaincy General of Chile dependent on the Viceroyalty of Peru.

The conquest began the disintegration of the indigenous world. The central valley of the current territory of Mendoza was occupied by various groups of farmers that had previously been dominated by the Incas, whom the Spanish generically called huarpes. Further south, hunter-gatherer groups called puelches circulated. The natives were dispossessed of their lands, moved to marginal areas and divided into parcels among the neighbors. Although the crown prohibited indigenous labor, the laws were not applied on this marginal border of the empire because indigenous labor constituted the main wealth of the region. The encomenderos transferred the benefits to their descendants. During that period, bishops and members of the clergy committed to the policy of defending the natives tried to contain their exploitation and their transfer to Chile. The decrease in the indigenous population caused by forced emigration to Chile and the high mortality of which it was a victim as a result of diseases introduced by Europeans justified the introduction of enslaved Africans in the face of the growing need for labor. The interaction of the inhabitants was shaping an ethnically plural and rigidly hierarchical society according to the ideas of honor and purity of blood that characterized late medieval and modern Spanish culture.

To stop the Mapuche advance, the San Carlos Fort (1771) and the San Juan Nepomuceno Fort (1772) were erected.

With the formation of the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata in 1776, the Corregimiento de Cuyo was separated from the Viceroyalty of Peru and from the administration directed from Chile, to be incorporated into the new viceroyalty with its capital in Buenos Aires, with which said The city, with which there was already an important commercial and cultural contact, became in charge of managing the area. The Andes mountain range became a political border from that point on.

The Royal Ordinance of Mayors of January 28, 1782 divided the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata into eight governorships-intendances, in addition to the military and political governorships of Montevideo and the towns of the old Jesuit missions, briefly forming the Municipality of Cuyo. But as a consequence of the report presented by Viceroy Vértiz, this structure was modified by Royal Order of July 29, 1782 and by the clarifying document of August 5, 1785, suppressing the municipalities of Cuyo and Santa Cruz de la Sierra and dividing the del Tucumán in two, integrating Cuyo the new Governor's Office of Córdoba del Tucumán, based in Córdoba.

On April 2, 1805, the construction of the San Rafael del Diamante fort was ordered in the current town of 25 de Mayo.

Independence

José de San Martín, governor of Cuyo

The May Revolution of 1810 was known in Mendoza on June 6 of that year, but the lobbyists vacillated between joining the revolution or sending troops to Córdoba to join the counterrevolution organized by Rafael de Sobremonte. Finally, the popular enthusiasm motivated that on June 25 it was decided to abide by the Primera Junta and send the deputy that it requested. At first Bernardo Ortiz was elected, but after his death he was replaced by Manuel Ignacio Molina, who thus joined the Junta Grande.

On November 29, 1813, the intendency of Cuyo Governorate was created, separating it from that of Córdoba del Tucumán, made up of the sub-delegations of San Luis, Mendoza and San Juan. The first lieutenant governor assigned to Cuyo was Colonel Florencio Terrada. Subsequently, Colonel Marcos Balcarce and then José de San Martín were appointed Governor Mayor.

In the year 1814 José de San Martín decides that instead of fighting in the north, the most effective way to defeat the royalists would be to form an army in Mendoza and from there cross the Andes and take Chile, and attack Lima with Chilean ships. San Martín explained that it was necessary to create

... a small and well-disciplined army in Mendoza, to pass to Chile and end there with the godos. By alleviating forces we will pass through the sea to take Lima; that is the way. Until we're on Lima, the war won't end.

This action plan was a variant of the Maitland Plan, which San Martín learned about during his stay in London. To carry it out, San Martín requests from Córdoba that he be granted the governorship of Cuyo, to which the Director agrees Supreme Gervasio Posadas.

Mendoza and the Army of the Andes

José de San Martín preparing the Andes Cross

Monument to the Army of Los Andes, work of Juan Manuel Ferrari, located in the Cerro de la Gloria

Upon his arrival, San Martín had enthusiastic support from the Mendoza population, although relations with Buenos Aires were strained with the assumption of Carlos María de Alvear instead of Posadas. Colonel Gregorio Perdriel is named the new governor but is unknown by the Mendoza council, which supports San Martín in office.

A month after the arrival of San Martín in Mendoza, the Chilean army defeated in the Battle of Rancagua arrived, including José Miguel Carrera and Bernardo O'Higgins, who joined the Continental Plan.

At that time the Congress of Tucumán was meeting, with the purpose of declaring itself independent of the Spanish monarchy. San Martín considered essential to his plans a quick declaration of independence from Argentina, for which he maintained frequent conversations with Tomás Godoy Cruz about the development of events. Godoy Cruz was, together with Juan Agustín Maza, Mendoza's representative in said Congress. The result of the Congress gave new energy to San Martín, who could then carry out the campaign with the backing of a sovereign nation. San Martín met in Córdoba with Juan Martín de Pueyrredón, Supreme Director resulting from the Congress of Tucumán, and who promises to provide San Martín with all the necessary support.

In order to carry out the Continental Plan and form the Army of the Andes, a strong reorganization of the army and the support of an important industrial development were needed. A gunpowder factory was installed, an artillery foundry for which 300 workers are hired, factories for the fabrics that made up military clothing, workshops for the inks that gave them color, and an explosives laboratory. For all this, labor was hired from San Luis, San Juan, La Rioja, Corrientes, Córdoba and Buenos Aires; as well as the collaboration of local workshops and volunteer labor.

To finance the campaign, the provincial tax regime was modified, taxing capital and meat consumption. Donations were encouraged and measures were taken such as lowering the salaries of certain sectors.

For the recruitment, a camp was set up in Las Heras, in a place known as El Plumerillo. An area for maneuvers was cleared, and a wall was built for target practice. The soldiers received careful instruction from San Martín.

This is how the Army of the Andes was formed, made up of more than two hundred officers, four thousand soldiers and a thousand auxiliary combatants. There were also 1,500 horses, 10,000 mules, and 18 pieces of artillery.

Through the region of Quebrada Santa Elena and Paramillos de Uspallata the columns of the Army of Los Andes crossed, beginning the liberating epic of the south of the continent. In 1817, one of the main columns of General San Martín's Army undertook the liberation feat under the command of General Juan Gregorio de Las Heras, who headed for Chile along the Uspallata road. Another column, departed on January 19, 1817 under the command of Captain Fray Luis Beltrán in front of the Maestranza and the park that carried the war supplies, went up the Quebrada del Toro and headed towards Uspallata, through Paramillos de Uspallata to meet with the main column of General Gregorio de Las Heras.

In addition to organizing industry and commerce for the formation of the army of the Andes, San Martín promoted patriotic teaching in schools, founded the first Mendoza library and imparted measures to improve urbanization. He also promoted agriculture and generalized the application of the smallpox vaccine.

Political organization

On January 9, 1820, the Cazadores de los Andes regiment rose up in San Juan. Toribio de Luzuriaga, San Martín's replacement in the government after his departure for the military campaign, presents his resignation to the Mendoza Cabildo on January 17. He thus resumed power as Cabildo-Governor of the Province of Cuyo, but he only had power in the municipality of Mendoza. Soon after, on March 1, 1820, the government of Cuyo was dissolved, from which Mendoza, San Luis and San Juan were separated.

On July 3, 1820, an open Cabildo elected Tomás Godoy Cruz, a friend of San Martín, as governor. During his government, it is planned to reunite the cities of Cuyo again, forming the union of the Free Peoples of Cuyo . On May 4, 1821, the Cabildos of the three cities accept a regulation. But this will not come into force because on October 12 the Mendoza government notifies San Juan and San Luis "that for now the union plan could not be carried out". In 1822 there was another attempt to meet, but it did not prosper either.

In 1846, Captain Juan Troncoso erected the Fort of Malargüe or Malal-Hué and the following year Commander J. Antonio Rodríguez founded the town of El Milagro.

The National Constitution in 1853 was immediately accepted by Mendoza. After its sanction, the province sanctioned its provincial constitution, approved on December 14, 1854, being the first Argentine province to do so. This constitution recognized only five departments: San Vicente (which was renamed Belgrano in 1889 and from 1909 is called Godoy Cruz), San Martín, San Carlos, La Paz and the capital of the province. In 1855 the department of Luján de Cuyo was created, while in 1858 the departments of Maipú and Guaymallén were constituted and the department of San Carlos was divided into two: Tupungato and Tunuyán, which included the current department of San Carlos. The Department of San Martín was divided in two in 1859, creating the Department of Junín with its southern part. The Department of Tulumaya was also created that year, renamed in 1889 as Lavalle.

19th century

The city of Mendoza was destroyed by the earthquake of 1861, which destroyed the Cabildo, the Basilica of San Francisco and about 2,000 houses and left between 6,000 and 10,000 dead (the population at that time was around 20,000 inhabitants). The city was rebuilt one kilometer to the southwest, with a design designed by surveyor Julio Balloffet, to minimize the effects of a possible tremor and facilitate evacuation if necessary.

In 1871 the department of Las Heras was founded. In 1874, by means of a law, the departments began to be governed by a sub-delegate, appointed by the governor. In 1866 Governor Rufino Ortega founded the town of Malargüe, on lands under indigenous control and disputed by the national state. On May 17, 1887, it changed its name to Colonel Luis Beltrán, but in 1892 it was dissolved and incorporated as a district of the 25 de Mayo Department.

Julio Cobos, Mendoza governor between 2003 and 2007 and Argentine vice president between 2007 and 2011

After the so-called Conquest of the Desert, in 1880 the south of the province was incorporated into the effective provincial administration. In that year, the Tunuyán Department was renamed the San Carlos Department, the Tupungato Department was divided in two, and the southern portion was called Tunuyán and the northern portion Tupungato.

In 1884, the new Department of Rivadavia was separated from the Department of Junín. In addition, the Santa Rosa Department was created. The San Rafael Department was established in 1903 and the General Alvear Department in 1914. In 1950, finally, the Malargüe Department was created, as such and with its own jurisdiction.

20th century

By Provincial Law No. 3455 of November 4, 1966, the Provincial Legislature approved the Interprovincial Boundary Agreement with the province of San Juan, signed on June 25 of that year, thus delimiting the entire border between both provinces. The limit was set by National Law No. 22 200 issued by the military government and published in the Official Gazette on March 27 from 1980.

State Terrorism

Recording of the CCD D-2/Policial Palace

State terrorism in Argentina in the 1970s and 1980s devastated the province of Mendoza. Prior to the start of the National Reorganization Process, two organizations starred in the preliminaries: the Pío XII Moralizing Command and the Anti-Communist Command of Mendoza.

During the last dictatorship, Mendoza was located in Area 331 (3/31/331) of Subzone 33 (3/33) of Zone 3. The Command of the VIII Mountain Infantry Brigade of the III Corps of the Army assumed the leadership of that sub-zone.

The main clandestine detention and extermination center was the D-2 or Police Palace, located in the capital.

Government

The province of Mendoza is, like the other Argentine provinces, autonomous from the national government in most matters, except those of federal scope. This is recognized by article 121 of the Constitution of the Argentine Nation:

The provinces retain all the power not delegated by this Constitution to the federal government, and those expressly reserved for special acts while incorporating them.

The provincial Constitution was approved on February 11, 1916, undergoing several modifications throughout history, the last in 1997.

Executive Branch

House of Government of Mendoza

The executive power is unipersonal and rests with a citizen directly elected by the population of the province for the position of governor. He is in charge of executing the laws and managing the provincial budget, with the collaboration of his cabinet of ministers. He is elected along with the lieutenant governor, who in turn is president of the Chamber of Provincial Senators. The Mendoza Police depends on the Executive.

The Constitution of the Province establishes a government period of four years, and does not allow the re-election of the governor without allowing an intermediate period to pass. Said restriction extends to relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity.

Legislative branch

Mendoza departments coloured according to the electoral section to which they belong: 1.a Section 2.a Section 3.a Section 4.a Section

The legislative power is bicameral, with a Chamber of Senators, made up of 38 members and chaired by the Lieutenant Governor of the Province and another Chamber of Deputies, made up of 48 representatives. Both chambers work in the Provincial Legislature building located in the City of Mendoza, in Peatonal Sarmiento and Patricias Mendocinas street, and are in charge of sanctioning provincial laws.

The Chamber of Deputies has representatives from each electoral section in proportion to its population, not being able to exceed a total of 50 deputies and with a minimum of eight per electoral section. The deputies last 4 years in their positions and are re-eligible, with renewals of the Chamber by halves every 2 years. Said chamber has the prerogative of presenting the bills related to taxes and the budget.

The Chamber of Senators is also made up of representatives from each electoral section based on their population, with a minimum of 6 per section and a total maximum of 40 senators. Senators hold office for 4 years and are re-eligible, with renewals of the Chamber by halves every 2 years. In the Senate, political trials are held that begin with complaints from the Chamber of Deputies, as well as the appointments of judges or other officials who so request are accepted or rejected. require. On the other hand, the province is represented in the National Congress with its deputies and senators, elected in direct elections. The number of National Deputies in Argentina depends on the population of each province they represent and the number of Senators is fixed. The main political parties today are the Radical Civic Union, the Justicialista Party and the Democratic Party. Mendoza has three National Senators and ten National Deputies.

Judicial branch

The judicial power is exercised by a Supreme Court, appeals chambers, first instance judges and other courts, tribunals and lower officials created by law. The Supreme Court is made up of 7 members, and is the highest judicial authority in the province. An Organic Law of Courts determines the location, number, jurisdiction and competence of the courts. The members of the Supreme Court of Justice and its Attorney General are proposed by the Executive Power and accepted or rejected by the Senate; while the judges of the lower courts are proposed by the Council of the Magistracy to the Executive Branch, and this in turn proposes them to the Senate. Said officials are immovable in their positions while their good conduct lasts, and can only be removed by holding a political trial.

Supreme Court of Mendoza

Geography

Wildlife

It has a great variety of mammals. Among the carnivores we can mention the fox —both gray and red—, skunks, ferrets, pumas and weasels. It also has a great variety of carnivorous mammals and birds that take refuge in caves during the day, especially pumas or mountain lions. There are cavicolous specimens that take refuge during the day in caves, such as the Mendoza pichiciego. In the Andean district you can see condors (photo) and in the sub-Andean district birds of prey: eagles and hawks, to which are added rodents such as mice and guinea pigs, owls, red breasts, pititorras and different types of snakes and insects. To the south you can see skunks, vizcachas, guanacos (photo), partridges, rheas, and birds such as cardinals and parrots. Waterfowl also inhabit the region, such as the black-necked swan, heron and flamingos. Also the rhea and rhea petiso, which is a species of terrestrial bird, typical of mountainous areas.

Relief

Mount Aconcagua is the highest mountain on the planet outside the Himalayas and the second highest relative height after Mount Everest.

Altiplanicie de La Payunia

Mendoza has three distinct structures: the Andean mountains to the west, the plains to the east, and plateaus, mountains, and volcanoes to the south. The mountain range conditions almost the entire geography of Mendoza, whose territory is practically entirely located at more than 1000 meters above sea level.

The mountainous area occupies the western half of the province, and in it the Andes mountain range reaches its highest heights. This zone is divided into 3 subunits separated from each other by longitudinal and transversal valleys:

• La Cordillera Principal, of origin in the Quaternary movement, is divisory of waters, it limits with Chile and its width gradually decreases from north to south, as well as the height of its peaks, mountain footsteps and eternal snows and glaciers decrease in height. Here is the Aconcagua, 6960.8 m. n. m., the highest peak in the world outside the "The Himalayas System". Other large hills are the Juncal, of 6180 m. n. m.; that of the Pollera, of 6235 m. n. m., and the Tupungato, which reaches 6570 m. n. m. on the international border with Chile.
• La Cordillera Frontal, runs east of the Main from the boundary with San Juan to the Diamante River. It is a massif rejuvenated by the Andean orogeny, constituted by several blocks with altitudes of between 5000 and 6000 m n. m.: the cord of the Tiger, the cord of the Silver, the Portillo, Santa Clara, the Llaretas and the Carrizalito.
• La Precordillera, of origin in the Primary Movement, separated from the Frontal Cordillera by the valley of Uspallata extends continuously from the boundary with San Juan to the Mendoza River and south of this in the form of isolated blocks. Its maximum height is the Pelado hill of 3452 m. n. m.

The eastern plains or Travesías Cuyanas are arid plains, with xerophytic vegetation and areas of dunes. The Mendoza, Tunuyán, Diamante and Atuel rivers flow through it, used for irrigation in the North and South oases. It presents a slight slope towards the Desaguadero river. At its northwestern end are the Cerrilladas Pedemontanas, which separate the plain from valleys such as Uco and because they are highly eroded they adopt the shapes of blades (as in Tupungato), hills (as in Lunlunta) or Huayquerías (as in in San Carlos and Rivadavia); At its southwestern end are several island hills, and the first foothills of the Sierra del Nevado.

In the south of the province the relief is more complex, and presents morphological characteristics typical of Patagonia. The eastern plain continues in the Llancanelo Depression, a lake basin occupied in its center by the marshes and salt flats of the Llancanelo lagoon. The depression is surrounded by the mountain range to the west, by isolated mountain ranges such as the San Rafael Block (cut in two by the Atuel canyon) to the north, by the Sierra del Nevado to the east and by the Payunia plateau to the west. the south, a basaltic plateau, steppe and covered by slag heaps, with more than 800 isolated volcanoes where the Payún Matrú stands out at 3860 m s. no. m. and at its southern end the Sierras de Reyes, Cara Cura and Chachahuén.

Weather and winds

Climate map of the province of Mendoza according to the climate classification of Köppen

The Andes Mountain Range view from National Route 7

The climate in Mendoza, in the lower parts, is semi-arid continental, with very dry summers and more humid winters. The average temperature for January (summer) is 24 °C, with 30 °C during the day and 18 °C at night, while the average temperature for July (winter) is 6 °C, with 12 °C in the day and 0 °C at night, for the capital, with 750 meters of altitude. The average annual rainfall is 200 mm and the average annual temperature is 16 °C.

In the mountains and foothills snowfall occurs every winter; and closer to the plain the rain falls in the form of hail. A study carried out in 1995 by experts from Israel, the US and Bulgaria determined that Mendoza is one of the regions in the world where hail is most dangerous, with an annual average of 25 storms with damage percentages ranging from 4, 30 to 29.55 percent. In 1984 the Anti-Hail Fight Investigation Department was created, aimed at investigating and implementing techniques to prevent the formation of hail or minimize its effects, using, for example, granitugal cannons. Various politicians consider that the balance of said activity was positive, but that it could have had better results if it had had better financing and continuity.

The north-south orientation of the mountain range does not prevent the advance of tropical or polar air, which in conjunction with the height favors the conditions for the development of the Zonda wind. The height and width of the mountain range condense most of the moisture coming from the Pacific Ocean to the west, on the side corresponding to Chile, for which reason the mountain range behaves as a climatic barrier. The rough relief of the west of Mendoza, in the mountain ranges of the main mountain range, determines the low humidity of the environment. The winds from the Pacific rise and pass the Andes, where they lose humidity; cold and dry winds cross the mountain range.

The wind that in Cuyo is known as Zonda, originates in the South Pacific Ocean, and when it crosses the mountain range, it loses its humidity in the Andean foothills of Chile, passing as a dry wind to the Andean provinces. As it descends, in the eastern Baldeo of the mountain range, it warms up until it reaches the region as a hot, dry, suffocating wind, with temperatures that can exceed 40 °C. The Zonda wind manifests itself with greater intensity in the months of August and September. The Atlantic winds, due to the distance from the region, have a perceptible action in the summer. Its action originates the characteristic torrential desert storms, concentrated in space and time, which occur mainly in the December-February period.

Flora

View to the Cordillera del Valle de Uspallata

Mendoza presents an extreme aridity, influenced by the lack of rainfall and a great daily and seasonal thermal amplitude. This aridity is interrupted by the oases of Cuyo, formed on the banks of the rivers that are born in the Andean glaciers.

Xerophytic vegetation and the absence of trees are frequent elements in the wild Mendoza landscape; the one that can be observed particularly - where it has been widely studied - in the tourist area of Paramillos de Uspallata. On the other hand, the implanted vegetation is made up of fruit trees, poplars, mulberry trees, ash trees, plane trees, maples and vines. They are found in all the oases of the province irrigated by the typical ditches and irrigation canals.

The flora: We find different regions; In the Andean region, parallel to the mountain range, there are grassy plants and shrubs such as the nettle of the sierra, herbs of the guanaco and palán. The sub-Andean zone and province of Monte, to the east of the previous one, is very extensive and includes the foothills, the plain and the Huayquerías region. The characteristic of this area is the shrubby vegetation such as jarilla in its different varieties, the piquillín, espinillos, garabatos and penca. To the east you can see molles, retamos and chañares, and to the northeast carob trees and caldenes. In the ravines through which the rivers flow, a much more varied and rich vegetation develops than the region of the mountains. In the south of Mendoza, which includes the entire Payunia area, the bushy steppe predominates and there are rushes and grasses, chilcas, jume and others. In the Andean region there are grassy plants and shrubs with tight leaves, which allow it to resist low temperatures. Towards the plain we find trees up to 20 meters high, with a predominance of shrubby vegetation. To the south there are grasses and shrubs characteristic of steppe areas and to the east spinales prevail.

Hydrography

Aerial view of the Laguna del Diamante

View of the Diamante Lagoon with the Maipo Volcano

Among the most important rivers are the Desaguadero and the Mendoza (main tributary of the former), Tunuyán, Diamante and Atuel. All of them are born in the mountains and cross the province in a west-east direction, forming part of what is called the Andean hydrographic system or Desaguadero system, and is used for the irrigation (for agriculture) and the generation of electricity through several dikes. They also constitute a large part of the tourist attraction of the province due to eco-tourism and fishing.

Seismicity

The seismicity of the Cuyo area (central west of Argentina) is frequent and of very high intensity, with a seismic silence of medium to severe earthquakes every 20 years.

• Sismo de 1861: although such catastrophic geological activity occurs since prehistoric times, the earthquake of March 20, 1861 (161 years), with 12 000 deaths, noted an important milestone in the history of Argentine seismic events as it was the strongest recorded and documented in the country. From this point on, successive Mendoza and municipal governments have been extremely careful and restricting building codes. With the San Juan earthquake of January 15, 1944 (79 years old) governments took state of the enormous chronic severity of earthquakes in the region.
• 1920s earthquake: 6.8 intensity, destroyed part of its buildings and opened numerous cracks in the area. There were 250 deaths from the destruction of adobe houses
• Sismo del sur de Mendoza of 1929: very serious, and having not developed any preventive measures, despite having elapsed only nine years of the previous one, killed 30 inhabitants for the fall of adobe houses
• 1985 earthquake: it was another serious 9 s-long episode, breaking down the old Hospital del Carmen de Godoy Cruz.

Lakes and lagoons

Among the most outstanding lagoons are the Llancanelo, Guanacache, Negra and Los Horcones.

The lakes and lagoons constitute areas protected by the flora and fauna that exist in their surroundings and their historical value since the main indigenous tribes of the area settled in those areas.

Reservoirs

The reservoirs in the province are:

• Rio Diamante:
  • Embalse Agua del Toro: Located in 34°35′S, 69°05′O, 1240 m. n. m., and 200 km south of the city of Mendoza.
  • Represa Los Reyunos: forms a lake that bears its same name, near the city of 25 May.
• Rio Atuel:
  • Embalse El Nihuil: Located in 35°04′S, 68°45′O; 1325 m. n. m., in the south direction regarding the Agua del Toro reservoir, and in the region close to the city of San Rafael.
  • Embalse Valle Grande: on the Provincial Route 173, near the city of San Rafael

Embalse Valle Grande

Dikes

The dikes of the province are:

• Río Mendoza:
  • Dique Potrerillos
  • Dique Las Compuertas
  • Dique Cipolletti
• Río Tunuyán:
  • Dique Valle de Uco
  • Dique El Carrizal: in the upper middle course of the Tunuyán River. Located in 33°18′0′′S 68°43′15′′O, a 785.5 m. n. m.Next to the city of Rivadavia.
  • Dique Gobernador Benegas
  • Dique Phillips
• Rio Diamante:
  • Dique Galileo Vitale or 25 May: 27 km from the city of San Rafael

Protected natural areas

The province of Mendoza has 17 nature reserves that make up the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Mendoza, managed by the Directorate of Renewable Natural Resources, which comprise approximately 13% of the surface of the province.

Protected natural areas

• Nature Reserve Caverna de las Brujas (Malrgüe Department)
• Cultural and landscape reserve El Manzano Histórico (departamento Tunuyán)
• Natural reserve Castles of Pincheira (Department Malargüe)
• Laguna Las Salinas Natural Reserve (San Rafael Department)
• Nature Reserve Telteca Forests (Department Lavalle)
• Laguna del Diamante Natural Reserve (San Carlos Department)
• Ñacuñán forest reserve (department Santa Rosa)
• Natural reserve Humedal Llancanelo (Malargüe Department)
• Provincial Park Volcano Tupungato (departments Tupungato and Luján de Cuyo)
• La Payunia Natural Reserve (Malargüe Department)
• Aconcagua Provincial Park (Department Las Heras)
• Natural reserve Largo Divisadero (department Las Heras)
• Natural Monument Inca Bridge (Las Heras Department)
• Cordón del Plata Provincial Park (Departments Luján de Cuyo, and Tupungato)
• Manzano-Portillo Reserve of Piuquenes (departments of Tunuyán, San Carlos, and Tupungato)
• Natural water reserve Laguna del Atuel (San Rafael department)
• Casuchas del Rey (Department Luján de Cuyo)
• Scientific Reserve Provincial Scientific Park Observation Space Malargüe (department of Malargüe)

By agreement with private companies there are also voluntary nature reserves:

• Private reservation Villavicencio (department Las Heras)
• Sierra Pintada Reserve (San Rafael Department)
• El Sosneado Private Reserve (San Rafael Department)

Sites with international declaration:

• Ramsar Site Lagunas de Guanacache, Desaguadero y del Bebedero (Departments Lavalle and La Paz)
• Ramsar Site Laguna de Llancanelo (Malargüe Department)
• Ramsar site Villavicencio (department Las Heras)
• Ñacuñán biosphere reserve (Santa Rosa department)

Administrative division

Mendoza, administrative division

The province is divided into 18 departments, which in Mendoza (unlike most Argentine provinces) are equivalent to municipalities. In turn, each department is divided into districts, except the Capital, which is divided into sections.

Greater Mendoza Region

Gran Mendoza

Gran Mendoza is an urban agglomeration consequence of the extension of the city of Mendoza —located in the Capital Department— over the bordering departments and the departments of Las Heras, Guaymallén, Godoy Cruz, Luján de Cuyo and Maipú.

Nuevo Cuyo Region

On January 22, 1988, the governors of the provinces of La Rioja, Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis signed the Nuevo Cuyo Economic Integration Treaty. The regionalization process in the Argentine Republic is based on article 124 of the Constitution of the Argentine Nation.

The Nuevo Cuyo Economic Integration Treaty shaped the region to «strengthen the integration of the Region by improving the means of communication and transportation, promoting the supply of regional goods and services, both nationally and internationally, and the execution of productive and commercial ventures with other countries, especially Latin American ones”.

As the governing body of the region, the Governors Assembly was established, which is the highest decision-making body for this Interjurisdictional Agreement with regard to the establishment of guidelines for the integration and definition of policies.

There is also an Executive Committee made up of the Ministers of the Economy of San Juan and Mendoza and the Ministers of Finance and Public Works of La Rioja and San Luis, who will be in charge of formulating the different proposals for decision-making and the operational tasks of its implementation.

Population

• Padrón 1778: 8765.
• Estimate 1820: 35 000-40 000 hab.
• Estimate 1847: 45 000.
• Estimate 1853: 60 000 hectares.
• Census 1869: 65,413 hab.
• Census 1895: 116 136 hab.
• Census 1914: 277 535.
• Census 1947: 588 231 hab.
• Census 1960: 824 036 hab.
• Census 1970: 973 075 hab.
• Census 1980: 1 196 228 hab.
• Census 1991: 1 412 481 hab.
• Census 2001: 1 579 651 hab.
• Census 2010: 1 741 610.

According to the INDEC estimate for June 2009, the population would be around 1,747,801 inhabitants. Of these, 846,904 are in the urban agglomeration of Greater Mendoza, made up of the city of Mendoza and the neighboring towns. It is the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the country, behind Greater Buenos Aires, Greater Córdoba and Greater Rosario. However, in the course of the 1991 and 2001 censuses, a progressive stagnation of the population growth of the province has been noted. Finally, the 2010 national census established a population of 1,741,610 inhabitants, of which 1,406,283 inhabit urban areas and 332,648 in rural areas.

Graphic of demographic evolution of Mendoza Province between 1869 and 2010

Health

In 2007, the province recorded 33,000 live births, with a crude birth rate of 19.3‰. Deaths were 12,297, with a crude death rate of 7.2‰. As a result, a moderate vegetative growth of 12.1 ‰ (or 1.21 %) is glimpsed. Infant mortality was 11.3 ‰ in 2007 with 372 deaths, an indicator lower than the national rate of 13.3 ‰. Maternal mortality shows in 2007 a rate of 0.39 ‰.

Economy

Mendoza's economic structure is characterized by the production and industrialization of agricultural products. The abundant harvest of vines, fruit and vegetables gave rise to an important wine industry and the production of preserves. In 2016, the province generated a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately 18,631 million dollars, which represents 3.7% of the total GDP of Argentina.

Agriculture

Grapefruit after harvest, around 1890

La Bodega Tapiz, one of the many wineries located on the "Ruta del Vino" in the province of Mendoza

The main activity is viticulture, being the most important province in the production of Argentine wines. According to the National Institute of Viticulture, vine cultivation in Mendoza occupies 68.36% of the total in the central-west region, which represents 94.13% of the total national production of vines. Half of Mendoza farms correspond to this branch. Mendoza has been carrying out this activity since 1598, and was greatly favored with the arrival of the railway in 1885. In 1887 the province had 2,000 hectares of vineyards. The primary sector has a strong tradition in this province. Following cities such as Florence, Bordeaux, Bilbao-Rioja, Porto, Melbourne and Cape Town, Mendoza has been selected by the Great Wine Capitals Global Network as one of the world's leading regions in terms of wine production.

Despite this, Mendoza began as an olive-producing province. This production decreased its importance over time due to the biological characteristics of said crop (which, for example, reaches maturity 8 years after planting) and the ecology of the place, which affected the stability of production. An attempt was made to combine both crops, but this combination was not profitable. But even despite the decline in activity, Mendoza leads the Argentine olive production, with 52% of the national total.

At the beginning of the century, horticultural crops began to be carried out, to abandon the monoculture of the vine. The main horticultural areas are the southern oases, the middle basin of the Tunuyán River and the areas surrounding the capital. Mendoza's main horticultural product is the tomato, in its San Marzano and Roma varieties, followed by potatoes and onions.

In the order of fruit growing, Mendoza is the first national producer of cherries, cherries, apricots, plums, quinces and walnuts, and the second of peaches, apples and pears.

Livestock is a growing sector in the province, mainly in the eastern and southern drylands, where cattle and goats are produced.

Mining

Among metalliferous minerals, the production of uranium stands out, which is beginning to surpass that of iron and manganese. The most important non-metallic extractions are talc and bentonite, while the application rocks include gravel, sand, limestone and gypsum.

The oldest known mines are those of Paramillos de Uspallata —of lead, silver and zinc— discovered in 1683. Its ruins are preserved today, and are visited by numerous tourists.

Mendoza's main mining vein is oil, whose royalties represent almost 90% of the mining and quarrying sector of Mendoza's Gross Product. The province produces about 14.1% of the country's total. Oil is extracted mainly from Vizcacheras, La Ventana and Barrancas, followed by Malargüe and Tupungato.

Industry

Among the main industrial activities in Mendoza are the extraction and processing of oil, the production of beverages —especially wines—, metal-mechanic activity, agro-industry, etc. The extraction and processing of petroleum and the industries related to food and beverages contribute more than 85% of the Production Value and are the source of more than three quarters of the industrial sources of employment in the province. Industrial activity had a sharp drop during 2002, from which it recovered in subsequent years.

Despite its preponderance, oil activities have decreased in activity in recent years, while there has been an increase in the manufacture of furniture, wood and metal works. Most of Mendoza's industries are geographically located in Greater Mendoza. IMPSA and Cartelone Construcciones are some of the most important Mendoza industries.

Tourism

Escudo de Mendoza de la Plaza Independencia

Natural Monument Inca Bridge

Gran Hotel Villavicencio

Puerta del Parque General San Martín

The Dreams

The province of Mendoza is one of the main tourist centers in Argentina, both nationally and internationally. As previously described, it is one of the main wine capitals of the world, and attracts numerous tourists who tour the circuits of vineyards and wineries. There are sites of historical interest, mostly related to José de San Martín and the Army of the Andes, highlighting the Cerro de la Gloria, the San Martin routes and the wine roads.

The Andes Mountains attract numerous tourists, Argentines and foreigners, interested in seeing the mountainous landscapes, sports activities such as mountaineering, rafting or skiing, or who want to get in touch with the snow. One of the most visited tourist spots —both for its proximity and for its beauty— is the Paramillos de Uspallata circuit, which by Provincial Route No. 52 —which starts in the department of Las Heras— connects the city of Mendoza with the town of Uspallata, touring numerous places of historical, cultural, geological, panoramic interest, etc. (Canota, the old Gran Hotel Villavicencio, "365 curves" ascent road, the geological formation called "El Balcón", the "Cruz de Paramillos", "Bosque de araucarias de Darwin", ruins of the mines of Paramillos and Tunduqueral Hill, among others). Similar interest arouses the Atuel Canyon —which runs along the banks of the river of the same name—, located in the department of San Rafael. Another very attractive tourist spot —internationally known— is Valle de Las Leñas, located 400 km from the city of Mendoza, in the Malargüe department. It has 33 ski slopes, four and five star hotels, a casino and numerous services. Trips are made to know the Aconcagua hill and the Christ the Redeemer of the Andes.

On the outskirts of the city of Mendoza is the General San Martín Park.

It also has numerous camping sites in wild campsites, organized or enjoying a Glamping or luxury camping experience. At the beginning of March of each year, the National Harvest Festival is celebrated, where the National Queen is chosen, being crowned in a festival of lights, sounds and fireworks, with carriages in the main streets and a central party in the Frank Romeo Day amphitheater.. During February, the election of the departmental candidates for National Queen is carried out in each department of the province with important shows on each occasion. On the other hand, several folkloric festivals are held with renowned musical performers, typical foods and sales of regional products, such as the Provincial Tourism Festival in San Rafael in October, the National Tuna Festival in Tunuyán, Rivadavia sings to the country, the Festival of Cueca and el Peach, Goat Festival in Malargüe in January (summer), in General Alvear the National Livestock Festival of Arid Zones is held in May, National Dance and Song Meeting in January, etc.

Transportation

The city of Mendoza is 1,079 km from Buenos Aires along National Route 7, which crosses it from east to west. Similarly, the city of San Rafael is 982 km from Buenos Aires. National Route 40 crosses Mendoza from south to north.

Mendoza has three airports: the Gobernador Francisco Gabrielli International Airport in El Plumerillo, the Suboficial Ayudante Santiago Germano International Airport in San Rafael, and the Comodoro Ricardo Salomón Airport in Malargüe.

Mendoza's public transportation system includes micro buses, remises, and taxis. The Mendoza Metrotranvía, an urban train that links the departments of Las Heras, Mendoza, Godoy Cruz, Luján de Cuyo and Maipú, is already in operation.

It has a bus terminal located in the center of the city and known as Terminal del Sol.

Culture

Possibly the biggest cultural event in the province is the National Harvest Festival, held for the first time in 1935, in which the grapes transformed into wine are celebrated through the effort that the vintners carry out in the vineyards supporting inclement weather and various cultural, political and socio-economic factors throughout a year, as well as that of the specialists who work in the cellars and laboratories and who contribute significantly to the manufacturing process. It is celebrated annually between the last Sunday of February and the first Saturday of March. In 2011, the National Geographic Society named the Harvest Festival as the second most important harvest festival in the world, behind Thanksgiving Day celebrated in the United States, and it is considered for its parades both of the “Vía blanca” and “Carousel”, one of the five most important and popular festivities on the planet, along with the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro and the Carnival of Venice, among others.

National Festival of Harvest 2013 (Central Act)

In the field of literature, in the XIX century, the poet Juan Gualberto Godoy stood out, a popular author who inspired by pulperos and payadores. Among the modern authors, the poets Alfredo Bufano and Jorge Enrique Ramponi stand out. In the narrative field, the works of Juan Draghi Lucero, Abelardo Arias, Iverna Codina, Antonio Di Benedetto and Fernando Lorenzo (writer), as well as a poet and playwright, among others, stand out. In the cinematographic field, the most prominent name is that of Leonardo Favio, director (and also a popular singer-songwriter), considered by some surveys "the best filmmaker" of Argentina.

The plastic arts have internationally prestigious exponents, such as Enrique Sobisch —who settled in Spain in 1979, where he excelled in various pictorial currents— and died in 1989, Orlando Pardo, Roberto Azzoni (from Mendoza by adoption), Víctor Delhez, Julio Giustozzi, José Bermúdez, Luis Quesada, Hernán Abal, Marcelo Santángelo or the Italian based in Mendoza Sergio Sergi. The three most successful painters are Fernando Fader (1882-1935), of the impressionist type, Carlos Alonso, dedicated to social criticism, and Julio Le Parc, who won the International Grand Prize for Painting in 1966 at the Venice Biennale.

Joaquín Salvador Lavado, better known as Quino, is a thinker, graphic humorist and comic strip creator born in Guaymallén, Mendoza Province, and the son of Spanish immigrants. His most famous work is the comic strip Mafalda, originally published between 1964 and 1973.

A 2020 Twitter poll consecrated Mendoza as the most beautiful province in Argentina.

Music

The Doo Orozco - Barrientos in 2013

Sebastian Garay in December 2013. He is another top representative of the new folklore.

The Movement of the Nuevo Cancionero took place in Mendoza during a cultural context marked by the so-called «folklore boom» in Argentina, a process derived from the great internal migration that had been taking place since the middle of the 1930s. The greatest references of Cuyan folklore are: Félix Dardo Palorma, Pocho Sosa, Oscar Matus (and his wife of Tucumán origin Mercedes Sosa), Armando Tejada Gómez, Tito Francia and Eduardo Aragón. At present there are already new names in local music such as Sebastián Garay, the Orozco-Barrientos duo and Dúo La Vid. Based on this style, the group Los Trovadores de Cuyo emerged in 1927, one of the oldest folk music groups in Argentina. It was formed by Hilario Cuadros and Domingo Morales.

The Mendoza University Choir, founded in 1965 by Maestro Felipe Vallesi, won the Grand Prix of Choral Singing in 2009: the award for Best Choir in the World. Since 1997 it has been directed by Silvana Vallesi and has been winning numerous awards around the world. The Choir belongs to the National University of Cuyo.

There is also a current of dozens of rock groups that emerged from all over the province that have had and continue to have success not only in Argentina but also throughout the world. The greatest representatives of Mendoza rock are: Los Enanitos Verdes, Ethyl Alcohol, Karamelo Santo, Los Alfajores de la Pampa Seca, Chancho Va, Zeta Cuatro, Béla Lugosi and X-Teléfono.

In addition, in recent years a new movement of the indie genre has emerged, called Manso Indie (the word "manso" is widely used in the vulgar Mendoza language) which is made up of emerging bands, having a great national success. Some bands of this movement such as You Point It To Me, Perras on the Beach and Pasado Verde are achieving international success. Other exponents of this movement are Las Luces Primeras, Tito (band), Los Objetos Inanimates, Mimesis (band), Fernanda Alemán & the Germans, among others.

Education

In addition to primary and secondary schools, it has the national universities of Cuyo (UNCuyo) and Tecnológica Nacional (UTN), as well as private universities: Universidad de Congreso, Universidad de Mendoza, Universidad Champagnat, Universidad Juan A. Maza, Universidad del Aconcagua and Universidad Católica–San Francisco Faculty, Don Bosco Faculty. They cover most of the university courses that are taught throughout the country. This region has notably increased in recent years exchanges with undergraduate and postgraduate students of professors and students from Spain, France, Sweden and Germany.

An interesting research activity is carried out in arid and semi-arid zones in the various institutes that make up the current Scientific and Technological Center (CCT; formerly CRICYT), a CONICET research complex, to which all universities have access.

Museums

Mendoza has the following museums:

• General San Martín Historic Museum.
• Casa Museo Molina Pico (Guaymallén).
• Museum of Natural and Anthropological Sciences "Juan Cornelio Moyano".
• Contemporary Art Space (ECA).
• Municipal Museum of Natural History of San Rafael (Isla del Diamante).
• Wine museum.
• Museum of Fine Arts "Emiliano Guiñazú" - Casa de Fader.
• Municipal Museum of Modern Art (MMAM).
• Museo del Zona Fundacional y Ruinas de San Francisco.
• Art Museum "Kilka" (Bodega Salentein).
• Museum of Natural Sciences of General Alvear.
• Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Lavalle.
• Space Le Parc
• Nave Cultural

Sports

Estadio Malvinas Argentinas

Mendoza has its provincial stadium: the Malvinas Argentinas Stadium, located in the General San Martín Park, and its approximate capacity is 45,268 spectators. Construction of this stadium began in 1976 and was inaugurated on May 14, 1978, with a match between the teams from Mendoza and San Rafael. Argentina was going to host the 1978 World Cup. decided that it was more convenient to build a completely new stadium, located near the city center, at the foot of the imposing Cerro de la Gloria and taking advantage of the topography of La Olla, a hollow located on the slopes of this hill. His project also involved the construction of access roads and displacement of some existing roads, parking lots, access from the General San Martín Park, an auxiliary (training) court, electrical, sewer and water lines, among other complementary works. A few weeks later, the 1978 Soccer World Cup was held, and Mendoza was one of the venues for Group D, made up of Peru, the Netherlands, Scotland and Iran. Its first name was Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, and it was later renamed with its current name after the Malvinas war.

Soccer is one of the most developed sports, as it is in most of the country. There are several clubs, among the most important in the province are the Club Sportivo Independiente Rivadavia, Club Atlético Gimnasia y Esgrima —who compete in the "Clásico Mendoza"—, Club Deportivo Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba, Atlético Club San Martín, Club Atlético Huracán Las Heras, Club Huracán (San Rafael), Sport Club Pacífico, Club Atlético Argentino, Club Deportivo Maipú and Luján Sport Club, are some of the clubs with more experience at the provincial, regional and national level. Most of which are affiliated with the Mendocina Soccer League, who compete in the LMF Tournament as well as in others of a national order.

Another prominent sport in Mendoza is rugby, the most prominent teams are Mendoza Rugby Club, Los Tordos Rugby Club, Marista Rugby Club, Teqüé Rugby Club and Club Banco Mendoza

In addition, the province has important sports centers, among which Andes Talleres Sport Club and Club Mendoza de Regatas stand out.

It also has two national-level racetracks: Jorge Ángel Pena Racetrack, located in San Martín and Las Paredes Racetrack, in the city of the same name. Previously, the General San Martín Autodrome in the provincial capital also attracted the main national categories.

Hymns to Mendoza

Song to Mendoza.

The “Canto a Mendoza”, or also known as the “vintage march”, is an unofficial provincial anthem, originally from the city of Mendoza. It was written by the brothers Guillermo and Horacio Pelay and musicalized by Egidio Pittaluga. The song is part of the folklore of the Fiesta and one of its distinctive and characteristic notes of Mendoza.

Letter:

Hymn to Mendoza.

José Virgilio Gudiño, a prominent Mendoza musician from Guaymallén composed the first official anthem for the Province of Mendoza, with its lyrics and music; becoming Mendoza the first Argentine province to have an audible symbol. It was approved by the Provincial Legislature in the year 2000 and made official as the Provincial Anthem. Unfortunately, the recording has not been released (please share it), nor has the use of this piece of music been released. The lyrics of the official hymn to Mendoza are below:

Letter:

Second Co-official Hymn to Mendoza, without music. (Poem to Mendoza).

In 2012, a call for a new anthem for Mendoza was called, thus winning Mrs. Roxana Romano; Lasherina resident who composed these verses with a folkloric structure, for the province. No music has been composed for the poem, but it is official and has remained this way. Since there is an official Mendoza anthem with music, as previously stated. Below is the letter:

SHAKE, MENDOZA, SHAKE!