Rosario - City of Argentina

Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located 300 km northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,025,000 residents as of the 2001 census.

It's the third most important city in Argentina because of the growing and important metropolitan area, a large urban department and for being the most important export centre in the country. It also retains the classical and ancient architecture in some residences, houses and public buildings. It is the third largest city in Argentina in terms of area and population.

The city is a major railroad terminal and the shipping center for northeastern Argentina. Ships reach the city via the Paraná River, which allows the existence of a 34-feet deep port. The Port of Rosario is subject to silting and must be dredged periodically. Exports include wheat, flour, hay, linseed and other vegetable oils, corn, sugar, lumber, meats, hides, and wool. Manufactures include flour, sugar, meat products, and other foodstuffs. The Rosario-Victoria Bridge, opened in 2003, spans the Paraná River, connecting Rosario with the city of Victoria across the Paraná Delta.

The permanent settlement of the area today occupied by Rosario began in the 17th century. There was no clear foundation date. The first landowner was Captain Luis Romero de Pineda, and the first formal colonial settlement was initiated by Santiago de Montenegro, who was appointed Mayor in 1751.

In 1983 Argentina returned to democratic rule but Hyperinflation caused the economic collapse of the country in 1989. In Rosario there were riots with episodes of looting. Under the Menem administration the situation became worse as the industrial sector of the city was dismantled by foreign competition and agricultural exports stagnated. In 1995 unemployment in the area reached 21.1%, and a large part of Rosario's population fell below the poverty line. Since then, villas miseria (shantytowns) have grown up, usually augmented by internal migration from poorer areas of the country (particularly Chaco); the last survey (1996) indicated the presence of 91 "precarious urban settlements", with 115,000 inhabitants.

Since the recovery of the national economy that followed the 2001 collapse, Rosario's economic situation has improved. The boom in agricultural exports has caused a large increase in consumer spending and investment. Mayor Miguel Lifschitz's administration is taking advantage of the economic boom to invest heavily in public works, as well as in public health.

Rosario is an important educational center at a national and international level. It is the home of the National University of Rosario (UNR) since 1968,which includes the faculty of National Technological University (UTN), the Law Faculty, the Medicine Faculty, the Humanities Faculty and an advanced study centre called Ciudad Universitaria (university city) that is home to more than 10 colleges, including the Faculty of Psychology, the Faculty of Political Sciences, the Faculty of Architecture, etc. All of these national colleges are free. It also has the private colleges, as the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina (UCA), the Austral University, the University of the Latin American Educational Center (UCEL), the Interamerican Open University (UAI), the Italian University of Rosario (IUNIR), the San Martin University and the University of Concepcion del Uruguay which are private institutions.

The Rosario Board of Trade hosts the country's largest commodity market, dealing in cereals and oilseeds, and also the largest futures exchange (ROFEX). The banking sector includes the state-owned Municipal Bank of Rosario, with branches and offices throughout the city, and the central branch of the New Bank of Santa Fe.

The Rosario area has a Pampean temperate climate, with average temperatures of 23.4 °C (74.12 degrees Fahrenheit) maximum and 11.6 °C (52.88 degrees Fahrenheit) minimum, and an annual rainfall of 1,038 mm (40.87 in). The winter is short, and snow is almost unheard of (the last instance was in 1973). Serious earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions are virtually unknown.

Rosario is characterized by an intense cultural activity in many art disciplines, with a national and international reach. The city has given Argentina important characters in the fields of music, painting, philosophical and political thought, poetry and prose, medicine, and law.

There are many theaters of varying size and importance, such as El Círculo, the Sala Lavardén, the Broadway, the Astengo, the La Comedia, etc. The theater known as "Puerto de la Musica" -designed by Oscar Niemeyer- will be built alonside the coast of the Parana River. It is projected to be one of the most important theaters in Latin America, and it is scheluded to be completed by year 2010.