Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, on the western shore of the Río de la Plata in southeastern South America. It is an autonomous city, separate from the surrounding province of Buenos Aires. It covers about 200 km² with around 3.1 million inhabitants; its metropolitan area has more than 15 million.

Its location beside the broad Río de la Plata has shaped its history, trade and urban growth. Buenos Aires became a major port and an important gateway for people, goods and ideas entering Argentina. At about 35° south latitude, the city lies on mostly flat terrain. Buenos Aires has a humid subtropical climate, with warm to hot summers, generally mild winters and rainfall throughout the year.

Heat waves and strong storms occur, but severe cold is uncommon. The city was founded by Spanish colonists in 1536, abandoned, and re-established in 1580. It became Argentina's federal capital in 1880 and gained autonomous status in 1994. Today, it is a major political, economic, cultural and educational centre.

Its population reflects successive waves of migration, especially from Europe and other parts of Latin America. Spanish is the main language, with a local variety often called Rioplatense Spanish. Buenos Aires is also strongly associated with tango, a musical and dance tradition that developed in the Río de la Plata region.