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Mar del Plata

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Mar del Plata is a famous city on the Atlantic Coast.

Argentina Buenos Aires location map
Argentina Buenos Aires location map

It is located in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina. The name means "sea of the Río de la Plata basin." This city is the second largest in its province. It is also the fifth largest city in all of Argentina. Many people know it as the biggest seaside beach resort in the country.

Calle Mendoza hacia el suroeste desde la torre de agua
Calle Mendoza hacia el suroeste desde la torre de agua

Today, the city works in many different ways. Tourism is its main job, with over eight million visitors every year. The city has many hotels, restaurants, and theaters for guests.

Hotel Provincial y Casino, Plaza seca y la Plaza Colón. Vista panorámica desde el Palacio Edén
Hotel Provincial y Casino, Plaza seca y la Plaza Colón. Vista panorámica desde el Palacio Edén

It is also a very important port for fishing. Large ships bring fish to be processed in local factories. Other industries make things like clothes, food, and even parts for computers.

Long ago, the land belonged to the Günuna Kena nomads. Later, the Mapuche culture had a strong influence on the area. European explorers visited the coast many years ago. Sir Francis Drake looked at the sea lion colonies there. In 1874, a man named Patricio Peralta Ramos founded the town. He bought an old factory and the land around it. A rancher named Pedro Luro also helped by farming the land.

As time passed, the city grew very quickly. A railway line from Buenos Aires arrived in 1886. This brought wealthy tourists who built many fancy hotels. In 1907, the government officially declared it a city. Later, a new road was finished in 1932. This road made traveling from Buenos Aires much faster. Before this, the trip took almost two days by car.

Mar del Plata is a place full of exciting events. It hosts the Mar del Plata International Film Festival.

CarnavalMDP2022-17
CarnavalMDP2022-17

There is also a National Sea Festival every December. This festival crowns a Sea Queen to start the summer. The city is great for sports, too. It has an Olympic-style stadium that hosted the 1978 World Cup. People even gather there for big math competitions and poetry festivals.

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Argentina location map.svg
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Bandera de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.svg
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Flag of the United States (1959–1960).svg
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Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
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File:Argentina Buenos Aires location map.svg
Argentina Buenos Aires location map.svg
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