Port information

THE PORT OF BUENOS AIRES, WHICH FORMS PART OF THE CITY, IS SITUATED ON THE RIGHT HAND MARGIN OF THE RIVER PLATE AND ALL RIVER DISTANCES ARE CALCULATED FROM THIS POINT (KM 0).

BUENOS AIRES IS THE SEAT OF THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES. IT COVERS AN AREA OF 200 SQ.M AND HAS 2,970,000 INHABITANTS. IN PRACTICE, THE GREATER BUENOS AIRES URBAN CONGLOMERATE INCLUDES 19 COUNTIES IN THE PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES (ALTHOUGH THE CITY IS GROWING AND INCORPORATING NEW AREAS) COVERING 3.880 SQ.M AND HAS, THUS, A POPULATION OF 11,700,000. IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF THE CITY, VERY CLOSE TO THE PORT, ARE THE SEATS OF THE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL POWERS AND ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS THEREOF. THE AUTHORITIES OF THE BUENOS AIRES CITY

GOVERNMENT ARE ALSO IN THE SAME AREA. IN CONTRAST WITH OTHER ARGENTINEAN PROVINCES, THE CITY HAS A SPECIAL STATUS AND ITS VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS ARE SPREAD ALL OVER THE CITY.

THE DOWNTOWN AREA CONCENTRATES MOST OF THE FINANCIAL ACTIVITY AND MOST SHIPPING COMPANIES AND SHIP AGENTS ARE ALSO THERE. THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES, SUCH AS COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH GOT BETTER; HAVE SLOWLY MOVED OUT THEIR OFFICES TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THEM STILL HAVE THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS DOWNTOWN. THE GREATER BUENOS AIRES AREA IS THE LARGEST INDUSTRIAL CONGLOMERATE IN THE COUNTRY. IT IS IN THE FIRST PLACE IN PRODUCTION VOLUMES IN THE COUNTRY, EXCEPT FOR THE AGRICULTURAL, MINING AND STEEL MILI INDUSTRIES. THE INTENSE CITY TRAFFIC HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT IMPROVED WITH A NETWORK OF URBAN AND SUBURBAN FREEWAYS WHICH PERMIT A SWIFTER TRANSIT IN AND OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN/PORT AREA. THE HIGHWAYS SERVED BY THESE FREEWAYS CONSTITUTE A VIRTUAL SPIDER WEB THAT SPREADS OUT FROM THE CENTRE OF THE CITY. THERE ARE RAILWAY CONNECTIONS WITH MOST OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH SEVEN RAILWAY LINES, WHICH ALSO HAVE SUBURBAN PASSENGER SERVICES. THE COMMERCIAL AIRLINES ARE SERVED BY THE JORGE NEWBERY AIRPORT, WHICH IS ONLY 10 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND HANDLES ALL DOMESTIC AND REGIONAL FLIGHTS, AND THE EZEIZA (MINISTRO PISTARINI) INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHICH HANDLES MOST INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS AND IS 40 KM AWAY FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND IS CONNECTED BY A FREEWAY. THERE ARE ALSO TWO OTHER AIRPORTS WHICH CAN HANDLE INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC (SAN FERNANDO AND DON TORCUATO) AND VARIOUS SMALLER AIRPORTS. THE EL PALOMAR AIR FORCE BASE IS USED BY AIR FORCE AND NAVY TRANSPORT SERVICES AND ALSO HAS A PASSENGER TERMINAL.