BUENOS AIRES CITY
Buenos Aires
is the capital and largest city of Argentina,
located on the western bank of the Río de la Plata,
inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the
political, economic, social, and cultural center of
Argentina, and its influence extends well beyond the
nation’s borders. The original settlement’s name, Puerto
Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Aire (Port of
Our Lady Saint Mary of the Good Air), survived in
abbreviated form as simply Buenos Aires (Good
Airs).
Buenos
Aires consists of the City of Buenos Aires and Gran
(Greater) Buenos Aires. The City of Buenos Aires is a
federal district, established in 1880, made up of the
Buenos Aires city proper. It has 48 barrios
(neighborhoods). Gran Buenos Aires includes both the
City of Buenos Aires and its 19 suburbs, known as partidos
(municipalities). In 2001, 2.8 million people lived in
the City of Buenos Aires. In 2003, 13 million
people—about one-third of Argentina's
population—lived within Gran Buenos Aires. The
residents of Buenos Aires are known as Porteños
(people of the port).
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