Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego

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See Rio Grande (disambiguation) for other meanings

Location of Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego

Río Grande is a town in Argentina, in the northern part of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. It has a population of 55,231, and it is the industrial capital of the Tierra del Fuego Province.

[edit] History

Sheep farming, as many other places in Patagonia, was the main reason for population settlements since the end of the 19th century.

Abundant rivers, the seacoast, and good pastures were some of the reasons that fueled population growth. Río Grande was founded on July 11, 1921, when the central government issued a decree recognizing this locality as the "Agricultural Colony of Río Grande".

In the beginning, the land was subdivided among a few families, owning large estates until the agrarian reform of 1925. Cattle raising became one of the most important economic activities in the area.

To promote industrial development, Tierra del Fuego is excluded from VAT and federal income tax. As a result, several manufacturing companies, particularly those involving electronic products, have opened factories in this city.

Nowadays, the population is growing rapidly, as many people are coming from the northern parts of Argentina and other countries, such as Bolivia, to work in factories that offer higher wages than other parts of Argentina.