{{Short description|Grassland in Argentina}} {{Infobox ecoregion |name = Humid Pampas (NT0803) |image = Sembrado de cebada en argentina.jpg |image_size = |image_alt = |caption = Barley field in [[Buenos Aires Province]]. |map=Ecoregion NT0803.svg |map_alt = |map_caption = Location in Argentina |biogeographic_realm = [[Neotropical realm|Neotropical]] |biome = [[Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]] |animals = |bird_species = |mammal_species = |border = [[Argentine Espinal]] |border1 = [[Paraná flooded savanna]] |border2 = [[Uruguayan savanna]] |area = |countries = [[Argentina]] |elevation = |coordinates = {{coord| -35.83| -60.54 |region:EC|display=it}} |geology = |rivers = |climate = Mostly [[Humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Cfa]]) and [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]] (Cfb) in the southeastern part |soil = |conservation = |global200 = |habitat_loss = |habitat_loss_ref = |protected = |protected_ref = }} The '''Humid Pampas''' ({{langx|es|'''Pampa Húmeda'''}}) is an extensive [[ecoregion]] of flat, fertile [[grassland]] of [[loess]]ic origin in [[Argentina]]. It has a [[precipitation]] average of 900&nbsp;mm per year, in contrast with the [[Semi-arid Pampas|Dry Pampa]]s to the west, which average less than 700&nbsp;mm.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldwildlifefund.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0806_full.html |title=Semi-arid Pampas (NT0806) |author=Dellafiore, Claudia |website=WildWorld |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005052219/http://www.worldwildlifefund.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0806_full.html |archive-date=2011-10-05 |access-date=2026-01-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Setting==

Like the [[Pampas]] in general, the region's terrain is predominantly hilly and of a temperate climate, though rich [[mollisols]] are more abundant here than to the west, where soils of [[loess]]ic origin are more common. Except for a few [[Cliff|bluffs]] near the [[Paraná River|Paraná]] and [[Río de la Plata]] rivers, as well as the Tandilia and Ventania mountain ranges to the south, the region's slope rarely exceeds 6 degrees. It covers [[Buenos Aires Province]] almost completely, the centre and south of [[Santa Fe Province]], most of [[Córdoba Province (Argentina)|Córdoba Province]] and the eastern third of [[La Pampa Province]], totalling at least 600,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.

The [[Uruguayan savanna]], which lies east of the rivers in [[Entre Ríos Province]] of Argentina, [[Uruguay]] and the south of [[Brazil]], is sometimes considered part of the Humid Pampa. The Uruguayan savanna is not as flat as the named aforementioned areas.

The flatlands are also interrupted by low hill ranges like Tandilia in the southeast, namely at [[Sierra de los Padres]], [[Balcarce, Buenos Aires|Balcarce]], [[Olavarría]], [[Tandil]] and like the higher system of the [[Sierra de la Ventana]] to the south, near [[Bahía Blanca]]. Finally, there are also some dunes at the Atlantic coast, such as at the city of [[Banderaló]].

==Climate== {{see also|Climatic regions of Argentina|Climate of Buenos Aires}} The area is characterised by four distinct seasons. Winter brings chilly, occasionally frosty nights. Humid, temperate weather characterizes spring and fall. Summer days can be extremely hot. The natural vegetation comprises [[Pasture|meadows]] of high [[poaceae|grass]] with isolated forests (locally referred to as ''montes'') of [[Prosopis|algarrobos]], talas and chanares, which used to be common in areas near the main rivers but have been mostly cut down during the 20th century. The great rhea lives in the pampas of Argentina and eats plants, lizards, insects, frogs, small birds and snakes.

==Flora== The Humid Pampa is characterized by medium-height grassland, with both perennial and annual grasses with scattered herbs and shrubs. The grasslands are interspersed with areas of dry [[woodland]] as well as freshwater and saltwater wetlands and lagoons.

The [[ombú]], considered an emblem of the Humid Pampa (and not a proper tree but a herb), grows naturally north of the Río de la Plata and east of the Paraná, seldom south of the Río de la Plata and never south of the [[Salado River (Buenos Aires)|Salado]]. Before the introduction of cattle, horses and sheep by the Spaniards on the 16th century, the region was covered by hard grass, but the animals' grazing facilitated the growth of softer, greener grass. [[Image:Campo Departamento Conhelo.jpg|thumb|350px|Grazing land in La Pampa Province]] {{Clear}}

==Population==

Due to the important [[immigration in Argentina|immigration to Argentina]] in the second half of the 19th century and first decades of the 20th, and because the weather allowed for two annual harvests, the lands started being heavily used for agriculture, which made Argentina a major agricultural producer (the self-styled "Granary of the World"). Being fertile and close to the [[Atlantic Ocean]], the Humid Pampa was one of the preferred destinations of millions of immigrants, who were mostly [[Italian people|Italian]], [[French people|French]] and [[Spanish people|Spanish]], but also [[German people|German]] and other Europeans.

The lands of the region were taken care of by the ''[[gauchos]]'' for centuries, and the region was the centre of their culture, including their music and dances. Areas that were kept for extensive breeding of cattle and sheep stayed under the control of large estates' owners, and in lesser number to medium-size estates. Smaller farms are known as "''chacras''" (their owners being ''chacareros'' or ''chacreros'').

The urban population of Argentina (92% of its population) is concentrated in cities within the Humid Pampa. According to the 2022 National Census, Argentina's three largest cities are all located in this region: Buenos Aires (3.1 million in the autonomous city, with the [[Greater Buenos Aires]] metropolitan area totaling 14.0 million), Córdoba (1.5 million), and Rosario (1.3 million). In all, over 20 million Argentines live in the Humid Pampa region, which produces a significant portion of the Argentine economy.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://censo.gob.ar/index.php/datos_definitivos/ |title=Datos definitivos – Censo 2022 |website=Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas |publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics and Census of Argentina|Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos]] (INDEC) |language=es |access-date=2026-01-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.argentina.gob.ar/pais/poblacion/centros |title=Centros poblados – Censo 2022 |website=Argentina.gob.ar |publisher=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INDEC) |language=es |access-date=2026-01-28}}</ref>

Given the commercial and agricultural desirability of most of this area for the last 130 years,<ref>[http://www.infobaeprofesional.com/notas/33634-El-biocombustible-dispara-el-valor-de-campos-argentinos.html?cookie Infobaires] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130126133044/http://www.infobaeprofesional.com/notas/33634-El-biocombustible-dispara-el-valor-de-campos-argentinos.html?cookie |date=2013-01-26 }}</ref> not much pristine land remains. One of the best corners of unspoiled pampa is the Otamendi Natural Preserve near [[Campana, Buenos Aires Province]]. Established in 1990 on 2,600 hectares (10&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>) of former grazing land, the parcel has become one of Argentina's chief points of interest in its [[agrotourism]] circuit.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.welcomeargentina.com/parques/otamendi.html |title=Reserva Natural Otamendi |website=Welcome Argentina |publisher=Welcome Argentina |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040819031254/https://www.welcomeargentina.com/parques/otamendi.html |archive-date=2004-08-19 |access-date=2026-01-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Gallery== <gallery perrow=4> Image:Junín Campo 01.jpg|Soy field near [[Junín, Buenos Aires Province]] Image:Ombu del Parque Rivadavia.jpg|[[Ombú]] in a Buenos Aires city park. Prized for its copious shade, it has been planted liberally through the pampas Image:Junín PNLG 006.jpg|Sailplaning over the pampas. Popularized by German-Argentine Rolf Hossinger in the 1950s, Argentine sailplaners have won a number of world championships File:WesternHills.jpg|[[Sierra de los Padres]] hills </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons}} *{{WWF ecoregion|name=Humid Pampas|id=nt0803}} *{{NatGeo ecoregion|name=Humid Pampas|id=nt0803}} *[http://www.welcomeargentina.com/parques/otamendi.html Otamendi Natural Preserve]

[[Category:Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]] [[Category:Ecoregions of Argentina]] [[Category:Grasslands of Argentina]] [[Category:Grasses of Argentina| ]] [[Category:Neotropical ecoregions]] [[Category:Pampas]]