# Humid Pampas

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Grassland in Argentina

Humid Pampas (NT0803) Barley field in Buenos Aires Province. Location in Argentina Ecology Realm Neotropical Biome Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands Borders Argentine Espinal Paraná flooded savanna Uruguayan savanna Geography Countries Argentina Coordinates 35°50′S 60°32′W / 35.83°S 60.54°W / -35.83; -60.54 Climate type Mostly humid subtropical (Cfa) and oceanic (Cfb) in the southeastern part

The **Humid Pampas** ([Spanish](/source/Spanish_language): ***Pampa Húmeda***) is an extensive [ecoregion](/source/Ecoregion) of flat, fertile [grassland](/source/Grassland) of [loessic](/source/Loess) origin in [Argentina](/source/Argentina). It has a [precipitation](/source/Precipitation) average of 900 mm per year, in contrast with the [Dry Pampas](/source/Semi-arid_Pampas) to the west, which average less than 700 mm.[1]

## Setting

Like the [Pampas](/source/Pampas) in general, the region's terrain is predominantly hilly and of a temperate climate, though rich [mollisols](/source/Mollisols) are more abundant here than to the west, where soils of [loessic](/source/Loess) origin are more common. Except for a few [bluffs](/source/Cliff) near the [Paraná](/source/Paran%C3%A1_River) and [Río de la Plata](/source/R%C3%ADo_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](/source/Buenos_Aires_Province) almost completely, the centre and south of [Santa Fe Province](/source/Santa_Fe_Province), most of [Córdoba Province](/source/C%C3%B3rdoba_Province_(Argentina)) and the eastern third of [La Pampa Province](/source/La_Pampa_Province), totalling at least 600,000 km2.

The [Uruguayan savanna](/source/Uruguayan_savanna), which lies east of the rivers in [Entre Ríos Province](/source/Entre_R%C3%ADos_Province) of Argentina, [Uruguay](/source/Uruguay) and the south of [Brazil](/source/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](/source/Sierra_de_los_Padres), [Balcarce](/source/Balcarce%2C_Buenos_Aires), [Olavarría](/source/Olavarr%C3%ADa), [Tandil](/source/Tandil) and like the higher system of the [Sierra de la Ventana](/source/Sierra_de_la_Ventana) to the south, near [Bahía Blanca](/source/Bah%C3%ADa_Blanca). Finally, there are also some dunes at the Atlantic coast, such as at the city of [Banderaló](/source/Banderal%C3%B3).

## Climate

See also: [Climatic regions of Argentina](/source/Climatic_regions_of_Argentina) and [Climate of Buenos Aires](/source/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 [meadows](/source/Pasture) of high [grass](/source/Poaceae) with isolated forests (locally referred to as *montes*) of [algarrobos](/source/Prosopis), 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](/source/Woodland) as well as freshwater and saltwater wetlands and lagoons.

The [ombú](/source/Omb%C3%BA), 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](/source/Salado_River_(Buenos_Aires)). 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.

Grazing land in La Pampa Province

## Population

Due to the important [immigration to Argentina](/source/Immigration_in_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](/source/Atlantic_Ocean), the Humid Pampa was one of the preferred destinations of millions of immigrants, who were mostly [Italian](/source/Italian_people), [French](/source/French_people) and [Spanish](/source/Spanish_people), but also [German](/source/German_people) and other Europeans.

The lands of the region were taken care of by the *[gauchos](/source/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](/source/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.[2][3]

Given the commercial and agricultural desirability of most of this area for the last 130 years,[4] not much pristine land remains. One of the best corners of unspoiled pampa is the Otamendi Natural Preserve near [Campana, Buenos Aires Province](/source/Campana%2C_Buenos_Aires_Province). Established in 1990 on 2,600 hectares (10 mi2) of former grazing land, the parcel has become one of Argentina's chief points of interest in its [agrotourism](/source/Agrotourism) circuit.[5]

## Gallery

		- Soy field near [Junín, Buenos Aires Province](/source/Jun%C3%ADn%2C_Buenos_Aires_Province)

		- [Ombú](/source/Omb%C3%BA) in a Buenos Aires city park. Prized for its copious shade, it has been planted liberally through the pampas

		- Sailplaning over the pampas. Popularized by German-Argentine Rolf Hossinger in the 1950s, Argentine sailplaners have won a number of world championships

		- [Sierra de los Padres](/source/Sierra_de_los_Padres) hills

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Dellafiore, Claudia. ["Semi-arid Pampas (NT0806)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111005052219/http://www.worldwildlifefund.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0806_full.html). *WildWorld*. World Wildlife Fund. Archived from [the original](http://www.worldwildlifefund.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0806_full.html) on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2026-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Datos definitivos – Censo 2022"](https://censo.gob.ar/index.php/datos_definitivos/). *Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas* (in Spanish). [Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos](/source/National_Institute_of_Statistics_and_Census_of_Argentina) (INDEC). Retrieved 2026-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Centros poblados – Censo 2022"](https://www.argentina.gob.ar/pais/poblacion/centros). *Argentina.gob.ar* (in Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INDEC). Retrieved 2026-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Infobaires](http://www.infobaeprofesional.com/notas/33634-El-biocombustible-dispara-el-valor-de-campos-argentinos.html?cookie) [Deprecated link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Archive.today_guidance) archived 2013-01-26 at [archive.today](/source/Archive.today)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Reserva Natural Otamendi"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040819031254/https://www.welcomeargentina.com/parques/otamendi.html). *Welcome Argentina* (in Spanish). Welcome Argentina. Archived from [the original](https://www.welcomeargentina.com/parques/otamendi.html) on 2004-08-19. Retrieved 2026-01-28.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Humid Pampas Ecoregion](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Humid_Pampas_Ecoregion).

- ["Humid Pampas"](https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0803). *Terrestrial Ecoregions*. World Wildlife Fund.

- World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). ["Humid Pampas"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100308000000/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0803.html). *WildWorld Ecoregion Profile*. National Geographic Society. Archived from [the original](http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0803.html) on 2010-03-08.

- [Otamendi Natural Preserve](http://www.welcomeargentina.com/parques/otamendi.html)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Humid Pampas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_Pampas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_Pampas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.