City (metro. area pop., 1999 est.: 1,000,000) and river port, east-central Argentina, on the Paraná River .
Founded in 1725, it began to develop into a major city in the late 19th century. In 1819 the city was burned by revolutionaries. In 1860 it welcomed domestic and foreign oceangoing ships to its natural harbour, which became a major port. One of Argentina's largest cities, it exports grain, meat, and lumber. It is also an industrial city, producing steel, automobiles, and agricultural machinery, and it is an educational centre.