FORMOSA

city, capital of Formosa province, northeastern Argentina, on the western bank of the Ro Paraguay, southwest of Asuncin, Paraguay. It was founded in 1879 during the military conquest of the central Gran Chaco following the defeat of Paraguay in the War of the Triple Alliance (186470). It served as a headquarters for the newly established national territory of Gran Chaco (later subdivided into the national territory, then province, of Formosa). Formosa is a river port and agricultural processing centre that experienced rapid growth in the 1960s and 1970s. Cattle, cotton, and rice are raised nearby. Pop. (1980) 95,100. province, northern Argentina, lying within the Gran Chaco, a vast alluvial plain having poor drainage. It is covered with forests, grasslands, and marshes. Formosa is bordered by Paraguay (north and east) and has an area of 27,825 sq mi (72,066 sq km). The Pilcomayo, Bermejo, and Paraguay rivers define its northern, southern, and eastern limits, respectively. The 123,600 ac (50,000 ha) Ro Pilcomayo National Park abuts the Ro Pilcomayo near the confluence of the Ro Paraguay; large numbers of indigenous Indians live within the park together with a rich collection of fauna including the maned wolf, La Plata otter, and giant anteater. The territory was explored in 1528 by a Spanish expedition led by Sebastian Cabot and Diego Garca de Moguer. A Jesuit reduccin (work mission) established in 1590 was destroyed by Indian raids in 1632. Except for occasional expeditions up the Pilcomayo and Bermejo rivers, the area remained virtually abandoned until 1763 when another reduccin was built. Four years later the Jesuits were expelled from the New World, and until after the War of the Triple Alliance (186470), Formosa continued to be an extremely remote region visited only by punitive expeditions retaliating against Indian raids. Following the defeat of Paraguay, the disputed territory became officially integrated into Argentina. In 1879, to serve as the seat for territorial authorities, the city of Formosa (q.v.), now the provincial capital, was founded. Formosa was organized as a national territory in 1884 and became a province in 1955. Agriculture (cotton, rice, bananas, and avocados) and cattle raising are the chief economic activities, but both are seriously handicapped by recurrent droughts and floods. A large water-control project on the Ro El Riacho was begun in the 1970s. Quebracho trees (from which tannin is extracted) grow wild in the forests, providing another source of income. Pop. (1983 est.) 319,000.