Which city is the capital of Argentina?

Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina. Officially called the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, it sits on the southwestern shore of the Río de la Plata and serves as the country’s political, cultural, and economic center.

The city’s first settlement was founded by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536, but that outpost did not survive. Juan de Garay established the permanent settlement in 1580, giving it a name connected with Saint Mary of the Fair Winds. Buenos Aires later grew into a major Atlantic port and a gateway for immigration, trade, and political change.

In 1880, the city was federalized and separated from Buenos Aires Province. A 1994 constitutional reform granted it autonomous status, and residents began electing their own chief of government in 1996. The city is therefore distinct from Buenos Aires Province, whose capital is La Plata.

Buenos Aires is often nicknamed the Paris of South America because of its grand boulevards, European-influenced architecture, cafés, theaters, and strong literary and musical traditions. Its residents are commonly called porteños, meaning people of the port.