Why is Argentina so sparsely-populated, even compared to Brazil and the USA?

[Tooting Carmen]

After all, Argentina's topography is in many ways more conducive to human settlement than that of either of the other two countries: much of Brazil is rainforest, while many US states are full of deserts and/or mountains. So what explains this?

[alnortedelsur]

It is better that way. It is an advantage to be a sparsely populated country, and Argentinians should keep it that way.

Is one of the things, among many others, that I like so much about Argentina.

[Tenma de Pegasus]

Because basically only populated province of Argentina is Buenos Aires, all others probably have less than 5 milion people. When Brazil have a lot of populous states that works like countries, even at this moment Bolsonaro want to open Brazil, but there is a lot of states in lockdown and others in quarentine because no one respect a crazy lunatic like Bolsonaro.

To compare only São Paulo state despite being smaller than Buenos Aires Province and Argentina have a larger population. São Paulo has the population of Spain, but Spain is also much bigger than São Paulo.

[Tooting Carmen]

It is better that way. It is an advantage to be a sparsely populated country, and Argentinians should keep it that way.

Is one of the things, among many others, that I like so much of Argentina.

Whether being sparsely-populated is a good thing or not is really subjective. What I want to know is WHY Argentina is so sparsely-populated? What are the historical and geographical explanations behind it?

[samario]

After all, Argentina's topography is in many ways more conducive to human settlement than that of either of the other two countries: much of Brazil is rainforest, while many US states are full of deserts and/or mountains. So what explains this?

Argentinian Patagonia is mostly a desert east of the Andes.

[Tenma de Pegasus]

Argentinian Patagonia is mostly a desert east of the Andes.

Yes Argentina have an enormous desert side by side with the fertile Pampas.

[Tooting Carmen]

Because basically only populated province of Argentina is Buenos Aires, all others probably have less than 5 milion people.

Yes but WHY is that so? Why has so much of Argentina beyond BA largely been unsettled and abandoned?

To compare only São Paulo state despite being smaller than Buenos Aires Province and Argentina have a larger population. São Paulo has the population of Spain, but Spain is also much bigger than São Paulo.

LOL I didn't realise SP was that extreme.

[Tenma de Pegasus]

Yes but WHY is that so? Why has so much of Argentina beyond BA largely been unsettled and abandoned?



LOL I didn't realise SP was that extreme.

São Paulo is a real extreme area, together with Rio de Janeiro its the most populated area of Continental Americas. They have cities outside São Paulo city with 3 milion and 2 milion people, so basically a lot of metropolis in the same state.

But trying to answer your question, I believe Buenos Aires was always the richest city of La Plata Vice Royalty when Colonial Brazil cities were like roller coasters, there were times when Recife was the richest city, then Salvador, then Ouro Preto, then São Luís, then Diamantina, then São João Del Rey, then São Vicente, then Rio de Janeiro... so there were many cities atracting many people along the centuries, something like a seesaw. Even Belém was planned to be capital of the Portuguese Empire and to receive portuguese nobles to live in the Amazon door. Brazil history is fantastic, I really like.

About the provinces its the same thing, Maranhao, Pernambuco, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo were all powerhouses at some time. Lets remember that those provinces are not necessarily the same brazilian states with its names. Maranhão for example included Piauí in the past. Pernambuco was composed by modern Paraíba, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco. It was all counted together. The same for São Paulo that was much bigger and included a lot of states in the past.

[perikolez]

Because basically only populated province of Argentina is Buenos Aires, all others probably have less than 5 milion people. .

No, Buenos Aires province (Buenos Aires city included) have around 20 million people ( around 50% of population). You have other 20 million in the rest of the country. In my opinión Argentina have a big problema. It is heavily urbanized, with many provinces with a capital city which has 80% of provincial population. San Juan, or La Rioja provinces are a good example of this. But I think that these provinces are very hot and dry, and capital cities are only places where you can concentrate a good amount of population.

[Tenma de Pegasus]

No, Buenos Aires province (Buenos Aires city included) have around 20 million people ( around 50% of population). You have other 20 million in the rest of the country. In my opinión Argentina have a big problema. It is heavily urbanized, with many provinces with a capital city which has 80% of provincial population. San Juan, or La Rioja provinces are a good example of this. But I think that these provinces are very hot and dry, and capital cities are only places where you can concentrate a good amount of population.

But neither surpass 5 milion people.