Argentina is the second largest country in South America and the eighth largest in the world. It is bounded to the north by Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay, to the east by Uruguay, Brazil and the South Atlantic Ocean, to the South by Chile and the Atlantic Ocean and to the west by the Andes Mountains and Chile. Principal Commercial Centres Buenos Aires is the country's capital and leading port city as well as being the political, trade and financial centre. Main Economic Activities Natural resources - fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum and uranium. Substantial quantities of sugar, fruit, wine, tea, tobacco and cotton are produced.
Beef production is very important.
Fishing grounds on the Atlantic coast are being increasingly developed. The forestry sector covers a wide range of productive activities. Mining - Argentina has substantial deposits of petroleum, natural gas, steam coal and lignite. Zinc and lead are mined in the Andes in the north-western region. Limestone quarries are being exploited extensively for the cement industry, and there are active marble quarries.