Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires
Autonomous City of Buenos Aires
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires
Nicknames: 
Baires, The Queen of El Plata (La reina del Plata)
The Paris of South America (La París de Sudamérica)
Buenos Aires
Location in Argentina
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires (South America)
Coordinates: 34°36′13″S 58°22′53″W / 34.60361°S 58.38139°W / -34.60361; -58.38139
Country Argentina
Established
Districts15
Government
  TypeAutonomous city
  BodyCity Legislature
  Chief of GovernmentJorge Macri (PRO)
  Deputy Chief of GovernmentClara Muzzio
  National Deputies25
  National Senators
Area
205.9 km2 (79.5 sq mi)
  Urban
3,979.2 km2 (1,536.4 sq mi)
  Metro
13,267 km2 (5,122 sq mi)
Elevation
25 m (82 ft)
Population
 (2022 census)
3,121,707
  Rank1st in Argentina
7th in South America
  Density15,161/km2 (39,270/sq mi)
  Urban
13,971,006
  Urban density3,511/km2 (9,090/sq mi)
  Metro
16,366,641
  Metro density1,234/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Demonymsporteño (m), porteña (f)
GDP
  Capital city and autonomous cityUS$ 35 billion
  MetroUS$ 236 billion
Time zoneUTC−03:00 (ART)
Postal codes
B1601XXX to B8512XXX
Area code011
ISO 3166 codeAR-B
HDI (2021)0.882 very high (1st)
Websitebuenosaires.gob.ar

Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− global city, according to the GaWC 2024 ranking. The city proper has a population of 3.1 million and its urban area 16.7 million, making it the twentieth largest metropolitan area in the world.

It is known for its preserved eclectic European architecture and rich cultural life. It is a multicultural city that is home to multiple ethnic and religious groups, contributing to its culture as well as to the dialect spoken in the city and in some other parts of the country. This is because since the 19th century, the city, and the country in general, has been a major recipient of millions of immigrants from all over the world, making it a melting pot where several ethnic groups live together. Thus, Buenos Aires is considered one of the most diverse cities of the Americas.

The city of Buenos Aires is neither part of Buenos Aires Province nor its capital; it is an autonomous district. In 1880, after the Argentine Civil War, Buenos Aires was federalized and split from Buenos Aires Province. The city limits were enlarged to include the towns of Belgrano and Flores; both now neighborhoods of the city. The 1994 constitutional amendment granted the city autonomy, hence its formal name of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Thus, citizens elected their first Chief of Government in 1996; previously, the Mayor was directly appointed by the President of Argentina.

The Greater Buenos Aires conurbation includes several surrounding cities, which are located in the neighbouring districts of the Buenos Aires Province. It constitutes the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas. It is also the second largest city south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Buenos Aires has the highest human development of all Argentine administrative divisions and its quality of life was ranked 97th in the world in 2024, being one of the best in Latin America.