Rosario is the largest city in the central Argentine province of Santa Fe. The city, located 300 km (186 mi) northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the country after Buenos Aires and Cordoba. With a growing and important metropolitan area, Greater Rosario has an estimated population of 1,750,000 as of 2020. One of its main attractions includes the neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco architecture that has been preserved in hundreds of residences, houses and public buildings. The city is also famous for being the birthplace of the Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.
Rosario is the head city of the Rosario Department and is located at the heart of the major industrial corridor in Argentina. The city is a major railroad terminal and the shipping center for north-eastern Argentina. Ships reach the city via the Paraná River, which allows the existence of a 10-metre-deep (34 ft) port. The Port of Rosario is subject to silting and must be dredged periodically. Exports include wheat, flour, hay, linseed and other vegetable oils, corn, sugar, lumber, meat, hides, and wool. Manufactured goods include flour, sugar, meat products, and other foodstuffs. The Rosario-Victoria Bridge, opened in 2004, spans the Paraná River, connecting Rosario with the city of Victoria, across the Paraná Delta. The city plays a critical role in agricultural commerce, and thus finds itself at the center of a continuing debate over taxes levied on big-ticket agricultural goods such as soy.
Along with Paraná, Rosario is one of the few Argentine cities that cannot point to a particular individual as its founder. The city's patron is the "Virgin of the Rosary", whose feast day is 7 October.
History
Early settlement
Even though the city did not have a clear foundation date or any official acknowledgement thereof, most commentators state that Rosario was founded on 7 October 1793 with a local population of 457 inhabitants. Nonetheless, the town was officially declared a city on 3 August 1852, at the time it was known as Pago de los Arroyos ("land of the streams"), a reference to the several small rivers that traverse the southern region of Santa Fe, like the Ludueña Stream, the Saladillo Stream and others, emptying into the Paraná River. In 1689, captain Luís Romero de Piñeda received part of the lands of the Pago de los Arroyos by royal decree, as payment for services to the Spanish Crown. Before that, the area was originally inhabited by various indigenous tribes, some of which lived in reducciones, a type of mission founded by Franciscans. These missions were ultimately attacked and destroyed by hostile tribes of the Chaco region.
Romero de Piñeda established the first permanent settlement, an estancia — intended as farmland, not as a town. In 1719, the Jesuits bought another part and established Estancia San Miguel. The area was still so scarcely populated that it had no central authority; it was ruled from the provincial capital (Santa Fe), and in turn from Buenos Aires.
In 1724, another colonial settlement was initiated by Santiago de Montenegro, who set up a mill, drew plans for the future town, built a chapel, and was appointed mayor in 1751. The area of control of this local government extended northward from today's Rosario; only in 1784 was it divided into two smaller jurisdictions.
On February 27, 1812, General Manuel Belgrano raised the newly created Argentine flag on the shores of the Paraná, for the first time. Because of this, Rosario is known as the "Cradle of the Argentine Flag". The National Flag Memorial marks the occasion.
19th century
The province of Santa Fe suffered greatly from the civil war that afflicted Argentina after 1820. Demographic growth was relatively slow. During this period, Rosario was a small settlement and a stop on the way from the city of Santa Fe to Buenos Aires. In 1823, it was elevated to the category of "village" (Ilustre y Fiel Villa del Rosario). Charles Darwin travelled through the area in 1832 and described Rosario as "a large town" with about 2,000 residents. In 1841, a decree of the caudillo and Governor of Buenos Aires, Juan Manuel de Rosas, banned navigation of the Paraná and Paraguay rivers to non-Argentine vessels, and thus shut off the Port of Rosario to foreign trade.
On 25 December 1851, a small group of locals and the military guard of the city declared their support for the rival caudillo Justo José de Urquiza. As a reward for their participation in the Battle of Caseros, triumphant Urquiza wrote to the governor of Santa Fe on 9 June 1852 asking for Rosario to be granted city status. Governor Domingo Crespo justified the request at the provincial legislative body, marking the geographically strategic position of the town for national and international trade, and on 5 August, Rosario was formally declared a city.
Urquiza opened up the river for free international trade. The city's economy and population expanded at an accelerated rate. By 1880, Rosario had become the first export outlet of Argentina. During the last 15 years of the 19th century, the city more than doubled its population, in part due to immigration. By 1887 it had about 50,000 inhabitants, of whom 40% were European immigrants, who brought new ideas from Europe and began to turn Rosario into a politically progressive city (contrasting with the more conservative, aristocratic Santa Fe).
During the second half of the 19th century, there was a movement promoting that the city of Rosario become the capital of the republic. Ovidio Lagos, founder of the oldest Argentine newspaper, La Capital, was one of the strongest proponents of this idea (one of the main avenues in Rosario now carries his name). Rosario was indeed declared the federal capital on three occasions, but each time the law was vetoed by the Executive Branch (once by Bartolomé Mitre and twice by Domingo Faustino Sarmiento). In 1911, the French-owned railway company Ferrocarril Rosario y Puerto Belgrano opened a line between Rosario and Puerto Belgrano, Argentina's main naval base. By 1926, Rosario had 407,000 inhabitants, 47% of them foreign, many coming from Europe in the wake of World War I.
Modern history
In 1969 workers and students took to the streets and organized strikes in what has been dubbed the "Rosariazo" against the dictatorship. A few years later, in 1976, the military dictatorship made hundreds of dissident citizens "disappear" in what is known as the Dirty War.
In 1983, Argentina returned to democratic rule, but in 1989, hyperinflation caused the economic collapse of the country. In Rosario there were riots and looting episodes. Under the Menem administration, the situation worsened as the industrial sector of the city was dismantled by foreign competition, and agricultural exports stagnated. In 1995, unemployment in the area reached 21.1% and a large part of Rosario's population fell below the poverty line.
Since the recovery of the national economy that followed the 2001 collapse, Rosario's economic situation has improved. The boom in agricultural exports has caused a large increase in consumer spending and investment. The Socialist Party has won mayoral races in the city in every election since Councilman Héctor Cavallero's 1989 election. Cavallero's successor, Hermes Binner (elected in 1995), was elected Governor of Santa Fe in 2007 and became the runner-up in the 2011 presidential election on the FAP ticket. Mayor Miguel Lifschitz's administration, elected in 2007, took advantage of the economic boom to invest heavily in public works as well as in public health (which takes up about a quarter of the whole budget). Mayor Mónica Fein became, in 2011, the first Socialist woman elected mayor in Argentine history.
After the 1990s, Rosario became a major city of the illegal drug trade in Argentina, headed by a drug dealing family called "Los Monos" ("The Monkeys"). Early during 2018, it was estimated by national news sources that a turf war between local drug gangs ("Los Funes" and "Los Camino") was costing an average of one life every twenty five hours.
Government
Rosario is ruled by an executive branch represented by a mayor (seat: Palacio de los Leones), and a legislative branch, consisting of a Deliberative Council (seat: Palacio Vassallo). The mayor is elected for a four-year term, and the Council renews half of its 21 members every two years.
Municipal Centre District (CMD)
Since 1997, a municipal program of decentralization of legislative activities was carried out, materialized in 6 Municipal Centres of District (Centre, North, South, West, Northwest and Southwest).
The city is divided into six large administrative districts (Center, North, Northwest, West, Southwest, and South), with Municipal District Centers that provide services to the population.
For years, local people and institutions have been pushing the provincial government to grant Rosario the status of Autonomous City. Some, with the sponsorship of the governors of Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Córdoba as well as other important politicians, have put forward a legislative project to move the National Congress to Rosario, to decentralize the national government.
Since the return to democracy in 1983, the mayors of Rosario were Horacio Usandizaga, Héctor Cavallero (standing in for Usandizaga, then re-elected), Hermes Binner (re-elected once), Miguel Lifschitz (re-elected once), and, since December 2011 to December 2019, Mónica Fein. Currently, the mayor is Pablo Javkin, whose term lasts from December 2019 to 2023. From Cavallero on (1989), the mayor has been a member of the Socialist Party, since December 2019, Rosario's mayor is from a different political party, ending more than 30 years of socialism.
The city does not have a police force of its own (it is served by the provincial police), but in 2004 it pioneered the creation of a special patrol force of unarmed officers called Guardia Urbana Municipal ("Municipal Urban Guard"), which was later used as a model for Buenos Aires and other cities.
Municipal statistics
The municipality of Rosario comprises 178.69 square kilometres (69.0 sq mi), of which 117.2 km2 (45 sq mi) are urbanized, in 6,306 housing blocks. Of this area, 9.3 km2 (3.6 sq mi), 5.3% is devoted to green spaces (parks, boulevards, plazas), which gives over 10 m2 of green space per inhabitant.
Electric power is supplied to the whole urban area and running water reaches 97% of the population (about 350,000 homes). Natural gas is provided to 227,152 homes.
With the recovery of the national economy since 2002, the city experienced a real-estate boom. In the period 2003–2006, the construction sector added 2 million m2, investing about $900 million. Despite this increased supply, both price and rent have increased sharply compared to the values during the 1990s.
According to experts, this growth was propelled by the increased purchasing power of farmers around Rosario, helped by competitive exports, and the overall preference for safer investment options.
Health
Rosario has several public health centers: five municipal hospitals (including a children's hospital and an emergency hospital/trauma center) and a municipal outpatient-only center, plus two large provincial hospitals (Hospital Provincial and Hospital Centenario), and their associated primary care centers in the city proper and its metropolitan area.
Economy
Rosario is the centre of a metropolitan region whose economy is based on services and industry, generating the second-largest urban gross regional product of Argentina, after Greater Buenos Aires. The principal manufacturing sector is the agro industry, whose industries are placed in the northern and southern areas of Greater Rosario; the investments over the last decade have transformed Rosario into a major role of processing oil of the world. Many other sectors contribute to the diversified industrial offerings of the city. Rosario and its metropolitan area produce 20% of the cars, 4% of the domestic refrigerators, 80% of the machinery for the food industry and 100% of the auto bodies for long-distance buses made in Argentina.
Other important sectors include the petrochemical sector, with three plants located in the suburbs of San Lorenzo and Port San Martin; the chemistry sector, with plants for sulphuric acid, fertilizers, resins and other products; the cellulose industry; the meat industry; ironworks; auto parts; the plants and equipment for bottled oil; agricultural machinery; and the materials and equipment for the construction industry. Worldwide international companies settled in Rosario include, among others, General Motors, Cargill, Unilever, John Deere, Petrobrás, ICI, Dow, Tenneco and Mahle.
The main financial bank at the city of Rosario is the Municipal Bank of Rosario. Its central offices are located in the financial district, on San Martín St., and there are several additional offices throughout the city. It is focused on small and medium enterprises and other organizations, especially through micro credits, and may be considered an "ethical bank."
The Municipal Bank was founded in 1896 to support the financial needs of the citizens and small businesses in the highly productive region of southern Santa Fe Province, centered in Rosario. At the time, the city had around 92,000 inhabitants and was already the most important port on the Paraná River. The idea of creating a municipal financial institution was expressed in 1893 by Mayor Floduardo Grandoli, citing the proliferation of "centers of usury" that exploited those in need of credit, especially the poor (something not addressed by the profile of the Provincial Bank of Santa Fe, which granted loans only to demonstrably solvent persons). Acting on this, the municipal Counseling Commission passed a bill (on 1 February 1895) dictating an "Organic Charter of the Municipal Bank of Loans and Savings Accounts;" the bank opened exactly one year later.
The seat of the bank was moved in 1905. Its name was changed to its present form on 14 May 1940 by a municipal bill. Its location was moved again, for the last time so far, in 1986. Following some political controversy, the bank in 2006 was capitalized by the municipality to comply with new regulations dictated by the Central Bank, and transformed into a joint stock company, with only 1% of the stock belonging to the municipal state. A special clause was added, dictating that this minimum share is unchangeable, to prevent hypothetical attempts at privatization.
The Rosario Board of Trade mainly deals in cereals and oilseeds. The banking sector includes the state-owned Municipal Bank of Rosario, with branches and offices throughout the city, and the central branch of the New Bank of Santa Fe.
The largest technological center in Argentina – Polo Tecnológico Rosario (PTR) – is located in Rosario within La Siberia site. The center focuses mainly on research and development of the three following areas: biotechnology, software development, and telecommunications. It currently employs 3,500 people, and it is expected to grow 100% by 2015 to become one of the largest in Latin America.
Culture
Rosario has many cultural activities in many artistic disciplines with national and international reach. The city has produced important personalities in the fields of music, painting, philosophy, politics, poetry, literature, medicine, and law. Among the city's important theaters are El Círculo, Sala Lavardén, Broadway, Astengo Auditorium, and La Comedia. A cultural complex known as Puerto de la Música, designed by the modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer (of Brasília fame), is to be built along the banks of the Paraná River. If completed, it will be one of the largest centers for musical performance in Latin America. In 2012, after years without progress, it was put on indefinite hold due to financial constraints. January 1995 saw the launch of the Rosario District Fishing Championship, held in the Parana River. Three years later, in 1998, a 10-year-old Lionel Messi was crowned Junior Champion.
The city has several museums, including Juan B. Castagnino Fine Arts Museum, Firma y Odilo Estévez Municipal Decorative Art Museum, Dr. Julio Marc Provincial Historical Museum, City Museum, and Museum of Contemporary Art of Rosario (MACRo). The Dr. Ángel Gallardo Provincial Natural Sciences Museum was rebuilt after a fire in 2003 and re-opened at a new location in 2006. Rosario also has a public astronomy complex, located in Urquiza Park, which consists of an observatory (inaugurated in 1970) and a planetarium (1984).
The Fundación Italia is a cultural institution created in 1985 as a "cultural bond with Italy". It has organized a Neapolitan music concert, performances of Madame Butterfly and numerous talks about the present and future of Argentina. Among the people invited to give these talks were economists Domingo Cavallo and Alfonso Prat Gay, renowned scholars Beatriz Sarlo and Silvia Bleichmar, journalists Alejandro Rozitchner and Jorge Asís, filmmaker Fernando Solanas and former presidents of Chile (Ricardo Lagos), Argentina (Eduardo Duhalde), and Uruguay (Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera).
El Círculo Theatre
Centro Cultural Roberto Fontanarrosa
Centro Popular de la Memoria
Centro Cultural Islas Malvinas
Centro Cultural Estación Provincial
Grupo Pasajes
Centro de Cultura & Comunicación
Centro Cultural El Núcleo
Centro Cultural Los Hornos
Theaters
Teatro El Círculo
Teatro La Comedia
Teatro Auditorio Fundación
Teatro Sala Lavardén
Teatro Puerto de la Música
Teatro Municipal Coliseo Podestá
Anfiteatro Martín Fierro
Teatro La Nonna
Teatro La Hermandad del Princesa
Sala 420
Taller de Teatro de la UNLP
Complejo "El Teatro"
Teatro "La Lechuza"
Teatro vorterix
Museums
Dr. Julio Marc Provincial Historical Museum
Dr. Ángel Gallardo Provincial Natural Sciences Museum
Firma y Odilo Estévez Municipal Decorative Art Museum
Juan B. Castagnino Fine Arts Museum
Museo De Los Niños (In Alto Rosario shopping mall)
Museo de Arte "Fra. Angélico"
Municipal Museum of the City
Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes
Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes
Museo de Arte "Fra. Angélico"
Colección Dr. Emilio Azzarini
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Rosario - MACRo
Museo Histórico del Fuerte de la Ensenada de Barragán
Museo y Archivo Dardo Rocha
Museo Almafuerte
Museo del Teatro Argentino
Museo "José Juan Podestá"
Museo de la Catedral
Museo Internacional de Muñecos
Museo del Automóvil – Colección Rau
Museo del Tango Platense
Museo Policial "Inspector Mayor Vesiroglos"
Museo Histórico "Contralmirante Chalier" – Escuela Naval de Río Santiago
Museo Histórico Militar "Tte. Julio A. Roca"
Museo de la Memoria
Complejo Astronómico Municipal
Cinemas
Cine El Cairo
Cinema San Martín
Cinema 8
Cinema Center Bautista
Cinema Paradiso
Cinema Rocha
Cine Select
Espacio INCAA
Cine Monumental
Cine Madre Cabrini
Showcase Cinemas
Hoyts Cinemas
Village Cinemas
Racecourse
The Independence Hippodrome opened on December 8 of 1901, when the first ride meeting was held. The Hippodrome was located in the heart of the Parque de la Independencia and occupied a prominent place in the city's social scene. In 1919, construction began of the Popular Opinion. La Tribuna rose Partners in 1928. Moreover, it had started the construction of a new box office. In 1941, the Tribune Paddock (formerly Partners Tribune) was demolished. The final podium of professional construidaes, begun in 1972. Independence Hippodrome was the initiator in Argentina night time racing, with lighting facilities for this purpose. There's also the Jockey Club de Rosario.
Tracks
The racecourse features three tracks that are used for entertainment, vacation, and skills. The Main Track has 1,794 metres (5,886 ft) of sand. This track is open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for tests, with Sunday competitions.
The Assistant Track 1 has 1,650 m (5,413 ft) with sand, used on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays inclusive for the tournaments and some special courses such as race trot.
The Assistant Track 2 has 1,450 m (4,757 ft) of land used to jog and tame.
Tribunes
Ex-Tribune Partners: with a privileged view of the oval track and focused, this building covers 1,300 m2 (13,990 sq ft) and three levels, the second is a restaurant seating 150 people.
Professional-Tribune, has a covered area of 300 m2 (3,229 sq ft). On the ground floor is the technical area and the Commissariat sector.
Paddock-Tribune, has covered area of 900 m2 (9,688 sq ft). It has a gambling parlor and a VIP room with a buffet area for the fans. It has the office of the Administration and the boxes for journalists.
Libraries
Biblioteca Argentina Dr. Juan Álvarez
Biblioteca Central General José de San Martín
Biblioteca Municipal Francisco López Merino
Biblioteca de la Legislatura de la Provincia
Biblioteca Pedagógica Eudoro Díaz
Landmarks
National Flag Memorial
The National Flag Memorial in Rosario is a monumental complex built near the banks of the Paraná River. It was commissioned in 1944 and inaugurated on June 20, 1957 – the anniversary of the death of Manuel Belgrano, creator of the Argentine flag, who raised it for the first time on an island in the river on February 27, 1812.
The complex has a total area of about 10,000 m2 (107,600 sq ft) and was constructed using stone primarily sourced in the Andes. The structure was designed by the architects Ángel Guido and Alejandro Bustillo, and the monument was adorned with works by sculptors Lola Mora, Eduardo Barnes, Alfredo Bigatti, and José Fioravanti.
The Memorial (Monumento) has three parts: the Tower (Torre) or mast, 70 metres (230 ft) high, which commemorates the Revolution of May 1810 and houses Manuel Belgrano's crypt in its base; the Civic Courtyard (Patio Cívico), which symbolizes the effort of the organization of the state (the Courtyard is used for massive open-air shows), and the Triumphal Propylaeum (Propileo Triunfal), representing the nation as organized after the 1853 Constitution. Under the Propylaeum there is the Honor Room for the Flags of America (where the flags of all American nations are displayed).
The complex faces Belgrano Avenue, and is delimited by Córdoba and Santa Fe Streets, the latter of which slopes down towards the river at this point. The Propylaeum can be accessed from the pedestrian passage called Pasaje Juramento ("Oath Passage"), which starts at Buenos Aires St. between the municipal building (Palacio de los Leones) and the Cathedral, in front of Plaza 25 de Mayo (May 25 Square). Statues flank the passage by famous sculptor Lola Mora.
The Memorial and the National Flag Park located in front of it are the seat of the main celebrations of Flag Day on June 20. The 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the complex, in 2007, was marked by a special celebration and by the unveiling of a new lighting system. El Puerto de la Música will be a theater with a total capacity of 30,000 people located by the Paraná River.
Architect Oscar Niemeyer came up with the concept by expanding the show from inside the theater to a much larger outside audience. The concrete curvilinear shape building with an area of 215,278 sq ft (20,000.0 m2) is the first design of Oscar Niemeyer in Argentina. The project will be a distinctive part of Rosario's skyline. Construction will begin at the end of 2010 and is expected to be completed by 2014.
Planetarium
Located in Urquiza Park, Rosario's Municipal Astronomical Complex is one of the principal astronomical centers of the region.
The planetarium has a core team, together with its secondary elements, providing an artificial image of the sky through projections made on a fixed hemispherical dome that functions as a display.
The assembly is installed in the Room "Oscar Claudio Caprile", located in the heart of the magnificent building that is shaped like a comet.
For its technical characteristics in terms of size, quality of sound and image, and interior comfort, this room is considered among the best in the world.
The building in the shape of a comet forms a part of the complex that includes the "Prof. Victor Capolongo" observatory and the experimental science museum.
The observatory
The Observatory facilitates outreach, teaching, and research in the field of astronomy and related sciences and informs the public of phenomena that occur in the sky, such as eclipses, planetary configurations, passages of comets, etc.
To that end, the Observatory has installed two telescopes. One Coudé refractor has a 150 mm (5.9 in) aperture and 2,250 mm (88.6 in) focal distance provided with Lyot's monochromatic filter for solar observation. Another Cassegrain reflector has 300 mm (11.8 in) aperture, constructed by the Carl Zeiss company.
There are realized observations and astronomical photography of all the visible celestial objects in Rosario's sky, according to time of year and especially the Sun, the Moon, and the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Venus.
Experimental Science Museum
This museum was inaugurated on September 24, 1987. It is the first in Argentina and differs from traditional museums, in that it has equipment and instruments to demonstrate the laws of nature, which can be interactively used by the general public.
Thus, visitors of all ages can use telescopes and microscopes or experiment with lasers, sound mixers, radios of various types, computers, solar cells, etc.
To complement this, exhibit panels have photographs and explanatory texts of science and technology: mathematics and computer science, engineering, physics, astronomy, astronautics, geology, chemistry, and biology. In addition, an important area is intended for periodic samples, such as the Space Age, energy: renewable and rational use, from sand to glass, among others. The museum staff is supported by contributions from the Ministry of Science and Technology Office, the Municipality of Rosario, and the contributions made by institutions and individuals.
The museum audiovisual projections are made in the Video Sector Science, which has an area called "CIENCIANIÑO" (ChildScience) for children aged 4 to 10. The museum works in the evening, similar to the Planetarium. Educational institutions at all levels are treated in shift assignments.
Statue of Che Guevara
The 4-metre-tall bronze statue of Che Guevara was unveiled on 14 June 2008 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of his birth. It is made from 75,000 bronze keys donated by Argentines nationwide[30] and weighs 2.7 tons. The statue was made by artist Andrés Zerneri and is the first such monument to Guevara in his native Argentina.
Demographics
Demographic distribution
Rosario is located in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina. This metropolis has a population of about 1.2 million (1,159,004 est.), thus being Argentina's third most populated urban settlement, after Córdoba. Greater Rosario comprises Rosario itself (population about 910,000) and a large area around it, spreading in all directions except eastward (because of the Paraná River). Directly to the south, it includes the city of Villa Gobernador Gálvez, with a population of about 75,000, about 10 km (6.2 mi) from Rosario city center.
To the west and south-west there are several smaller towns and cities (Funes, Roldán, Pérez, Soldini); Roldán is 23 km (14 mi) from the Rosario city centre. These settlements were incorporated into the metropolis due to their vicinity to major roads leading into Rosario, and many people living there habitually commute to Rosario.
The farthest end is to the north, following the coast of the river; from Rosario, one finds, in succession and usually merging into each other, the towns of Granadero Baigorria, Capitán Bermúdez, Fray Luis Beltrán, San Lorenzo (already in a different departamento, with a population of over 40,000), and Puerto General San Martín, the last being at a distance of 35 km (22 mi) from Rosario.
The north of the Greater Rosario is one end of an area traditionally called Cordón Industrial ("Industrial Corridor"), since it was traditionally a heavily industrialized productive region. The prelude to the economic crisis in the 1990s largely dismantled the industrial infrastructure and damaged agricultural exports. These sectors were largely revitalized by 2006 as the national economy continued to recover, but high levels of poverty and unemployment persist in the city's western neighborhoods (official surveys indicated that in 2011, 6.5% of the metro area population was under the poverty line; and that in 2012, 8.3% of the labor force was unemployed).
In 1876 the total population was 203,509; by 1926, Rosario had 407,000 inhabitants, 47% of them foreign, many having arrived from Europe in the wake of World War I. Most of these were Italian, and among them, a majority from the north-western region of Liguria.
As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,193,605 people residing in the city and 31 surrounding districts, making Greater Rosario the third-largest metro area in Argentina even as its population growth has leveled off. The population density in Rosario proper was 6,680 inhabitants per square kilometer (17,300 inhabitants/sq mi); but, only about 2,400/km2 (6,200/sq mi) in the suburbs.
The 2010 Census also showed a relatively aged population. With 21% under the age of fifteen and 17% over sixty, the people have an age structure similar to those in many North American cities. They are, likewise, more elderly on average than Argentines as a whole (of whom 25% were under 15 and 14%, over 60).
The ethnic make-up of Rosario changed in the late 19th century, when significant numbers of European immigrants arrived in the city. Prior to this the city's population had been almost completely European-descent in ethnic origin. As Buenos Aires was the first landfall in Argentina for many migrant ships coming from Europe in the 1850s and 1890s, Rosario started to experience a diverse influx of people. The main contributors were Spain, Italy, France, Croatia, Poland, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, the Balkans (especially Greece, Serbia and Montenegro), Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Scandinavia (especially Sweden). By the 1910s, 43 percent of the city population was non-native Argentine after immigration rates peaked.
Most immigrants, regardless of origin, settled in the city or around Greater Rosario. However, in the first stages of immigration, some formed colonies (especially agricultural colonies) in different parts of the city, often encouraged by the Argentine government and/or sponsored by private individuals and organizations.
Christianity is the dominant faith with Roman Catholicism as the most practiced, followed by Protestantism. Judaism is the second-most professed religion in the city as Rosario has one of the largest Jewish communities in Argentina. There is also a local Islamic society.
Districts
Rosario is divided into six districts, most named by location, although the easternmost is called Centre District for it includes the oldest part of the city, historically called Centro (City Centre). The data given below are from the 2001 census [INDEC].
Centre District
Population: 261,047 Area: 20.37 km2 (11.45% of the city)
Population density: 12,815 inhab/km2 Housing: 110,152 units
North District
Population: 131,495 Area: 35.02 km2 (19.6% of the city)
Population density: 3,744 inhab/km2 Housing: 40,492 units
Northwest District
Population: 144,461 Area: 44.14 km2 (24.7% of the city)
Population density: 3,273 inhab/km2 Housing: 41,740 units
West District
Population: 106,356 Area: 40.21 km2 (22.5% of the city)
Population density: 2,645 inhab/km2 Housing: 31,625 units
Southwest District
Population: 103,446 Area: 20.19 km2 (11.3% of the city)
Population density: 5,123 inhab/km2 Housing: 28,284 units
South District
Population: 160,771 Area: 18.76 km2 (10.5% of the city)
Population density: 8,569 inhab/km2 Housing: 48,541 units
Urban structure
Centre District
At Rosario city center, Córdoba Street is the main avenue. It begins at the Flag Memorial Park, climbs towards the district area, and becomes a pedestrian walk for seven blocks, between Plaza 25 de Mayo and Plaza Pringles. Along Córdoba Ave to the west Paseo del Siglo ("Walk of the Century") was settled, with former houses of wealthy families, finally there is also the San Martín Square, and elsewhere, Plaza Montenegro (on Peatonal San Martín, the pedestrian-only four blocks of San Martín Street) and Plaza Sarmiento.
Oroño Boulevard (going north–south) and Pellegrini Avenue (east-west) mark the boundaries of the town center together with the river. At their confluence starts the Parque de la Independencia, that houses the Juan B. Castagnino Fine Arts Museum, the Newell's Old Boys football club, and the sports clubs Provincial and Gimnasia y Esgrima, as well as the horse racetrack and the former Sociedad Rural (Rural Society).
Towards the south, beyond Pellegrini Avenue, there are two more boulevards, 27 de Febrero and Seguí, and avenues Uriburu, Arijón and Battle y Ordóñez. To the west, after Oroño, there are the avenues Ovidio Lagos and Francia, Avellaneda Boulevard and Provincias Unidas Avenue. The main barrios in the south are La Tablada, Parque Casado, Las Heras, Las Delicias and Las Flores. The city ends in the Saladillo Stream.
Among the districts in the west are Echesortu, Belgrano, Triángulo, Moderno, Godoy and Fisherton. To the north-east there lie Pichincha, Ludueña, Lisandro de la Torre (home of Rosario Central's stadium) and Empalme Graneros.
Next to the stadium, there is the Parque Alem, and nearby the Sorrento thermal power plant. To the north lie the districts of Alberdi, La Florida (with a popular beach resort of the same name), Parque Field (built under US President John F. Kennedy's Alliance for Progress development plans) and Rucci. The main streets are Alberdi Avenue and its continuation, Rondeau Boulevard (which leads to the Rosario-Victoria Bridge and the city of Granadero Baigorria). These are crossed by the avenues Las Tres Vías, Génova, Sorrento, and Puccio.
An important part of Rosario's urban character is its riverbank. The city recovered the riverbank of the Paraná not long ago, thanks to a reorganization of terrains formerly owned by the port and the national railroad system. Going from the center immediately north of the port, the riverbank is surrounded by a large number of parks; Argentine flag Memorial, Parque de España, Parque de las Colectividades and Parque Sunchales.
Greater Rosario
Through the years, Rosario has spread in all directions. Towards the south, beyond Pellegrini, there are two more boulevards, 27 de Febrero and Seguí, and avenues Uriburu, Arijón and Battle y Ordóñez.To the west, after Oroño, there are the avenues Ovidio Lagos and Francia, Avellaneda Boulevard and Provincias Unidas Avenue. The main neighborhoods in the south are La Tablada, Parque Casado, Las Heras, Las Delicias and Las Flores. The city ends in the Saladillo Stream (the natural border with Villa Gobernador Gálvez). This is just south of the great barrio Grandoli.
Among the neighborhoods in the west are Echesortu, Belgrano, Triángulo, Moderno, Godoy, and Fisherton (near the west end of the city, formerly the home of hierarchical personnel of English railroad companies established in Rosario). To the north-east there lie the neighborhoods of Pichincha (a red-light district in the early 20th century, now home to an open-air antiquities fair: Mercado de antigüedades "Feria Retro La Huella"), Ludueña, Lisandro de la Torre (home of the Rosario Central football club) and Empalme Graneros; these last three are in the influence area of the Ludueña Stream, now contained by underground piping, but until the 1980s a source of floods.
Next to the Rosario Central stadium, there is a large park, Parque Alem, and not far from it, there stands the Sorrento thermoelectric power plant. North of the Lisandro de la Torre neighborhood, there are Alberdi (formerly an independent town), La Florida (with a popular beach resort of the same name), and Rucci.
The main streets in the north are Alberdi Avenue and its continuation, Rondeau Boulevard (which leads to the north exit of the city, the access to the Rosario-Victoria Bridge, and the town of Granadero Baigorria). These major arteries are crossed by several avenues: Las Tres Vías, Génova, Sorrento, and Puccio.
Transportation
Rosario's strategic location is destined to become a significant transportation hub and as the bi-oceanic corridor that links the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), an important component in global distribution and the core center of a key corridor in the Mercosur, the Common Market for the South.
The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Rosario, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 50 min. 9% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 14 min, while 19% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 4.3 km, while 4% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.
Road transport
The Rosario trolleybus system consists of only one main trunk line. It is presently operated by a government-owned corporation, SEMTUR (Sociedad del Estado Municipal para el Transporte Urbano de Rosario, "Municipal State Society for Rosario Urban Transport"), as are some of Rosario's other urban bus lines.
Plaza Sarmiento is the hub of the city bus system, about 40 urban lines in the metropolitan area that provide service every 5 to 10 minutes.
Bus fares are pre-paid by means of either a rechargeable plastic card or a disposable paper card with a magnetic stripe which can be bought from post offices, automatic vending machines, and private businesses. For occasional use, a larger fare can be paid using a coin machine in the bus unit. The interurban lines have differential fares, and some allow payment in cash only. The municipal administration is phasing out the paper cards, in favor of the plastic ones, during the second half of 2012.
The urban bus fleet was partially renewed during the recovery of the national economy, since 2003, and consists of about 730 units. In 2005 the average age of the buses was five years and 11 months. Improvements in the economy have led to increased use of public transport and comparatively less use of bicycles. According to the Rosario Transportation Office, in 2005 there were about 11 million bus journeys per month, by 2007, usage has climbed to 420,000 people every day (12.6 million per month).
A significant number of buses run on natural gas, as it also happens in Argentina as a whole since the price of this fuel is quite low compared to the alternatives. The idea to transform all buses to this system did not prosper; most buses run on heavily subsidized diesel fuel.
In 2012 bus lanes were added to several pairs of parallel streets traversing the downtown area. Bus stops along these are spaced every three blocks instead of the usual two. For the most part, they leave room to only one additional, narrow lane on the left for cars and other vehicles. They can be used for taxis carrying passengers as well. They are exclusive for public transport during weekdays and on Saturday morning; stopping or parking on the affected streets is forbidden, as well as right turns. Their implementation attracted opposition from residents and shop owners but was well received by habitual bus users since they reduce the time needed to get out of the crowded central area by a noticeable amount.
Rosario has a medium-sized taxi fleet, with units painted black and outlined in yellow. Some belong to radio-taxi companies and can be reserved by telephone; others only in the streets. As the economy of Argentina recovers, the capacity of the taxi fleet has been strained by higher usage. In September 2005, the Deliberative Council approved the compulsory installation of radio-call systems in all taxi units, but this requirement has not been fulfilled.
Rosario is also a major hub for long-distance overland transportation from the Mariano Moreno Bus Terminal, (Terminal de Omnibus), across from the Patio de la Madera Convention and Exposition Centre complex, about 15 blocks west of Plaza San Martin. The transportation facility serves 73 bus companies in short, medium, and long-distance travel, carrying 1,100.000 passengers per month to 784 national and international destinations, which comprise most major domestic cities including Puerto Iguazú, Salta and Bariloche and international destinations such as Asunción, Paraguay, Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Montevideo, Uruguay, destinations may be long but white-clad chauffeurs handle comfortable long-distance coaches with modern conveniences.
Railway
Rosario was one of the main cities chosen by the British and French railway companies that built and operated some of the railways in Argentina during the 19th and early 20th centuries, with more than 15 stations operating in the city. When the entire Argentine railway network was nationalised during the presidency of Juan Perón, most of the stations (by then under the administration of State-owned company Ferrocarriles Argentinos) were closed for passenger services to reduce costs, leaving only a few active.
After the railway privatization in the early 1990s during Carlos Menem's presidency, the passenger services were considerably reduced. The lines operated by Nuevo Central Argentino (NCA) handle most of the cargo. Additionally, two private companies provided limited passenger services to several major cities. Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA) ran weekly trains south to Retiro in Buenos Aires and north to Santa Fe. The company Ferrocentral also operated weekly trains south to Buenos Aires and northwest to Córdoba and Tucumán.
Nowadays, passenger services to Rosario are being operated by state-owned company Trenes Argentinos, running trains to Rosario Norte with stop in Rosario Sur.
The other station in the main district, Rosario Oeste, used to concentrate all the passenger services when railways were nationalised in 1948, but currently operates for freight trains only.
As of June 2021, only two stations remain active for passenger services in the city. The following chart describes the total of existing railway stations in Rosario:
