Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located 300 km (187 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,025,000 residents as of the .

It has been the second most important city in Argentina since the end of the 19th century 1 because of the growing and important metropolitan area, a large urban department and for being the most important export centre in the country. It also retains the classical and ancient architecture in some residences, houses and public buildings. It is the third largest city in Argentina in terms of area and population.

Rosario is the head city of the Rosario Department and is located at the heart of the most important industrial corridor in Argentina. Its suburbs and several neighboring towns form the metropolitan area of Greater Rosario, with 1,350,000 inhabitants.

The city is a major railroad terminal and the shipping center for northeastern Argentina. Ships reach the city via the Paraná River, which allows the existence of a 34-feet deep port. The Port of Rosario is subject to silting and must be dredged periodically. 2 Exports include wheat, flour, hay, linseed and other vegetable oils, corn, sugar, lumber, meats, hides, and wool. Manufactures include flour, sugar, meat products, and other foodstuffs. The Rosario-Victoria Bridge, opened in 2003, spans the Paraná River, connecting Rosario with the city of Victoria across the Paraná Delta.

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 on October 7). The asteroid 14812 Rosario was named in its honour.

History

main: History of Rosario The permanent settlement of the area today occupied by Rosario began in the 17th century. There was no clear foundation date. The first landowner was Captain Luis Romero de Pineda, and the first formal colonial settlement was initiated by Santiago de Montenegro, who was appointed Mayor in 1751.

On 27 February 1812, General Manuel Belgrano raised the newly created Argentine flag on the shores of the Paraná, for the first time.

Until the 1850s Rosario was a small village of 3,000 inhabitants, with its port banned from foreign trade by an 1841 decree of Juan Manuel de Rosas. On 5 August 1852 Rosario was declared a city after a request by Justo José de Urquiza, who also opened up international trade. By 1880, Rosario had become the first export outlet of Argentina and by 1887 it had about 50,000 inhabitants. It was even declared the federal capital on three occasions, but each time this was vetoed by the Executive Branch.