2. POLITICAL DIVISIONS, POPU LATION AND IMMIGRATION. The Argentine Republic consists of 14 provinces, 10 territories and a federal district. These, with their areas and populations, are as fol lows: Buenos Aires (Federal District) 72 1,594,170 Buenos Aires 117,777 2,155,118 Santa Fe. 50,713 922,406 C6rdoba 66,912 598,545 Entre Rios 29,241 423,100 Corrientes 33,535 365,434 San Luis 29,035 126,895 Santiago del Fuego . 55,385 247,004 Tucuman 10,422 348,582 Mendoza 56,502 296,553 San Juan 37,865 130,412 La Rioja 37,839 104,550 Catamarca 36,800 112,995 Salta 48,302 161,150 Jujuy 14,802 73,062 TimuToiting Misiones 11,511 52,603 Formosa 41,402 27,901 Chaco 52,741 49,500 Pampa Central 56,320 98,841 Neuquen 40,530 30,085 Rio Negro 79,805 37,302 Chubut 93,427 25,143 Santa Cruz 109,142 8,630 Tierra del Fuego 8,299 2,420 Los Andes 34,740 2,552 Total 1.153,119 7,979,259 The returns of the 1914 census, pub lished in September 1916, gave 7,K5,237 inhab itants as the total population on 1 June 1914. The 'Argentine Year Book,' 1915-16, gives, as the estimated population for 1915 (a calculation by the National Statistical Office), 7,979,259. The estimates 9,000,000 or 10,000,000 frequently given appear to be based upon the growth of cities, with which the rural population does not keep pace. The urban population, constituting 42.8 per cent of the total population of Argen tina in 1895, increases from year to year out of all proportion to the rural; and the movement toward the cities, especially Buenos Aires, has been marked in the decade 1908-17.
Of the total population of the republic about 2,000,000 are foreigners, or more than 25 per cents against 10 per cent in the rest of South Arkerica and 13 per cent in the United States. About one-fifth of the entire population of the country is in the capital city, of which about 40 per cent are foreigners. This shows that an undue proportion of immigrants remains in Buenos Aires, while the sparsely settled country districts have received a minority of them. To counteract this tendency the Immi gration Bureau now offers free lodging during 10 days in the agricultural centres to all those immigrants willing to go there. Transporta tion to those districts is also free to the immi grant, his family and baggage.
Only second and third class passengers are considered immigrants by Argentine law. Im migration regulations are very strict regarding health of immigrants and the hygienic and safe conditions of steamers carrying them. On their arrival at Buenos Aires immigrants are pro vided with board and lodging, valid for five days, which term may be renewed in case of sickness. The Immigrants' Hotel is a model establishment offering accommodations for 1,000 persons at a time. Dormitory buildings,
dining hall, lecture-rooms, lavatories and hot and cold baths and swimming pools are the chief features. There are also immigrants' hotels at Rosario and Bahia Blanca. The Na tional Labor Bureaus use every means to find a situation for the immigrant in the art, craft or industry in which he wishes to apply him self. Since the country was opened to immi grants in 1854 about 4,750,000 immigrants have entered Argentina, of which number 30 per cent have returned to their native land. In 1913, the year before the European War, 302, 047 immigrants entered Argentina. The immi grants have come in great numbers from Italy and Spain, and lately from Russia and the Balkans. The immigrants can acquire rich government land without being subjected to na tionalization. Provision is also made for the supply of the necessary funds to furnish the colonist with implements and other equipment to enable him to begin work immediately.
One of the drawbacks the country has had to contend with is that the feudal land system instituted by Spain was continued under the republic. The conquered land in the provinces was already mostly held in private estates. The remnant was won by degrees from the Indians. After conquering from them the rich lands of southern Argentina in 1885, land was sold off in blocks with a square league (6,250 acres) as a unit at a nominal price. The army re ceived a vast grant of these lands in payment of the work accomplished. All these tended to create vast latifundia which, fortunately, are being gradually broken up. From 1905 to 1915 the number of holdings of less than 12, 000 acres has increased in the proportion of 100 to 171, while the number of big holdings of 12,000 acres upward has diminished in the proportion of 100 to 56.
Bibliography.— Alberdi, J. B., (Organiza cion de la ConfederaciOn (Buenos Aires 1913) ; Antokletz, D., de la Diplomatic Argentine) (Tome 1, Paris 1914) ; (Argentine Republic: General Descriptive Data Prepared by the Pan-American Union) (Wash ington 1916) ; (Argentine Republic: Statutes, Codes) (Buenos Aires 1913) ; Year Book) (10th ed., 1915-16, Buenos Aires 1916) ; (Buenos Aires: Universidad Nacional: Facul tad de Filosofia y Letras, Documentos Para la Historia Argentina) (Buenos Aires 1913-14) ; Davis, W. G., (Climate of the Argentine Re public) (Buenos Aires 1910) ; (Law and Regu lations Respecting General Enrollment in the Argentine Republic> (London 1913) ; Martinez, A. B., of the Argentine York and London 1916) ; Nelson E., 'Uri Experimento Trascendental en la Educa cion Argentina) (Buenos Aires 1912). See also bibliographies under HISTORY, AGRICUL TURE, BANKING AND FINANCE.