Mar del Plata << `mahr ` dehl PLAHT uh >> (pop. 593,357) is one of the most popular resort cities in Argentina. Its pleasant climate and beautiful beaches draw large numbers of vacationers each year. The city lies in eastern Argentina and borders the Atlantic Ocean.
Modern, high-rise apartment buildings and hotels line Mar del Plata’s beaches. The city has a huge casino, fashionable shops, and plazas filled with trees and flowers. Tourism is Mar del Plata’s principal industry. Other important industries in the city include fishing and fish processing.
Mar del Plata was founded in 1874. It became a favorite resort of wealthy Argentines during the late 1800’s. Middle- and lower-income people began vacationing there during the mid-1900’s. During the 1970’s, the city’s permanent population grew sharply, rising by more than 100,000.
