
TheCenter Region ofArgentina (inSpanish,Región Centro) is the political and economical association of theprovinces ofCórdoba,Santa Fe andEntre Ríos.[1]The legal framework for this kind of regional association, the first and only in the country, is Article 124 of theArgentine Constitution.[2]
These three provinces, located along the central and central-east part of the country, have a total population of 8,961,932 (2022census[INDEC]) and an area of 377,109 km2, being large enough to function as an operative unit in the international economy. The Center Region is notable for producing various goods that supply the rest of the country; it concentrates the country's whole production ofpeanuts, 90% ofvegetable oil, 70% ofmilk, 53% of grain, slightly over half ofpoultry and third oflivestock as well as 70% of its agricultural machinery.[3]
On 15 November 1973 an Intention Letter was signed by the governors of the three provinces (Carlos Sylvestre Begnis,Ricardo Obregón Cano andJuan Cresto), acknowledging their political interest in joining. The project, however, did not progress until 9 May 1998, whenRamón Mestre (governor of Córdoba) andJorge Obeid (governor of Santa Fe) issued a joint declaration.
The Center Region (La Región Central) was officially formed by Córdoba and Santa Fe by a treaty signed on 15 August 1998. Entre Ríos adhered to the treaty on 6 April 1999.
The Center Region is administered by four main organisms: