Mendoza is the capital of Argentina’s Mendoza province. It is situated in the province’s northern-central section, on the eastern side of the Andes, amid a region of foothills and high plains. Mendoza has a population of 115,041 residents and a metropolitan population of 1,055,679 residents as of the 2010 census [INDEC], making Greater Mendoza the country’s fourth biggest census metropolitan area.
Mendoza is located on Ruta Nacional 7, the main route between Buenos Aires and Santiago. The city is often visited by climbers on route to Aconcagua (the highest peak in the Western and Southern Hemispheres) and adventure visitors interested in climbing, trekking, horseback riding, rafting, and other activities. Skiers flock to the city in the winter for convenient access to the Andes.
The Mendoza region’s two primary businesses are olive oil production and Argentine wine production. The region around Greater Mendoza is Latin America’s greatest wine-producing region. As one of the nine Great Wine Capitals, Mendoza is a growing enotourism destination and a base for touring the region’s hundreds of wineries along the Argentina Wine Route.