Between soja and home: Expansion of the urban land in the rural areas of Greater Rosario, Argentina

Abstract

Especially at the end of the 20th century, an accelerated increase in urban land over traditionally rural areas has been identified around the world. This article aims at investigating the spatial dynamics of the country / city dichotomy, taking as a case study the northwest quadrant of the Metropolitan Area of Rosario, Argentina. In recent decades, the area registers a fast demographic increase and the transformation of more than 2,500 hectares of urban land. Simultaneously, Greater Rosario positions itself as Argentina’s main oilseed and by-product exporter. Its development helps understand the drivers of the accelerated increase of urban land in contemporary metropolitan areas, as well as its impacts, both on the environment and on society.