Mar del Plata, city in eastern Argentina, in Buenos Aires Province, on the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Corrientes. The leading seaside resort in Argentina, it is noted for beaches, colorful parks, and one of the largest casinos in the world. In midsummer (January and February), large numbers of people from Buenos Aires come to Mar del Plata seeking cooler temperatures and the blue ocean waters in contrast to the muddy waters of the Río de la Plata estuary.
Mar del Plata is a major commercial and sport-fishing center and has important seafood-canning and candy industries. It is the site of San Pedro Cathedral, the National University of Mar del Plata (1961), Colón Theater, botanical gardens, and a municipal museum. A naval base is also located here. Mar del Plata is a modern city, founded in 1874. Population (1991) 512,880.
