Bahía Blanca is an important commercial and industrial center in the south of the province of Buenos Aires. It has a population of about 286.000 and is also the southernmost important city in the fertile Pampa. The most important industrial activities are the petrochemical industry fed by oil and gas ducts from the Neuquén and Patagonic basins, and the agroindustry, provided by the rich agricultural and cattle-raising neighboring zone. To a lesser degree the foodstuffs and fish processing industries are also prominent. A traditional point of distribution towards the south and southwest of the country, Bahía Blanca has excellent road and railway connections. Five highways connect the city in all directions as also do the Ferroexpreso Pampeano and Ferrosur Roca railways. The ports of Bahía Blanca and Talcahuano (Chile) are connected by highway Nº 22 and by the Ferrosur Roca railway (with truck transfer from Zapala and Lonquimay) which form an inter-oceanic corridor. The Comandante Espora airport is served by daily domestic commercial flights.