Mining is important to the Mendoza economy and has grown sharply in recent years, now accounting for 22% of output in 2005 (nearly 5 times the national average).[7] Fourteen percent of the national reserves of petroleum are in Mendoza, also home to large-scale mining of lime and uranium. Manufacturing has long contributed to the province's prosperity and still accounts for 16% of the economy.[7] Mendoza's main industries are, of course, wine production with 1,200 wineries turning out 1.1 billion liters in 2005, followed by canned fruits, a large petroleum refinery (in Luján de Cuyo), cement and others.

The province is divided into 18 local government areas called departments (Spanish: departamentos). Each is divided into one or more districts, and has an Executive Department (led by a mayor or intendente) and a Deliberative Department (legislature) to run local services.The Greater Mendoza Area consists the City of Mendoza and the Departments of Godoy Cruz, Las Heras, Guaymallen, Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo.Southern Zone avast territory dominated by the Pampa plains, arid, flat and monotonous. However, inside it, we find an oasis formed by San Rafael and General Alvear departments.Eastern Mendoza includes the Santa Rosa, La Paz, San Martin, Junín, Rivadavia and Lavalle Departments.Central Zone a region that comprises the departments of Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos.

The climate is continental, sunny and dry in the entire territory of the province, with warm summers and relatively cold winters. The arid soil due to the scant precipitation and the great temperature difference between day and night allows mainly xerophytes and few trees to grow. The annual precipitation lies between 150 and 350mm, and hail is a significant, and not uncommon, problem in the regional viticulture. There are fertile lands surrounding the basins of the many rivers born in the glaciers of the Cordillera.