 Location
Argentina is the second-largest country in South America. It is bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west in the Andes mountains. The eastern side faces the South Atlantic Ocean. The country occupies a strategic position relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage).
Surface
Argentina occupies a continental surface area of 2,791,810 sq km (1,074 miles), an Antartic area of 969,464 sq km, and 4,150 sq km of island territory off of the Atlantic coast. The entire country occupies 3,761,274 sq km. From north to south, the country measures 3,800 km (2,360 miles) and from east to west, it spans 1,423 km (884 miles).
Population
According to the Census of 1998, there are 32.6 million habitants in Argentina, more than one-third of whom live in the province of Buenos Aires. Ethnically, the population is 85 per cent Caucasian and 15 percent Indian or mestizo (mixed Indian-Spanish). A major factor behind this breakdown is the great wave of Southern European immigrantion between 1860 and 1940, most of whom were of Italian and Spanish origin. The largest group of indigenous peoples are the Guaraníes, who are found mostly in Corrientes and Misiones.
Density: 12.9 habitants/km2; Annual population growth: 1,5%; Urban population: 88,1%; Life expectancy: men: 67 years, women: 74 years.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Argentina. English is also widely used in companies and for business purposes.
Religion
More than 90% of the population is Roman Catholic, according to official figures. But large numbers of Jews, Protestants and Muslims are also found in the country.
Climate
Continental Argentina stretches from the Tropic of Capricorn in the north to 55º latitude in the south, giving the country a wide range of climatic zones, from tropical in the northern provinces, where temperatures can reach up to 49º centigrade, to subartic in southern Tierra del Fuego, where tempartures drop to as low as -35º centrigade. Between these extremes, the middle of the country is temperate and the regions of Chaco and Formosa are subtropical.
There are also wide regional variations with regard to precipitation. More than 1,520 mm (60 in) fall annually in the northern provinces but in the the west and south the land is semi-arid.
Economy
Agriculture
Argentina is Latin America's second largest food and agricultural exporter after Brazil. The Pampas, largely made up of a fine sand and clay. are ideal for the cultivation of cereals. Wheat, corn, oats, rye, rice and sunflowers are grown in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and La Pampa. The natural grasslands of this region are also used as pasture for livestock.
Potatoes, tomatoes, beans and garlic are also cultivated in the central provinces. Grapes for wine are grown in the provinces of Mendoza, San Luis, La Rioja and San Juan. Sugar cane is grown in Tucumán. Yerba mate is cultivated in Misiones and cotton is produced in Chaco province. Tobacco is grown in Corrientes, Misiones and Salta. Rice is grown in Entre Ríos and Corrientes.
Cattle
Cattle farming is one of the biggest industries in the country. First brought into the country when the Spaniards attempted to found Buenos Aires in 1536, cows, sheep, horses and pigs proliferated on the pampas. Large herds of sheep also developed in the Patagonia region.
Manufacture
Refined petroleum products, motor vehicles, Portland cement, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, steel, wine, beer, steel tubes, cigarettes, wood, paper and electrical appliances, among others, are the main manufactured items.
Money
Between 1991 and 2001, the Argentine peso was pegged one-to-one to the US dollar by the Convertibility Law. In January 2002, the government of Eduardo Duhalde announced an end to the peso's parity and Argentina adopted a free floating exchange rate.
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Education
Argentina enjoys a 96% literacy rate. Education is free and compulsory for Argentine children between six and fourteen years old and the country boasts more than 70 public and private universities. The Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) was founded in 1821 and is the largest institution of higher education in the country. Other major national universities are the Catholic University of Argentina (1958), the National Technological University (1959) and the National University of Córdoba (1613). The major library of Argentina is the National Library (1810) in Buenos Aires, with about 2 million volumes.
Sports
Football is Argentina's greatest passion. There are 17 stadiums in the city, most of them big enough to hold 40,000 spectators or more. The sport of pato (duck, in Spanish) is native to Argentina. Originally played with a live duck, pato consists of two teams on horseback battling for control of a ball with handles. Argentina is also home to the world's finest polo players. Other popular sports are tennis, field hockey, rugby, volleyball, basketball, and skiing.
Music
Traditional Argentine music includes gaucho folk songs and dance. But Argentina is best know for tango, music and dance which has become popular worldwide.
Tourism
Argentina has been recently discovered by the European tourists; but it is already very popular among Spanish and Italian visitors. Its wide scope of possibilities -which go from skiing in the harsh Patagonian winter to the tropical attractions in Jujuy www.jujuyaldia.com.ar and Salta www.saltaaldia.com.ar -- satisfy tourists from all over the world. Accommodation Buenos Aires is a huge city and has a wide range of hotels which are rated according to the number of stars they display (from 5 to 1 in decreasing order). There are also residenciales (A, B or C), hosterías, cabañas, motels and camping areas.
Transport
Ezeiza International Airport (also know as Ministro Pistarini International Airport) is located 35 km away from Buenos Aires City, and is easily reachable via regular bus and taxi services. Domestic airlines -- Aerolínes Argentinas, Austral, Dinar, LADE, LAPA and SW, among others - serve dozens of cities around the country. Bus transportation is also available to every region of the country. The Buenos Aires bus terminal is next to Retiro station, 400 meters away from the Retiro stop on the subway "C" line. Argentina has an extensive train network, but passenger service is slow and limited. The major international car rental companies also operate in the country. Taxis are plentiful in Buenos Aires and relatively cheap, compared to major cities in Europe or North America.
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