Everything about Argentine totally explained
Argentina is a
South American country, constituted as a
federation of twenty-three provinces and an autonomous city. It is second in size on the South American continent to
Brazil and
eighth in the world. Argentina occupies a continental surface area of between the
Andes mountain range in the west and the southern
Atlantic Ocean in the east and south.
It is bordered by
Paraguay and
Bolivia in the north,
Brazil and
Uruguay in the northeast, and
Chile in the west and south. The country claims the
British-administered overseas territories of the
Falkland Islands and
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Argentina also claims of
Antarctica, known as
Argentine Antarctica, overlapping other claims made by
Chile and the United Kingdom (
British Antarctic Territory).
Argentina has the highest
Human Development Index level and the second highest
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in
purchasing power parity in
Latin America after its neighbor
Chile and its total national GDP is the 23rd largest in the world. The country is currently classified as an
Upper-Middle Income Country or as a secondary
emerging market by the
World Bank. Argentina's nominal GDP makes it the 31st largest economy in the world.
Etymology
The name Argentina (from
Latin argentum:
silver) was first used extensively in the 1612 book
Historia del descubrimiento, población, y conquista del Río de la Plata (History of the discovery, population, and conquest of the Río de la Plata) by
Ruy Díaz de Guzmán, naming the territory
Tierra Argentina (Land of Silver).
History
The first signs of human presence in Argentina are located in the
Patagonia (
Piedra Museo,
Santa Cruz), and date from 11,000 BC(
Santa María,
Huarpes,
Diaguitas,
Sanavirones, among others). In 1480, the
Inca Empire under the rule of king
Pachacutec launched an offensive and conquered present-day northwestern Argentina, integrating it into a region called
Collasuyu. In the northeastern area, the
Guaraní developed a culture based on
yuca and
sweet potato. The central and southern areas (
Pampas and Patagonia) were dominated by
nomadic cultures, unified in the
seventeenth century by the
Mapuches.
European explorers arrived in 1516.
Spain established a permanent colony on the site of
Buenos Aires in 1580; the
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was created in 1776. During the early part of this period it was largely a country of
Spanish immigrants and their descendants, known as
criollos, some of them gathered in
Buenos Aires and other cities, others living on the
pampas as
gauchos. Descendants of African slaves (See:
Afro-Argentines) were present in significant numbers. Indigenous peoples inhabited much of the rest of Argentina. In 1806 and 1807 the
British Empire launched two invasions to Buenos Aires, but the criollo population repelled both attempts. On
May 25,
1810, after confirmation of the rumors about the overthrow of
King Ferdinand VII by
Napoleon, citizens of
Buenos Aires created the
First Government Junta (
May Revolution).Two nations emerged in what is now Argentina
United Provinces of South America (1810) and
Liga Federal (1815) Other provinces through the reluctance of some factions and the centralist tendencies of the more radical activists delayed a combined State. In the meantime,
Paraguay declared its independence in 1811.
Military campaigns led by General
José de San Martín between 1814 and 1817 made independence increasingly a reality. In 1820
Liga Federal was crushed by forces of the
United Provinces of South America and Portugal armies from Brazil and its provinces absorbed into United Provinces of South America. Argentines revere San Martín, who campaigned in
Argentina,
Chile, and Peru, as the hero of their national independence. On
July 9,
1816, a Congress gathered in
Tucumán (the
Congress of Tucumán) and finally issued a formal declaration of independence from
Spain.
Bolivia declared itself independent in 1825, and
Uruguay was created in 1828 as a result of the
Argentina-Brazil War.
In 1818, General
José de San Martín crossed the Andes to free
Chile and
Peru, thus eliminating the Spanish threat.
Centralist and
federalist groups (Spanish:
Unitarios and
Federales) were in conflict until national unity was established and the
constitution promulgated in 1853. The constitution was strongly defended in moving oratory by the patriot and
Franciscan Mamerto Esquiú, for whom one of the country's departments is named. From 1865 to 1870, the bloody
War of Triple Alliance was fought by Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay against Paraguay.
Foreign
investment and
immigration from Europe led to the adoption of modern agricultural techniques. In the 1870s, the "
Conquest of the Desert" subdued the remaining indigenous tribes throughout the southern
Pampas and
Patagonia, leaving 1,300 indigenous dead.
From 1880 to 1916, Argentina enjoyed increasing prosperity, prominence and became one of the top 10 richest countries in the world, through an agricultural export-led economy. The population of the country swelled sevenfold.
Conservative forces dominated Argentine politics through non-democratic means until 1916, when their traditional rivals, the
Radicals, won control of the first free-elected government. The military forced
Hipólito Yrigoyen from power in 1930, leading to another decade of Conservative rule. The country was
neutral during
World War II. Political change led to the presidency of
Juan Perón in 1946, who worked to empower the working class and greatly expanded the number of unionized workers. The economy turned to more protectionist policies and the developing of industry. The self-proclamated
Revolución Libertadora of 1955 deposed him.
From the 1950s to 1970s, soft military and weak civilian administrations traded power. During those years the economy grew strongly and poverty declined (to less than 7% in 1975). At the same time
political violence continued to escalate, fighting against the military government, demanding the return of Perón from his Spanish exile.
In 1973, Perón returned to the presidency, but he died within a year of assuming power. His third wife
Isabel, the Vice President, succeeded him in office, but the
military coup of
March 24,
1976 removed her from office.
The
armed forces took power through a
junta in charge of the self-appointed
National Reorganization Process until 1983. The military government repressed opposition and leftist groups using harsh illegal measures (the "
Dirty War"); thousands of dissidents "
disappeared", while the
SIDE cooperated with
DINA and other South American
intelligence agencies, and with the
CIA in
Operation Condor. Many of the military leaders that took part in the Dirty War were trained in the
U.S.-financed
School of the Americas, among them Argentine dictators
Leopoldo Galtieri and
Roberto Viola. The military dictatorship (1976-1983) greatly increased the extent of the country's foreign debt. From that point the economy of the country began to be controlled more and more by the conditions imposed on it by both its creditors and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) with priority given to servicing the repayment of the foreign debt. These and other economic problems, charges of corruption, public revulsion in the face of
human rights abuses and, finally, the country's 1982 defeat by the British in the
Falklands War discredited the Argentine
military regime.
Democracy was restored in 1983.
Raúl Alfonsín's government took steps to account for the "disappeared", established civilian control of the armed forces, and consolidated democratic institutions. The members of the three military juntas were prosecuted and sentenced to life terms. Failure to resolve endemic economic problems and an inability to maintain public confidence led to Alfonsín's early departure six months before his term was to be completed.
The 1990s began with
hyperinflation. President
Carlos Menem imposed a
peso-
dollar fixed exchange rate in 1991 to stop
hyperinflation and adopted far-reaching
market-based policies, dismantling
protectionist barriers and business
regulations, and implementing a
privatization program. These reforms contributed to significant increases in investment and growth with stable prices through most of the 1990s. However, the peso was tied to the dollar at an artificially high rate that could only be maintained by flooding the market with dollars. As a result the foreign debt increased enormously and state companies and services were privatized. The total opening up of the market to foreign goods, which up until then were produced locally, resulted in the collapse of local industry. So while part of the population was saving in dollars, traveling overseas, and purchasing imported and luxury goods cheaply, the rest of the population was experiencing an increase in both poverty and unemployment. The IMF and the world economists praised the liberalization of the Argentine market, and the country was presented as a “model student”. Toward the end of the 1990s, large fiscal deficits and overvaluation of the pegged peso caused a gradual slide into
economic crisis. In 1998 a period of profound economic recession began. This was a direct result of the economic measures which dominated the decade of the 90s and which produced a false sense of stability and well being. By the end of his term in 1999, these accumulating problems and perceived corruption had made Menem unpopular.
The Menem and
de la Rúa administrations faced diminished competitiveness in exports, massive imports which damaged national industry and reduced employment, chronic fiscal and trade deficits, and the contagion of several economic crises. Unemployment reached as high as 25% of the economically active population, and another 15% had only part-time work. The
Asian financial crisis in 1998 precipitated an
outflow of capital that mushroomed into a
recession, and culminated in
economic crisis in November 2001. The governing coalition was forced to undertake a series of measures including the freezing of bank accounts. This was done to halt the flow of capital out of the country and to stem the growing debt crisis. However, a climate of popular discontent was unleashed as a result. On
20 December 2001 Argentina was thrown into its worst institutional and economic crisis for several decades. There were violent street protests, which brought about clashes with the police and resulted in several fatalities. The increasingly chaotic climate, amidst
bloody riots, finally resulted in the resignation of President de la Rúa. The economic crisis accentuated the people's lack of trust in their politicians. During this time street protests were accompanied by the cry “they all should go.” The "they" referred to the politicians, especially those involved in many reported acts of corruption. They were also accused of dealing fraudulently with public goods and money, without any judicial sanctions in place to curb the corruption.
In two weeks, several presidents followed in quick succession, culminating in
Eduardo Duhalde's being appointed interim
President of Argentina by the
Legislative Assembly on
2 January 2002. Argentina
defaulted on its international debt obligations. The peso's near eleven year-old linkage to the United States dollar was abandoned, resulting in major
depreciation of the peso and a spike in
inflation.
With a more competitive and flexible
exchange rate, the country implemented new policies based on re-industrialization,
import substitution, increased exports, and consistent fiscal and trade surpluses. By the end of 2002 the economy began to stabilize, mainly thanks to the soybean and other cereals' boom and floating of exchange rates. In 2003,
Néstor Kirchner was elected president. During Kirchner's presidency, Argentina
restructured its defaulted debt with a steep discount (about 66 percent) on most bonds, paid off debts with the
International Monetary Fund, renegotiated contracts with utilities, and nationalized some previously privatized enterprises. Currently, Argentina is enjoying a period of
economic growth. In 2007
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, was elected president, becoming the first woman to be elected president of Argentina. Also in 2007, Center-left
Fabiana Ríos (
ARI) became the first woman to be elected
governor of Tierra del Fuego and first elected female governor in Argentina's history.
Politics
Government
Argentina's political framework is a
federal presidential representative democratic republic, in which the
President of The Argentine Nation is both
head of state and
head of government, complemented by a pluriform
multi-party system. The current president (2007) is
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, with
Julio Cobos as vice president.
The
Argentine Constitution of 1853 mandates a
separation of powers into
executive,
legislative, and
judicial branches at the national and provincial level.
Executive power resides in the
President and his or her cabinet. The
President of The Argentine Nation and Vice President are directly elected to four-year terms, limited to two consecutive terms, and the
cabinet ministers are appointed by the president.
Legislative power is vested in the bicameral
National Congress or
Congreso de la Nación, consisting of a
Senate (
Senado) of seventy-two seats, and a
Chamber of Deputies (
Cámara de Diputados) of 257 members.
Senators serve six-year terms, with one-third standing for reelection every two years. Members of the Chamber of Deputies are directly elected to four-year term via a system of
proportional representation, with half of the members of the
lower house being elected every two years. A third of the candidates presented by the parties must be women.
The
judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The
Argentine Supreme Court of Justice has seven members who are appointed by the President in consultation with the Senate. The rest of the judges are appointed by the
Council of Magistrates of the Nation, a secretariat composed of representatives of judges, lawyers, the Congress, and the executive (see
Law of Argentina).
Argentina is a member of an international bloc,
Mercosur, which has some legislative supranational functions. Mercosur is composed of five full members: Argentina,
Brazil,
Paraguay,
Uruguay, and
Venezuela. It has five associate members without full voting rights:
Bolivia,
Chile,
Colombia,
Ecuador, and
Peru.
Argentina was the only country from
Latin America to participate in the 1991
Gulf War under mandate of the
United Nations. It was also the only Latin American country involved in every phase of the
Haiti operation. Argentina has contributed worldwide to
peacekeeping operations, including in
El Salvador-
Honduras-
Nicaragua,
Guatemala,
Ecuador-
Peru,
Western Sahara,
Angola,
Kuwait,
Cyprus,
Croatia,
Kosovo,
Bosnia and
Timor Leste. In recognition of its contributions to
international security,
U.S. President Bill Clinton designated Argentina as a
major non-NATO ally in
January 1998. In 2005, it was elected as a temporary member of the
UN Security Council.
In 1993, Argentina launched the United Nations
White Helmets indicative of
humanitarian aid.
On
November 4-
November 5 2005, the Argentine city of
Mar del Plata hosted the
Fourth Summit of the Americas. This summit was marked by a number of anti-U.S. protests.
As of 2006, Argentina has been emphasizing
Mercosur as its first international priority; by contrast, during the 1990s, it relied more heavily on its relationship with the
United States.
Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the
Falkland Islands (
Islas Malvinas), the
South Shetland Islands, the
South Sandwich Islands and almost 1 million km² in Antarctica, between the 25°W and the 74°W meridians and the 60°S parallel. For more than a century, there has been an Argentine presence at the
Orcadas Base.
Argentina is a founding signatory and permanent consulting member of the
Antarctic Treaty System and the
Antarctic Treaty Secretariat is established in
Buenos Aires.
Military
Argentina's armed forces are controlled by the Defense Ministry, with the country's
President as their
Commander-in-Chief. Historically, Argentina's military has been one of the best equipped in the region (for example, developing its own advanced jet fighters as early as the 1950s), but has faced expenditure cutbacks in comparison to other regional militaries. The age of allowable military service is 18 years; there's no obligatory
military service and currently no
conscription.
The armed forces are composed of a traditional
Army,
Navy, and
Air Force. Controlled by a separate ministry (the Interior Ministry), Argentine
territorial waters are patrolled by the
Naval Prefecture, and the border regions by the
National Gendarmerie; both arms however maintain liaison with the Defense Ministry. Argentina's Armed Forces are currently undertaking major operations in
Haiti and
Cyprus, in accordance with
UN mandates.
Provinces
Argentina is divided into twenty-three
provinces (
provincias; singular
provincia), and one
autonomous city (commonly known as the
capital federal, but officially
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires):
Though
declared the capital in 1853, Buenos Aires didn't become the capital of the country until 1880. There have been moves to relocate the administrative centre elsewhere. During the presidency of
Raúl Alfonsín, a law was passed ordering the transfer of the federal capital to
Viedma, a city in the
Patagonian province of Río Negro. Studies were underway when economic problems halted the project in 1989. Though the law was never formally repealed, it's now treated as a relic.
Provinces are divided into smaller secondary units called
departamentos ("departments"), of which there are
376 in total. The province of
Buenos Aires has 134 similar divisions known as
partidos.
Departamentos and
partidos are further subdivided into municipalities or districts.
In descending order by number of inhabitants, the
major cities in Argentina are
Buenos Aires,
Córdoba,
Rosario,
Mendoza,
Tucumán,
La Plata,
Mar del Plata,
Salta,
Santa Fe,
San Juan,
Resistencia, and
Neuquén.
Geography
Main features
The total surface area of Argentina (not including the Antarctic claim),is as the following:
- Total: 2,766,891 km²
- Land: 2,736,691 km²
- Water: 30,200 km²
Argentina is nearly 5,121 km (about 3,182 mi) long from north to south, and 1,400 km (about 870 mi) from east to west (maximum values). It can roughly be divided into four parts: the fertile plains of the
Pampas in the center of the country, the source of Argentina's
agricultural wealth; the flat to rolling, oil-rich plateau of
Patagonia in the southern half down to
Tierra del Fuego; the subtropical flats of the
Gran Chaco in the north, and the rugged
Andes mountain range along the western border with
Chile.
The highest point above
sea level in Argentina is located in
Mendoza. Cerro
Aconcagua, at 6,962
meters (22,834
feet), is the highest mountain in the
Americas, the
Southern, and
Western Hemisphere. The lowest point is
Laguna del Carbón in
Santa Cruz, −105 meters (−344 ft) below sea level. This is also the lowest point on the South American
continent. The geographic center of the country is located in south-central
La Pampa province.
The country has a territorial claim over a portion of
Antarctica (unrecognized by any other country), where, from 1904, it has maintained
a constant presence.
Geographic regions
The country is traditionally divided into several major geographically distinct regions:
Pampas: The plains west and south from Buenos Aires. Called the Humid Pampa, they cover most of the provinces of Buenos Aires and Córdoba, and big portions of the provinces of Santa Fe and La Pampa. The western part of La Pampa and the province San Luis also have plains (the Dry Pampa), but they're drier and used mainly for grazing. The Sierra de Córdoba in the homonymous province (extending into San Luis), is the most important geographical feature of the pampas.
Gran Chaco: The Gran Chaco region in the north of the country is seasonal dry/wet, mainly cotton growing and livestock raising. It covers the provinces of Chaco and Formosa. It is dotted with subtropical forests, scrubland, and some wetlands, home to a large number of plant and animal species. The province of Santiago del Estero lies in the drier region of the Gran Chaco.
Mesopotamia: The land between the Paraná and Uruguay rivers is called Mesopotamia and it's shared by the provinces of Corrientes and Entre Ríos. It features flatland apt for grazing and plant growing, and the Iberá Wetlands in central Corrientes. Misiones province is more tropical and belongs within the Brazilian Highlands geographic feature. It features subtropical rainforests and the Iguazú Falls.
Patagonia: The steppes of Patagonia, in the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz, are of Tertiary origin. Most of the region is semiarid in the north to cold and arid in the far south, but forests grow in its western fringes which are dotted with several large lakes. Tierra del Fuego is cool and wet, moderated by oceanic influences. Northern Patagonia (roughly Río Negro south of the homonymous river, and Neuquén) can also be referred as the Comahue region.
Cuyo: West-central Argentina is dominated by the imposing Andes Mountains. To their east is the arid region known as Cuyo. Melting waters from high in the mountains form the backbone of irrigated lowland oasis, at the center of a rich fruit and wine growing region in Mendoza and San Juan provinces. Further north the region gets hotter and drier with more geographical accidents in La Rioja province.
NOA or Northwest: This region is the highest in average elevation. Several parallel mountain ranges, several of which have peaks higher than 20,000 feet (6,000 m), dominate the area. These ranges grow wider in geographic extent towards the north. They are cut by fertile river valleys, the most important being the Calchaquí Valleys in the provinces of Catamarca, Tucumán, and Salta. Farther north the province of Jujuy near Bolivia lies mainly within the Altiplano plateau of the Central Andes. The Tropic of Capricorn goes through the far north of the region.
Rivers and lakes
Major rivers in Argentina include the
Pilcomayo,
Paraguay,
Bermejo,
Colorado,
Río Negro,
Salado,
Uruguay and the largest river, the
Paraná. The latter two flow together before meeting the
Atlantic Ocean, forming the estuary of the
Río de la Plata. Regionally important rivers are the
Atuel and
Mendoza in the homonymous province, the
Chubut in Patagonia, the Río Grande in Jujuy, and the San Francisco River in Salta.
There are several large
lakes in Argentina, many of them in Patagonia. Among these are lakes
Argentino and
Viedma in Santa Cruz,
Nahuel Huapi in Río Negro and
Fagnano in Tierra del Fuego, and Colhué Huapi and Musters in Chubut.
Lake Buenos Aires and
O'Higgins/San Martín Lake are shared with Chile.
Mar Chiquita, Córdoba, is the largest salt water lake in the country. There are numerous
reservoirs created by
dams. Argentina features various
hot springs, such as those at
Termas de Río Hondo with temperatures between 30 °C and 65 °C.
Coastal areas and seas
Argentina has of
coastline. The continental platform is unusually wide; in Argentina this shallow area of the
Atlantic Ocean is called
Mar Argentino. The waters are rich in fisheries and suspected of holding important
hydrocarbon energy resources. Argentina's coastline varies between areas of
sand dunes and cliffs. The two major
ocean currents affecting the coast are the warm
Brazil Current and the cold
Falkland Current (Spanish:
corriente antártica or
corriente de las Malvinas). Because of the uneveness of the coastal landmass, the two currents alternate in their influence on climate and don't allow temperatures to fall evenly with higher latitude. The southern coast of
Tierra del Fuego forms the north shore of the
Drake Passage.
Climate
Because of longitudinal and elevation amplitudes, Argentina is subject to a variety of climates. As a rule, the
climate is predominantly
temperate with extremes ranging from
subtropical in the north to
subpolar in the far south. The north of the country is characterized by very hot, humid summers with mild drier winters, and is subject to periodic droughts. Central Argentina has hot summers with thunderstorms (in western Argentina producing some of the world's largest
hail), and cool winters. The southern regions have warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall, especially in mountainous zones. Higher elevations at all latitudes experience cooler conditions.
The hottest and coldest
temperature extremes recorded in South America have occurred in Argentina. A record high temperature of, was recorded at Villa de María,
Córdoba on
January 2 1920. The lowest temperature recorded was at Valle de los Patos Superior,
San Juan,
July 17 1972.
Major winds in Argentina include the cool
Pampero blowing on the flat plains of Patagonia and the
Pampas after a
cold front; the
Viento Norte, a warm wind that can blow from the north in mid and late winter creating mild conditions; and the
Zonda, a hot and dry wind (see also
Föhn wind), affecting west-central Argentina. Squeezed of all moisture during the 6,000 meter descent from the Andes, Zonda winds can blow for hours with gusts up to 120
km/h, fueling
wildfires and causing damage. When the Zonda blows (June-November), snowstorms and
blizzard (
viento blanco) conditions usually affect the higher elevations.
The
Sudestada (literally “southeastern”) could be considered similar to the
Noreaster, though snowfall is rarely involved (but isn't unprecedented). Both are associated with a deep winter low pressure system. The
sudestada usually moderates cold temperatures but brings very heavy rains, rough seas, and coastal flooding. It is most common in late autumn and winter along the coasts of central Argentina and in the Río de la Plata
estuary.
The southern regions, particularly the far south, experience long periods of daylight from November to February (up to nineteen hours), and extended nights from May to August. All of Argentina uses
UTC-3 time zone. The country does observe
daylight saving time occasionally, the last summertime being started at 0:00
December 30,
2007 and being finished at 0:00
March 16,
2008.
Extremities
Argentina's eastermost continental point is northeast of the town of
Bernardo de Irigoyen,
Misiones, the westernmost in the Mariano Moreno Range in
Santa Cruz . The northernmost point is located at the confluence of the Grande de San Juan and Mojinete rivers,
Jujuy, and the southernmost is Cape San Pío in
Tierra del Fuego .
Enclaves and exclaves
There is one Argentine
exclave, the
Martín García Island (co-ordinates ). It is near the confluence of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, a kilometer (0.62 mi) inside
Uruguayan waters, and 3.5 kilometres (2.1 mi) from the Uruguayan coastline near the small town of
Martín Chico (itself halfway between
Nueva Palmira and
Colonia del Sacramento).
An agreement reached by Argentina and Uruguay in 1973 reaffirmed Argentine jurisdiction over the island, ending a century-old dispute. Under the terms of the agreement, Martín García is to be devoted exclusively as a natural preserve. Its area is about 2 square kilometres (500 acres), and its population is about 200 people.
Flora
Subtropical plants dominate the north, part of the
Gran Chaco region of South America. The
genus Dalbergia of trees is well disseminated with representatives like the
Brazilian Rosewood and the
quebracho tree; also predominant are white and black
algarrobo trees (
prosopis alba and
prosopis nigra).
Savannah-like areas exist in the drier regions nearer the
Andes. Aquatic plants thrive in the wetlands dotting the region.
In central Argentina the
humid pampas are a true
tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The original
pampa had virtually no
trees; today along roads or in towns and country estates (
estancias), some imported species like the
American sycamore or
eucalyptus are present. The only tree-like plant native to the
pampa is the
ombú, an evergreen. The surface soils of the
pampa are a deep black color, primarily
humus, known commonly as
compost. It is this which makes the region one of the most agriculturaly productive on Earth. However, this is also responsible for decimating much of the original ecosystem, to make way for commercial
agriculture. The western
pampas receive less rainfall, this
dry pampa is a plain of short grasses or
steppe.
Most of
Patagonia in the south lies within the rain shadow of the
Andes. The flora, shrubby bushes and plants, is well suited to withstand dry conditions. The soil is hard and rocky, making large-scale
farming impossible except along
river valleys.
Coniferous forests grow in far western Patagonia and on the island of
Tierra del Fuego. Conifers native to the region include
alerce (
Fitzroya cupressoides),
ciprés de la cordillera (
Austrocedrus chilensis),
ciprés de las guaitecas (
Pilgerodendron uviferum),
huililahuán (
Podocarpus nubigenus),
lleuque (
Prumnopitys andina),
mañío hembra (
Saxegothaea conspicua), and
pehuén (
Araucaria araucana), while native broadleaf trees include several species of
Nothofagus including coigüe or
coihue,
lenga (
Nothofagus pumilio),
ñire (
Nothofagus Antarctica). Other introduced trees present in
forestry plantations include
spruce,
cypress, and
pine. Common plants are the
copihue and colihue (
Chusquea culeou).
In
Cuyo, semiarid thorny bushes and other
xerophile plants abound. Along the many river
oasis, grasses and trees grow in significant numbers. The area presents optimal conditions for the large scale growth of
grape vines. In the northwest of Argentina there are many species of
cacti. In the highest elevations (often above 4,000mts), no vegetation grows because of the extreme altitude, and the soils are virtually devoid of any plant life.
The
ceibo flower, of the tree
Erythrina crista-galli, is the national flower of Argentina.
Fauna
Many species live in the subtropical north.
Big cats like the
jaguar,
cougar, and
ocelot; primates (
howler monkey); large reptiles (
crocodiles), and a species of
caiman. Other animals include the
tapir,
capybara,
peccary,
bush dog,
raccoon, and various species of
turtle and
tortoise. There are many birds, notably
hummingbirds,
flamingos,
toucans, and
parrots.
The central grasslands are populated by the
giant anteater,
armadillo,
pampas cat,
maned wolf,
mara and the
rhea (
ñandú), a flightless bird.
Hawks,
falcons,
herons,
partridges inhabit the region. There are also
deer and
foxes. Some of these species extend into
Patagonia.
The western mountains are home to different animals. These include the
llama,
guanaco,
vicuña, among the most recognizable species of South America. Also in this region are the
fox,
viscacha,
Andean Mountain Cat,
kodkod and the largest flying bird in the New World, the
Andean Condor.
Southern Argentina is home to the
cougar,
huemul,
pudú (the world's smallest deer), and introduced, non-native
wild boar. Outstanding snake species inhabiting Argentina include
boa constrictors, and the very
venomous yarará pit viper and South American
rattle snake.
The
Hornero was elected the National Bird after a survey in 1928.
Economy
Argentina benefits from abundant
natural resources, a highly
literate population, an export-oriented
agricultural sector, and a diversified
industrial base, that was once one of the wealthiest nations with a large middle class but this segment of the population has suffered by a succession of economic crises. Argentina otherwise maintains a relatively high
standard of living.
Argentina's economy started to slowly lose ground after 1945 when it went from a wealthy nation with a strong and prosperous economy to a deep recession in the mid 50s, losing its place in the position of prosperous industrialized nations. The economy further declined during the military dictatorship that lasted from 1976 to 1983.
During this period, the government took out large loans with high interest rates from the IMF and private banking institutions. The country engaged in a disorganized and corrupt rapid liberalization that marked the end of its industrial hegemony in Latin America. During the military dictatorship over 400,000 companies of all sizes went bankrupt. The economic decisions made from 1983 till 2001 failed to revert the situation. Finally, in 2001, after 3 years of recession, the economy broke down and reached its worst point in history.
Although significant since then, the result is that, today, while a significant segment of the population is still financially well-off, they stand in sharp contrast with the millions who have seen their purchasing power drastically reduced. Since 2002, there has been an improvement in the situation of the poorer sectors and a strong rebound of the middle class.
The urban poverty rate dropped to 26.9% by 2007, down from 48 percent observed in 2003, but is still above the level prior to the recession.
From the late 1970s the country piled up public debt and was plagued by bouts of high
inflation. In 1991, the government
pegged the peso to the
U.S. dollar and limited the growth in the
money supply. It then embarked on a path of
trade liberalization,
deregulation and
privatization. Inflation dropped and
gross domestic product grew, but external economic shocks and failures of the system diluted benefits, causing the economy to crumble slowly from 1995 until the
collapse in 2001.
By 2002, Argentina had
defaulted on its debt, its GDP had shrunk,
unemployment was more than 25%, and the peso had
depreciated 75% after being
devalued and
floated. However, careful spending control and heavy
taxes on then-soaring exports allowed the state to regain resources and conduct
monetary policy.
In 2003,
import substitution policies and soaring
exports, coupled with lower inflation and expansive economic measures, triggered a surge in the GDP. This was repeated in 2004 and 2005, creating millions of jobs and encouraging internal consumption.
Capital flight decreased, and
foreign investment slowly returned. An influx of foreign currency from exports created a huge
trade surplus. The Central Bank was forced to buy dollars from the market, and continues to do so from time to time to prevent the Argentine peso from appreciating significantly and cutting competitiveness.
The situation by 2006 was further improved. The economy grew 8.8% in 2003, 9.0% in 2004, 9.2% in 2005, 8.5% in 2006, and 8.7% in 2007, though inflation, estimated at around 12 to 15% (official numbers are 9.8% for 2006), has become an issue again, and
income distribution is still considerably unequal.
Sectors
In 2007,
agricultural output accounted for 10% of
GDP, and nearly one third of all exports.
Soy and
vegetable oils are major export
commodities at 32% of exports.
Wheat,
maize,
oats,
sorghum, and
sunflower seeds totalled 7%.
Cattle is also a major industry.
Beef,
milk,
leather products, and
cheese were 6% of total exports.As a
strike by
farmers, who are protesting an increase in
export taxes for their products, continued for a 13th day
March 25 2008 with no solution in sight, butchers and supermarkets were among the first hit.
Industrial
petrochemicals,
oil, and
natural gas are Argentina's second group of exports, 20% of totals. The most important
oil fields lie in
Patagonia and
Cuyo. An impressive network of
pipelines send raw product to
Bahia Blanca, center of the petrochemical industry, and to the
La Plata-
Rosario industrial belt.
Coal is also mined.
Mining is a rising industry. The
northwest and
San Juan Province are main regions of activity. Metals mined include
gold,
silver,
zinc,
magnesium,
copper,
sulfur,
tungsten and
uranium. In only ten years exports soared from US$ 200 million to 1.2 billion in 2004, 3% of total. Estimates for 2006 are US$ 2bn, a 10 fold rise from 1996.
In
fisheries,
argentine hake accounts for 50% of catches,
pollack and
squid follow.
Forestry has expanded in
Mesopotamia;
elm for
cellulose,
pine and
eucalyptus for furniture,
timber, and
paper products. Both sectors each account for 2% of exports.
Manufacturing is the nation's leading single sector in GDP output, with 35% of the share.
internet (with more than 16 million people online), and
broadband services (4.1%). Regular
telephone (with 9.5 million lines)and
mail are robust.
The
service sector is the biggest contributor to total GDP. Argentina produces energy in large part through well developed
hydroelectric resources;
nuclear energy is also of high importance. The country is one of the largest producers and exporters (with
Canada and
Russia) of
Cobalt-60, a
radioactive isotope widely used in
cancer therapy.
Construction has led employment creation in the current economic expansion, and is 5% of GDP.
Tourism is increasingly important, now providing 7% of economic output. Argentines are traveling more within their borders, and foreigners are flocking to a country seen as affordable, safe, and incredibly diverse: Cosmopolitan
Buenos Aires and
Rosario; the
Iguazu Falls and colonial
Salta; the South American indigenous
Jujuy Province and fun-filled
Córdoba; the
wineries of
Mendoza; the ski-suitable scenic
Bariloche to the beaches of
Pinamar; and
Perito Moreno Glacier to
Tierra del Fuego. 3.7 million tourists visited in 2005.
Transportation
Argentina's infrastructure is advanced compared to other countries in Latin America. There are nearly 215,471 km (133,887 mi) of roads of which 68,809 km are paved, and 734 km are expressways, many of which are privatized. Multilane highways now connect several main cities and more are now under construction.
The
railway network has a total length of 31,902 km. After decades of decaying service and lack of maintenance, most passenger services shut down in 1992 when the rail company was privatized, and thousands of kilometers of track are now in disrepair. Railway services are currently being reactivated among several cities.
The country has around 3,000 kilometers of
waterways, the most significant among these being the
Río de la Plata,
Paraná,
Uruguay, Río Negro and
Paraguay rivers.
Water supply and sanitation
Water supply and sanitation in Argentina faces five key challenges: (i) low coverage with higher levels of service provision for its income level; (ii) poor service quality; and (iii) high levels of pollution; (iv) low cost recovery; and (v) unclear allocation of responsibilities between institutions in the sector.
Population
Contemporary figures
The
National Institute of Statistics and Census of Argentina (INDEC) 2001
census showed the population of Argentina was 36,260,130. It ranks third in South America in total population and 30th globally. The 2007 estimate is 40,927,301. Argentina's
population density is 14 inhabitants per square kilometer. However, the population isn't evenly distributed: areas of the city of Buenos Aires have a population density of over 14,000 inhab./km², while Santa Cruz province has less than 1 inhab./km². Argentina is the only nation in South America with a net positive
migration rate, of about +0.4 persons.
Cities and metropolitan areas
As of 2005, Argentina's 20th largest metropolitan areas are:
| Rank |
City |
Province |
Population |
Region |
| 1 |
Buenos Aires |
City + 24 partidos in Buenos Aires Province
|
11,453,725 |
Pampean |
| 2 |
Córdoba |
Córdoba |
1,513,200 |
Pampean |
| 3 |
Rosario |
Santa Fe |
1,295,100 |
Pampean |
| 4 |
Mendoza |
Mendoza |
1,009,100 |
Cuyo |
| 5 |
La Plata |
Buenos Aires |
857,800 |
Pampean |
| 6 |
San Miguel de Tucumán |
Tucumán |
833,100 |
NOA (northwest) |
| 7 |
Mar del Plata |
Buenos Aires |
699,600 |
Pampean |
| 8 |
Salta |
Salta |
530,400 |
NOA (northwest) |
| 9 |
Santa Fe |
Santa Fe |
525,300 |
Pampean |
| 10 |
San Juan |
San Juan |
456,400 |
Cuyo |
| 11 |
Resistencia |
Chaco |
399,800 |
Gran Chaco |
| 12 |
Neuquén |
Neuquén |
391,600 |
Patagonian |
| 13 |
Santiago del Estero |
Santiago del Estero |
389,200 |
Gran Chaco |
| 14 |
Corrientes |
Corrientes |
332,400 |
Mesopotamia |
| 15 |
Bahía Blanca |
Buenos Aires |
310,200 |
Pampean |
| 16 |
Río Cuarto |
Cordoba |
144,021 |
Pampean |
| 17 |
Comodoro Rivadavia |
Chubut |
140,628 |
Patagonia |
| 18 |
Santa Rosa |
La Pampa |
110,640 |
Pampean |
| 19 |
Zárate |
La Pampa |
101,271 |
Pampean |
| 20 |
Tandil |
Buenos Aires |
101,010 |
Pampean |
Demographics
Ethnicity
Argentina is a melting pot of different peoples, both
autochthonous and immigrants. Citizens of
European descent make up the great majority of the population, with estimates varying from white 89.7% to 97% of the total population. The last national census, based on self-ascription, indicated a similar figure..
A study conducted by
Argentine, Swedish and
North American institutions, established that the genetic average structure of the Argentine population, contains 79.9% of
European contribution, whereas the
Amerindian admixture, though not fully visible in physical appearance, was estimated to be present in a high percentage of the population, close to 56% on either paternal or maternal lineages, of which just 10% were shown to have Amerindian ancestors on both lineages.
After the Spanish colonists, waves of European
settlers migrated to Argentina from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. Major contributors included
Italy (initially from
Piedmont,
Veneto and
Lombardy, later from
Campania and
Calabria),
Spain (foremost among them
Galicians and
Basques, and
France (mostly to Buenos Aires and Mendoza). Smaller but significant numbers of immigrants came from
Germany and
Switzerland (to the
Lakes Region of Patagonia; and to Córdoba),
Scandinavia, (
Denmark,
Norway and
Sweden),
Greece,
Lebanon, the
United Kingdom and
Ireland (to Buenos Aires, Santa Fé, and Patagonia; see also
English settlement in Argentina), and
Portugal. Eastern Europeans were also numerous, from
Poland,
Hungary,
Russia,
Ukraine,
Croatia and
Slovenia and
Lithuania, as well as
Balkan countries (
Romania Serbia and
Montenegro, particularly in Chaco). There is a large
Armenian community, and the Patagonian Chubut Valley has a significant
Welsh-descended population.
Minorities
Small but growing numbers of people from East Asia have also settled in Argentina, mainly in Buenos Aires. The first Asian-Argentines were of
Japanese descent;
Koreans,
Vietnamese, and
Chinese followed, now at over 60,000.
The majority of Argentina's
Jewish community derive from immigrants of north and eastern European origin (
Ashkenazi Jews), and about 15–20% from
Sephardic groups from
Syria. Argentina is home to the fifth largest Ashkenazi Jewish community in the world. (See also
History of the Jews in Argentina)
Argentina has a large
Arab community, made up mostly of immigrants from
Syria and
Lebanon. Many have gained prominent status in national business and politics, including former president
Carlos Menem, the son of
Syrian settlers from the province of La Rioja. Most of the Arab Argentines are
Christian of the
Eastern Orthodox and
Eastern Catholic Churches.
The officially recognized
indigenous population in the country, according to the "Complementary Survey of Indigenous Peoples" based on 2001 Census data, stands at approximately 402,921 people (about 1 percent of the total population)
Illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration has been a recent factor in Argentine demographics. Most illegal immigrants come from
Bolivia and
Paraguay, countries which border Argentina to the north. Smaller numbers arrive from
Peru,
Ecuador, and
Romania. The Argentine government estimates that 750,000 inhabitants lack official documents and has launched a program called
Patria Grande ("Big Homeland"), to encourage illegal immigrants to regularize their status; so far over 670,000 applications have been processed under the program.
(External Link
)
Urbanization
Argentina's population is very highly urbanized. About 3 million people live in the autonomous city of
Buenos Aires, and 12.4 million in
Greater Buenos Aires (2007), making it one of the largest conurbations in the world. Together with their respective
metropolitan areas, the second- and third-largest cities in Argentina,
Córdoba and
Rosario, comprise about 1.3 and 1.1 million inhabitants respectively.
Most European
immigrants to Argentina settled in the cities, which offered jobs, education, and other opportunities which enabled newcomers to enter the
middle class. Many also settled in the growing small towns along the expanding railway system. Since the 1930s, many rural workers have moved to the big cities.
The 1990s saw many rural towns become
ghost towns when train services ceased and local products manufactured on a small scale were replaced by massive amounts of cheap imported goods. Many slums (
villas miserias) sprouted in the outskirts of the largest cities, inhabited by impoverished lower-class urban dwellers, migrants from smaller towns in the interior, and also a large number of immigrants from neighbouring countries that came during the time of the convertibility and didn't leave after the 2001 crisis.
Some urban areas appear European, reflecting the influence of European settlers. Many cities are built in a Spanish-grid style around a main square (
plaza). A cathedral and important government buildings often face the
plaza. The general layout of the cities is called
damero (checkerboard), since it's based on a pattern of square blocks, though modern developments sometimes depart from it (the city of La Plata, built at the end of the nineteenth century, is organized as a checkerboard plus diagonal avenues at fixed intervals).
The city of
La Plata was the first in South America with electric street illumination.
Culture
Argentine
