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Facts about Argentina's Geography,
People, Government and Economy
(Information updated on March 29, 2006)
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Location: |
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay |
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Geographic coordinates: |
34 00 S, 64 00 W |
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Area: |
total: 2,766,890 sq km
land: 2,736,690 sq km
water: 30,200 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 9,665 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km |
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Coastline: |
4,989 km |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge
of the continental margin |
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Climate: |
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic
in southwest |
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Terrain: |
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat
to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged
Andes along western border |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m
(located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante
Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m
(located in the northwestern corner of the province
of Mendoza) |
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Natural resources: |
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin,
copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium |
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Land use: |
arable land: 10.03%
permanent crops: 0.36%
other: 89.61% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
15,610 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the
Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent
windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast;
heavy flooding |
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Environment - current issues: |
environmental problems (urban and rural) typical
of an industrializing economy such as deforestation,
soil degradation, desertification, air pollution,
and water pollution
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting
voluntary greenhouse gas targets |
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Environment - international agreements: |
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note: |
second-largest country in South America (after
Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes
between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific
Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake
Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest
mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest
point in the Western Hemisphere |
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Population: |
39,921,833 (July 2006 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 25.2% (male 5,153,164/female
4,921,625)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 12,804,376/female
12,798,731)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,740,118/female
2,503,819) (2006 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 29.7 years
male: 28.8 years
female: 30.7 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
0.96% (2006 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
16.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
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Death rate: |
7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 14.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.78 deaths/1,000 live births
(2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 76.12 years
male: 72.38 years
female: 80.05 years (2006 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
2.16 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.7% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
130,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
1,500 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine |
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Ethnic groups: |
white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo
(mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian,
or other non-white groups 3% |
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Religions: |
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4% |
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Languages: |
Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 97.1%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.1% (2003 est.) |
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina |
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Government type: |
republic |
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Capital: |
Buenos Aires |
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Administrative divisions: |
23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)
and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos
Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca,
Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,
Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones,
Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis,
Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra
del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,
Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims
to Antarctica |
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Independence: |
9 July 1816 (from Spain) |
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National holiday: |
Revolution Day, 25 May (1810) |
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Constitution: |
1 May 1853; revised August 1994 |
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Legal system: |
mixture of US and West European legal systems;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER
(since 25 May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI
(since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER
(since 25 May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI
(since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
four-year terms; election last held 27 April 2003
(next election to be held in 2007)
election results: results of the presidential
election of 27 April 2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%,
Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez MURPHY 16.4%,
Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%,
other 8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated
for 25 May 2003 was awarded to KIRCHNER by default
after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve
of the election |
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are
elected by direct vote; presently one-third of
the members elected every two years to a six-year
term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats;
members are elected by direct vote; one-half of
the members elected every two years to a four-year
term)
elections: Senate - last held 23 October
2005 (next to be held in 2007); Chamber of Deputies
- last held last held 23 October 2005 (next to
be held in 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote
by bloc or party - FV 45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%,
other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 14, FJ
3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent
of vote by bloc or party - FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%,
ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ 3.9%, other 37.2%;
seats by bloc or party - FV 50, UCR 10, ARI 8,
PJ 9, PRO 9, FJ 7, other 34 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme
Court judges are appointed by the president with
approval by the Senate) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa
CARRIO]; Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER];
Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of
approximately 12 parties including RECREAR) [leader
NA]; Justicialist Front or FJ [Eduardo DUHALDE];
Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political
organization) [leader NA]; Radical Civic Union
or UCR [Roberto IGLESIAS]; Republican Initiative
Alliance or PRO (including Federal Recreate Movement
or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitment
for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist
Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All
[Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);
Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association);
Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association);
business organizations; Central of Argentine Workers
or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed
workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT
(Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization);
Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups
(popular protest organizations that can be either
pro or anti-government); Roman Catholic Church;
students |
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International organization participation: |
ABEDA, AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CSN,
FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO,
MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio
BORDON
chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ
embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN
Buenos Aires
mailing address: international mail: use
street address; APO address: Unit 4334, APO AA
34034
telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240 |
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Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top),
white, and light blue; centered in the white band
is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known
as the Sun of May |
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Economy - overview: |
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources,
a highly literate population, an export-oriented
agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial
base. Over the past decade, however, the country
has suffered problems of inflation, external debt,
capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in
2000 was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and
foreign investors remained skeptical of the government's
ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed
exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic
situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of
spreads on Argentine bonds, massive withdrawals
from the banks, and a further decline in consumer
and investor confidence. Government efforts to
achieve a "zero deficit," to stabilize
the banking system, and to restore economic growth
proved inadequate in the face of the mounting
economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar
was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was
floated in February. The exchange rate plunged
and real GDP fell by 10.9% in 2002, but by mid-year
the economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower
level. GDP expanded by about 9% per year from
2003 to 2005. Growth is being led by a revival
in domestic demand, solid exports, and favorable
external conditions. The government boosted spending
ahead of the October 2005 midterm congressional
elections, but strong revenue performance allowed
Argentina to maintain a budget surplus. Inflation
has been rising steadily and reached 12.3 percent
in 2005. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$542.8 billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$182 billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
8.7% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$13,700 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 10.5%
industry: 35.8%
services: 53.7% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force: |
15.34 million (2005 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
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Unemployment rate: |
11.1% (September 2005) |
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Population below poverty line: |
38.5% (June 2005) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
52.2 (2001) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
12.3% (2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
19.4% of GDP (2005 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $42.63 billion
expenditures: $39.98 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
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Public debt: |
69% of GDP (June 2005) |
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Agriculture - products: |
sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn,
tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock |
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Industries: |
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing,
metallurgy, steel |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
7.7% (2005 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
87.16 billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
82.97 billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - exports: |
2.07 billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - imports: |
1.561 billion kWh (2004) |
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Oil - production: |
745,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
450,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports: |
NA bbl/day |
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Oil - imports: |
NA bbl/day |
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Oil - proved reserves: |
2.95 billion bbl (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - production: |
41.04 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
34.58 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
6.05 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
663.5 billion cu m (2005) |
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Current account balance: |
$3.9 billion (2005 est.) |
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Exports: |
$40 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed,
motor vehicles |
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Exports - partners: |
Brazil 15.4%, Chile 10.4%, US 10.2%, China 8.7%,
Spain 4.4% (2004) |
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Imports: |
$28.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,
metal manufactures, plastics |
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Imports - partners: |
Brazil 36.2%, US 16.6%, Germany 5.7%, China 4.3% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$28.07 billion (December 2005) |
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Debt - external: |
$119 billion (June 2005 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$10 billion (2001 est.) |
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Currency (code): |
Argentine peso (ARS) |
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Exchange rates: |
Argentine pesos per US dollar - 2.9037 (2005),
2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002), 0.9995 (2001) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
Argentina's Six Regions and the Wine Route (Part 1)
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Information Sources and acknowledgment:
www.sectur.gov.ar , www.bue.gov.ar and www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook
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