Misplaced Pages

Argentina: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from[REDACTED] with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 22:14, 14 October 2008 view sourceRobbot (talk | contribs)94,607 editsm robot Modifying: pl:Argentyna← Previous edit Revision as of 22:34, 14 October 2008 view source 76.28.183.242 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit →
Line 7: Line 7:
|image_coat = Coat_of_arms_of_Argentina.svg |image_coat = Coat_of_arms_of_Argentina.svg
|image_map = LocationArgentina.svg |image_map = LocationArgentina.svg
|national_motto = bitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitch
|national_motto = ''En unión y libertad''<br/>"In Union and Liberty"</small>
|national_anthem = '']''
|official_languages = ]<sup>1</sup>
|capital = ]
|ethnic_groups = ] 90% (mostly Italians and Spaniards), ] 7%, ] and others 3%<ref name="autogenerated1"></ref><ref name=cia></ref>
|latd=34 |latm=36 |latNS=S |longd=58 |longm=23 |longEW=W
|largest_city = ]
|government_type = ] ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|leader_title3 = ]
|leader_name3 = ]
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = from Spain
|established_event1 = ]
|established_date1 = 25 May 1810
|established_event2 = ]
|established_date2 = 9 July 1816
|established_event3 = |established_date3 = 1821 (by&nbsp;Spain)
|area_rank = 8th
|area_magnitude = 1_E12
|area_km2 = 2780403
|area_sq_mi = 1078757<sup>2</sup>
|percent_water = 1.1
|population_estimate = 40,677,348
|population_estimate_year = 2008
|population_estimate = 40,677,348
|population_estimate_rank = 30th
|population_census = 36,260,130
|population_census_year = 2001
|population_density_h/km2 = 15
|population_density_h/sq_mi = 38
|population_density_rank = 168th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2007
|GDP_PPP = $524.140 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2004&ey=2008&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=213&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=67&pr.y=7 |title=Argentina|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref>
|GDP_PPP_rank = 23rd <!---IMF--->
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $13,317<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 57th
|GDP_nominal = $260.122 billion<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_rank = 31st
|GDP_nominal_year = 2007
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $6,609<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 66th
|Gini = 49<ref>Gini listings</ref>
|Gini_year = 2006
|HDI_year = 2007
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.869
|HDI_rank = 38th
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = ARS
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = -3
|time_zone_DST = ART
|utc_offset_DST = -2
|demonym = Argentine
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 54
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup>] is co-official in the province of ].<br><sup>2</sup>Argentina also has a ] with the ] over an additional {{unit sqkm|1000000|0|lk=on}} of ], the ] and ].
}}
'''Argentina''', officially the '''Argentine Republic''' (]: ''República Argentina'', {{IPAes|re̞ˈpuβ̞lika aɾxẽ̞nˈtina}}), is a country in ], constituted as a ] of 23 provinces and an autonomous city. It is the second largest country in South America by land area, and ] in the world. Its continental area is {{unit sqkm|2766890|0|lk=on}}, between the ] ] in the west and the southern ] in the east and south. Argentina borders ] and ] to the north, ] and ] to the northeast, and ] to the west and south. Argentina also claimed {{unit sqkm|969464|0}} of ], known as ], overlapping other claims made by Chile (]) and the ] (]); all such claims have been suspended by the ] of 1961.

Argentina has the highest ] level and the second highest ] (GDP) per capita in ] in ].<ref> April 2008, IMF</ref> Argentina's nominal GDP is the 31<sup>st</sup> largest in the world;<ref></ref> but when ] is taken into account, its total GDP makes it the 23<sup>rd</sup> largest economy in the world.<ref>http://hdrstats.undp.org/indicators/5.html International GDP ranking</ref><ref> United Nations.</ref>

The country is currently classified as an ]<ref></ref> or as a secondary ] by the ].<ref></ref><ref></ref>

== Etymology==
]
{{main|Origin and history of the name of Argentina}}
The name Argentina (from ] ''argentum'': ]) 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).<ref>{{es icon}} </ref><ref>{{es icon}} </ref>

==History==
]'', scene of the 1810 resolution that led to independence.]]
{{main|History of Argentina}}
The earliest evidence of human presence in Argentina found thus far is in ] (], ]) and dates from 11,000 BC (], ], ]s and ], among others). The ] under the rule of King ] launched an offensive in 1480 and conquered present-day northwestern Argentina, integrating it into a region called ]; in the northeastern area, the ] developed a culture based on ] and ]. The central and southern areas (] and Patagonia) were dominated by ]ic cultures, unified in the 17th century by the ]s.
], Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru.]]
European explorers arrived in 1516. Spain established a permanent colony on the site of ] in 1580 and the ] was created in 1776. This area was largely a country of ] immigrants and their descendants, known as '']'', of native cultures and of descendants of African slaves (See:]), present in significant numbers. A third of Colonial-era settlers gathered in ] and other cities, others living on the '']'' as ]s, for instance. Indigenous peoples inhabited much of the rest of Argentina.

The ] ] of Buenos Aires in 1806-07; but the criollo population repelled both attempts. On 25 May 1810, after confirmation of the rumors on the overthrow of ] by ], citizens of ] created the ] (]). Two nations emerged in what is now Argentina: the ] and the ]. Other provinces, as a result of differences between autonomist and centralist quarters, delayed taking part in a unified State; ] seceded, declaring its independence in 1811.
] during his 1829-52 regime.]]], whose 1869 ''Civil Code'' lay the foundation for Argentina's statutory laws.]]], 1928. Patient activist for universal (male) suffrage and the country's first president so elected.]]

Military campaigns led by General ] between 1814 and 1817 made independence increasingly a reality. Argentines revere San Martín, who campaigned in Argentina, ] and ], as the hero of national independence. General ] and his regiment ] in 1817 to defeat royalist forces in Chile and Peru, thus securing independence. The ] gathered on 9 July 1816 and finally issued a formal Declaration of Independence from Spain. The ] was crushed by forces of the ] in 1820 and some Portuguese brigades from Brazil and its provinces were absorbed into ]. ] declared itself independent in 1825 and ] was created in 1828 as a result of a truce following the ]. The controversial truce led to the rise of ] Governor ], who, as a ], exercised a reign of terror and kept the fragile confederacy together.
]] dominated politics and policy from 1880 to 1906.]]
The ] '']'' and the '']'' maintained an internecine conflict until Governor Rosas' 1852 overthrow and, to help prevent future struggle during the tenous times that followed, a ] was promulgated in 1853. The Constitution, drafted by legal scholar ], was persuasively defended in moving oratory by ] Friar ] and endured through its first difficult years. National unity was reinforced by an 1865 attack on Argentine and Brazilian interests by Paraguay, resulting in the ] and devastating Paraguay.

A wave of foreign ] and ] from Europe after 1870 led to the development of modern agriculture and to a near-reinvention of Argentine society and the economy, leading to the strengthening of a cohesive state. The 1870s, however, also saw the "]", which subdued the remaining indigenous tribes throughout the southern ] and ] and left 1,300 indigenous dead.<ref>Carlos A. Floria and César A. García Belsunce, 1971. ''Historia de los Argentinos'' I and II; ISBN 84-599-5081-6.</ref><ref></ref>

The era between 1880 and 1929 saw Argentina enjoy increasing prosperity and prominence while emerging as one of the 10 richest countries in the world, benefiting from an agricultural export-led economy. Driven by immigration and decreasing mortality, the Argentine population grew six-fold and the economy, by 15-fold.<ref name=Lewis>Lewis, Paul. ''The Crisis of Argentine Capitalism.'' Univ. of North Carolina Press, 1990.</ref> ] interests dominated Argentine politics through non-democratic means until, in 1912, Pres. ] enacted ] and the secret ballot. This allowed their traditional rivals, the centrist ], to win the country's first free elections in 1916. Pres. ] enacted social and economic reforms and extended assistance to family farmers and small business; but, having been politically imposing and beset by the ], the military forced him from power in 1930. This led to another decade of Conservative rule, whose economists turned to more protectionist policies.

The country was ] during ]. Political change led to the presidency of ] in 1946, who worked to empower the working class and greatly expanded the number of unionized workers and of social and educational programs. Perón's wife, ] (better known as "Evita") played an important role as first lady during Perón's first two administrations. She was a driving force behind Perón's success among the working class and quickly became a phenomenon that is still researched today. Born into poverty herself, Evita never forgot the hardships her family endured during her childhood. In 1947, she created the ], which provided for an array of services and needs to the working class and poor of Argentina, such as basic items like pots and pans, sewing machines and even fully furnished houses. The foundation built thousands of schools, hospitals, orphanages, and even ], which still thrives today.
] (1946).]]

This was the first time the country had seen such a shift in attention to aiding the poor and it did not sit well with the oligarchy. Evita was seen as the "bridge of love" between Perón and the people. She championed ] and organized the ]. Throughout Perón's first and second term as president, his economists encouraged accelerated industrial development, increasingly important since the 1920s. Following Evita's untimely death in 1952 at age 33, Perón's administration became increasingly distracted by struggles with the ]. A ] deposed him in 1955 and he fled into exile, eventually residing in Spain.
] (''2<sup>nd</sup> from left'') hosts Pres. ], 1961. Frondizi's policies encouraged foreign and local investment in energy and industry, making Argentina nearly self-sufficient in both.]]
Following an attempt to purge the Peróns' influence and the banning of Peronists from political life, elections in 1958 brought the more moderate ] to office. Frondizi enjoyed some support from Perón's followers and his policies encouraged needed investment in energy and industry, both of which were chalking up sizable trade deficits for Argentina. The military, however, frequently interfered on behalf of conservative interests and the results were mixed; Frondizi was forced to resign in 1962 and, following two more civilian administrations weakened by military pressure, the armed forces retook power in a quiet 1966 coup. Though ], this new regime continued to encourage domestic development and invested record amounts into public works; during those years the economy grew strongly and income poverty declined to 7% by 1975, still a record low. Due in part to their repressiveness, ] began to escalate and, from exile, Perón skillfully co-opted student and labor protests, which eventually resulted in the military regime's call for free elections in 1973 and his return from Spanish exile.
Taking office that year, Perón passed away in July 1974, leaving his third wife ], the Vice President, to succeed him in office. Mrs. Perón had been chosen as a compromise among feuding Peronist factions who could agree on no other running mate; secretly, though, she was beholden to Perón's most Fascist advisers. The resulting conflict between left and right-wing extremists led to mayhem and financial chaos and, on 24 March 1976, a ] removed her from office.
] and Pres. ], both of whose policies left a traumatic legacy in Argentina.]]] (''left'') greets supporters during the 1983 campaign with his trademark salute.]]]'s tragic 1982 ] of the Falkland Islands cost Argentina lives and prestige.]]
The self-styled ] promptly repressed opposition and leftist groups using brutal, illegal measures (the "]"); thousands of dissidents "]", while the ] cooperated with Chile's ], other South American ] and with the ] in ]. Many of the military leaders that took part in the Dirty War were trained in the U.S.-financed ], among them Argentine dictators ] and ]. This new dictatorship at first brought some stability and built numerous important public works; but their frequent wage freezes and deregulation of finance led to a sharp fall in living standards and record foreign debt. ], the peso's ] and crushing ]s, as well as unprecedented corruption, public revulsion in the face of ] abuses and, finally, the country's 1982 defeat by the British in the ] discredited the military regime and led to free elections in 1983.
]'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. The previous regime's foreign debt, however, left the Argentine economy saddled by the conditions imposed on it by both its private creditors and the ] and priority was given to servicing the foreign debt at the expense of public works and domestic credit. Alfonsín's failure to resolve worsening economic problems caused him to lose public confidence. Following a 1989 currency crisis that resulted in a sudden and ruinous 15-fold jump in prices, he left office five months early.

Newly elected, President ] began pursuing privatizations; but after a second bout of ] in 1990, reached out to Economist ], who imposed a ]-] ] in 1991 and adopted far-reaching ] policies, dismantling ] barriers and business ] and implementing vast ]s. These reforms contributed to significant increases in investment and growth with stable prices through most of the 1990s; but the peso's fixed value could only be maintained by flooding the market with dollars, resulting in a renewed increase in the foreign debt. The peso-dollar parity also made imports a bargain again and left much local industry out of the era's prosperity; while part of the population was saving in dollars, traveling overseas and purchasing imported and luxury goods cheaply, the rest of the population experienced an increase in crime and unemployment. The IMF and economists in general praised the liberalization of the Argentine market and the country was presented as a "model student;" towards 1998, however, a series of international financial crises and overvaluation of the pegged peso caused a gradual slide into ]. The sense of stability and well being which had prevailed during the 1990s eroded quickly and by the end of his term in 1999, these accumulating problems and perceived corruption had made Menem unpopular.
] (since 2003) and ] (1985-90) reunite with Argentine Presidents ] (2003-07) and ] (1983-89) to commemorate 20 years of productive trade talks.]]
President ] inherited diminished competitiveness in exports, massive imports which damaged national industry and mounting social problems, as well as chronic fiscal deficits. The governing coalition developed rifts and was eventually forced to take a series of measures (culminating in the freezing of bank accounts) to halt a wave of ] and to stem the imminent debt crisis. A climate of popular discontent ensued and on 20 December 2001 Argentina dove into its worst institutional and economic crisis since the 1890 ]. There were violent street protests, which clashed with police and resulted in several fatalities. The increasingly chaotic climate, amid ] accompanied by cries that “they should all go,” finally resulted in the resignation of President de la Rúa.

Three presidents followed in quick succession over two weeks, culminating in the appointment of interim President ] by the ] on 2 January 2002. Argentina ] on its international debt and the peso's 11 year-old tie to the US dollar was rescinded, causing a major ] of the peso and a spike in ]. Duhalde, a Peronist with a center-left economic position, had to cope with a ], with unemployment as high as 25% by late 2002 and the lowest real wages in sixty years. The crisis accentuated the people's mistrust in politicians and institutions. Following a year racked by protest, the economy began to stabilize by late 2002 and restrictions on bank withdrawals were lifted in December.
], in office since December 2007.]]

Benefiting from a more competitive and flexible ], government and business planners alike implemented new policies based on re-industrialization, ] and increased exports, and began seeing consistent fiscal and trade surpluses. Governor ], a ] Peronist, was elected president in May 2003; during Kirchner's presidency, Argentina ] with a steep discount (about 66%) on most bonds, paid off debts with the ], renegotiated contracts with utilities and nationalized some previously privatized enterprises. Kirchner and his economists, notably ], also pursued vigorous income policies and public works investments.

Argentina has since been enjoying ]; despite his popularity, Néstor Kirchner forfeited the 2007 campaign in favor of his wife, Senator ]. Winning in a landslide that October, she became the first woman elected President of Argentina and, in an upset, a center-left (]) candidate in ], ], became the first woman in Argentine history elected governor. President Cristina Kirchner, despite carrying large majorities in Congress, saw controversial plans for higher agricultural export taxes defeated by Vice President ]' surprise tie-breaking vote against them on 16 July 2008. Following massive agrarian protests and ] from March to July, robust economic growth quickly returned, though inflation has also increased without, as yet, being addressed.

==Politics==
{{main|Politics of Argentina}}

===Government===
], seat of the Executive branch.]]
<!--Please add new information to relevant articles of the series-->
Argentina's political framework is a ] ] ] ], in which the ] is both ] and ], complemented by a pluriform ]. The current president (2007) is ], with ] as vice president.

The ] mandates a ] into ], ], and ] branches at the national and provincial level.

] power resides in the ] and his or her cabinet. The ] and Vice President are directly elected to four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms. ] ministers are appointed by the president and are not subject to legislative ratification.
]
] power is vested in the bicameral ] or '']'', consisting of a ] ('']'') of seventy-two seats, and a ] ('']'') 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 ], with half of the members of the ] being elected every two years. A third of the candidates presented by the parties must be women.

The ] is independent of the executive and the legislature. The ] has seven members who are appointed by the President in consultation with the Senate. The rest of the judges are appointed by the ], a secretariat composed of representatives of judges, lawyers, the Congress and the executive (see ]).

Argentina is a member of an international block, ], which has some legislative supranational functions. Mercosur is composed of five full members: Argentina, ], ], ] and ]. It has five associate members without full voting rights: ], ], ], ] and ].

Argentina was the only country from ] to participate in the 1991 ] under mandate of the ]. It was also the only Latin American country involved in every phase of the ]. Argentina has contributed worldwide to ] operations, including in ]-]-], ], ]-], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. In recognition of its contributions to ], ] ] designated Argentina as a ] in ]. It was last elected as a temporary member of the ] in 2005.

The United Nations ], a bulwark of ] and ] efforts, were first deployed in 1994 following an Argentine initiative.<ref></ref>

On 4 November-5 November 2005, the Argentine city of ] hosted the ]. This summit was marked by a number of anti-U.S. protests. ], Argentina has been emphasizing ] 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 ] (''Islas Malvinas''), the ], the ] and almost 1&nbsp;million&nbsp;km² in Antarctica, between the 25°W and the 74°W meridians and the 60°S parallel. Claimed by the ], they have occupied this area since 1833, though since 1904 the ], an Argentine scientific post, has been maintained by mutual agreement.

Argentina is a founding signatory and permanent consulting member of the ] and the ] is established in ].<ref></ref>

==Military==
]
{{main|Military of Argentina}}
Argentina's armed forces are controlled by the Defense Ministry, with the country's ] as their ]. 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);<ref>IPMStockholm.org</ref> but, of late, it's faced sharper expenditure cutbacks than most other armed forces in Latin America. Indeed, since 1981, ''real'' military expenditures have fallen by about half and are today less than US$3 billion.<ref>http://www.mecon.gov.ar/peconomica/docs/gp_nac.xls</ref>

The age of allowable military service is 18 years; there is no obligatory ] and currently no ]. Recently, Argentina's armed forces have numbered about 70,000 active duty personnel, a reduction of over a third from levels before the return to democracy in 1983.<ref></ref>

The armed forces are composed of a traditional ], ], and ]. Controlled by a separate ministry (the Interior Ministry), Argentine ] are patrolled by the ] and the border regions by the ]; both arms however maintain liaison with the Defense Ministry. Argentina's Armed Forces are currently undertaking major operations in ] and ], in accordance with ].

== Provinces ==
] ("''Islas Malvinas''"), a ], as well as a slice of ], both of which it assigns to its ] (number 23).]]
{{main|Provinces of Argentina}}
{{seealso|Governors in Argentina}}
Argentina is divided into twenty-three ]s (''provincias''; singular ''provincia''), and one ] (commonly known as the ''capital federal,'' but officially ''Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires''):
{{columns
|col1 =
1. ]

2. ]

3. ]

4. ]

5. ]

6. ]

7. ]

8. ]

9. ]

10. ]

11. ]

12. ]
|col2 =
13. ]

14. ]

15. ]

16. ]

17. ]

18. ]

19. ]

20. ]

21. ]

22. ]

23. ]

24. ]
}}
Though ], 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 ], a law was passed ordering the transfer of the federal capital to ], a city in the ] province of Río Negro. Studies were underway when economic problems halted the project in 1989. Though the law was never formally repealed, it is now treated as a relic.

Provinces are divided into smaller secondary units called ''departamentos'' ("departments"), of which there are ]. The province of ] 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 ] are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

==Geography==
]
{{main|Geography of Argentina}}

===Main features===
The total surface area of Argentina (not including the Antarctic claim) is as follows:
* Total: 2,766,891&nbsp;km²
* Land: 2,736,691&nbsp;km²
* Water: 30,200&nbsp;km²

Argentina is about 3,900&nbsp;km (about 2,500 mi) long from north to south, and 1,400&nbsp;km (about 870 mi) from east to west (maximum values). It can roughly be divided into four parts: the fertile plains of the ]s in the center of the country, the source of Argentina's ] wealth; the flat to rolling, oil-rich plateau of ] in the southern half down to ]; the subtropical flats of the ] in the north, and the rugged ] ] along the western border with ].

The highest point above ] in Argentina is located in ]. Cerro ], at 6,962 ]s (22,834 ]), is the highest mountain in the ], the ],<ref> The Highest Mountain Peak on Each Continent</ref> and ].<ref></ref> The lowest point is ] in ], −105 meters (−344 ft) below sea level.<ref> The Lowest Surface Point on Each Continent</ref> This is also the lowest point on the South American ]. The geographic center of the country is located in south-central ] province.

The country has a territorial claim over a portion of ] (unrecognized by any other country), where, from 1904, it has maintained ].

===Geographic regions===
</ref> Political map of Argentina showing the area it controls. The ] (''Islas Malvinas'') are controlled by the United Kingdom but are claimed by Argentina.]]
The country is traditionally divided into several major geographically distinct regions:

; Pampas: The plains west and south from ]. Called the ], they cover most of the provinces of ] and ] and large portions of the provinces of ] and ]. The western part of ] and the province ] are also mostly plains (the Dry Pampa); but they are drier and used mainly for grazing. The ] in the homonymous province (extending into San Luis), is the most important geographical feature of the pampas.

; Gran Chaco: The ] region in the north of the country is seasonal dry/wet, mainly cotton growing and livestock raising. It covers the provinces of ] and ]. It is dotted with subtropical forests, scrubland, and some wetlands, home to a large number of plant and animal species. The province of ] lies in the drier region of the Gran Chaco.

; Mesopotamia: The land between the ] and ] rivers is called ] and it is shared by the provinces of ] and ]. It features flatland apt for grazing and plant growing, and the ] in central Corrientes. ] province is more tropical and belongs within the ] geographic feature. It features subtropical rainforests and the ].

; Patagonia: The ]s of ], in the provinces of ], ], ] and ], are of ] 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. ] is cool and wet, moderated by oceanic influences. Northern Patagonia (Río Negro, south of the homonymous river, and Neuquén) can also be referred as the ] region.

; Cuyo: West-central Argentina is dominated by the imposing ] Mountains. To their east is the arid region known as ]. Melting waters from high in the mountains form the backbone of irrigated lowland oasis, at the center of a rich fruit and ] growing region in ] and ] provinces. Further north the region gets hotter and drier with more geographical accidents in ] province.

; NOA or Northwest: This region is the highest in average elevation. Several parallel mountain ranges, several of which have peaks higher than <span style="white-space:nowrap">20,000&nbsp;feet&nbsp;(6,000&nbsp;m)</span>, 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 ] in the provinces of ], ], and ]. Farther north the province of ] near ] lies mainly within the ] plateau of the Central Andes. The ] goes through the far north of the region.

===Rivers and lakes===
].]]
Major rivers in Argentina include the ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and the largest river, the ]. The latter two flow together before meeting the ], forming the estuary of the ]. Regionally important rivers are the ] and ] in the homonymous province, the ] in Patagonia, the Río Grande in Jujuy and the San Francisco River in Salta.

There are several large ]s in Argentina, many of them in Patagonia. Among these are lakes ] and ] in Santa Cruz, ] in Río Negro and ] in Tierra del Fuego and Colhué Huapi and Musters in Chubut. ] and ] are shared with Chile. ], is the largest salt water lake in the country. There are numerous ]s created by ]s. Argentina features various ]s, such as those at ] with temperatures between 89 °C and 65 °C.<ref>.</ref>

===Coastal areas and seas===
Argentina has {{unit km|4665|0}} of ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.natlaw.com/pubs/sparcs1.htm|title=Global Argentina|publisher=National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade|year=1997}}</ref> The continental platform is unusually wide; in Argentina this shallow area of the ] ] is called ]. The Argentine Atlantic coast has been a favorite among local vacationers for over a hundred years. The waters are rich in fisheries and suspected of holding important ] energy resources. Argentina's coastline varies between areas of ] dunes and cliffs. The two major ]s affecting the coast are the warm ] and the cold ] (Spanish: ''corriente antártica'' or ''corriente de las Malvinas''). Because of the unevenness of the coastal landmass, the two currents alternate in their influence on climate and do not allow temperatures to fall evenly with higher latitude. The southern coast of ] forms the north shore of the ].
{{wide image|Panoramica mar del plta.jpg|852px|Panoramic view of Bristol Beach in the city of ].}}

===Climate===
{{main|Climate of Argentina}}
]
]
Because of longitudinal and elevation amplitudes, Argentina is subject to a variety of climates. As a rule, the ] is predominantly ] with extremes ranging from ] in the north to ] 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 ]), 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 ] extremes recorded in South America have occurred in Argentina. A record high temperature of {{unit °C|49.1|1|lk=on}}, was recorded at Villa de María, ] on 2 January 1920. The lowest temperature recorded was {{unit °C|-39.0|1}} at Valle de los Patos Superior, ], 17 July 1972.

Major wind currents in Argentina include the cool ] blowing on the flat plains of Patagonia and the ''Pampas''; following the ], warm currents blow from the north in mid and late-winter, creating mild conditions. The ], a hot and dry wind (see also ]), affects 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&nbsp;], fueling ]s and causing damage; when the Zonda blows (June-November), snowstorms and ] (''viento blanco'') conditions usually affect the higher elevations.

The ] (“southeasterlies”) could be considered similar to the ], though snowfall is rarely involved (but is not 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 ].

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 ] time zone. The country does observe ] occasionally; the last summertime began at 0:00 30 December 2007 and ended on 0:00 16 March 2008.

Extremities: Argentina's easternmost continental point is northeast of the town of ], ] ({{coord|26|15|S|53|38|W|}}), the westernmost in the Mariano Moreno Range in ] ({{coord|49|33|S|73|35|W|}}). The northernmost point is located at the confluence of the Grande de San Juan and Mojinete rivers, ] ({{coord|21|46|S|66|13|W|}}), and the southernmost is Cape San Pío in ] ({{coord|55|03|S|66|31|W|}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hcdsc.gov.ar/biblioteca/ISES/geografiaargentina.asp|title=Argentine topography, hydrography, and climate|publisher=Chamber of Deputies of the Province of Santa Cruz|language=Spanish}}</ref>

===Enclaves and exclaves===
There is one Argentine ], ] (co-ordinates {{coord|34|11|S|58|15|W|}}). It is near the confluence of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, a kilometer (0.62&nbsp;mi) inside ]an waters, and 3.5 kilometres (2.1 mi) from the Uruguayan coastline near the small town of ] (itself halfway between ] and ]).

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&nbsp;acres) and its population is about 200 people.

===Flora===
] is ].]]] trees in the ].]]
Subtropical plants dominate the north, part of the ] region of South America. The ] ] of trees is well disseminated with representatives like the '']'' and the '']'' tree; also predominant are white and black '']'' trees (] and ]). ''Savannah''-like areas exist in the drier regions nearer the ]. Aquatic plants thrive in the wetlands dotting the region.

In central Argentina the ''humid ]'' are a true ] ]. The original ''pampa'' had virtually no ]; today along roads or in towns and country estates (''estancias''), some imported species like the ] or ] are present. The only tree-like plant native to the ''pampa'' is the ], an evergreen. The surface soils of the ''pampa'' are a deep black color, primarily ], known commonly as ''humus''. This is what 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 ]. The western ''pampas'' receive less rainfall, this ''dry pampa'' is a plain of short grasses or ].<ref></ref>

]'' (Silk Floss) tree. Species from the ] family are common in Argentina.]]
Most of ] in the south lies within the rain shadow of the ]. The flora, shrubby bushes and plants, is well suited to withstand dry conditions. The soil is hard and rocky, making large-scale ] impossible except along ]. ] forests grow in far western Patagonia and on the island of ]. Conifers native to the region include ] (''Fitzroya cupressoides''), ] (''Austrocedrus chilensis''), ] (''Pilgerodendron uviferum''), ] (''Podocarpus nubigenus''), ] (''Prumnopitys andina''), ] (''Saxegothaea conspicua'') and ] (''Araucaria araucana''), while native broadleaf trees include several species of '']'' including coigüe or ], ] (''Nothofagus pumilio'') and ] (''Nothofagus Antarctica''). Other introduced trees present in ] ]s include ], ] and ]. Common plants are the ] and colihue ('']'').<ref name = "flofau"> Animals in Argentina</ref>

In ], semiarid thorny bushes and other ] plants abound. Along the many river ], grasses and trees grow in significant numbers. The area presents optimal conditions for the large scale growth of ]s. In the northwest of Argentina there are many species of ]. In the highest elevations (above 4,000 m or 13,000 ft), no vegetation grows because of the extreme altitude.

The ''ceibo'' flower, of the tree ], is the national flower of Argentina.

===Fauna===
]
{{seealso|List of national parks of Argentina}}

Many species live in the subtropical north. ]s like the ], ], and ]; primates (]); large reptiles (]s) and a species of ]. Other animals include the ], ], ], ], ] and various species of ] and ]. There are a wide variety of birds, notably ]s, ]s, ]s and ]s.

] is one of the ]s of Argentina.]]
The central grasslands are populated by the ], ], ], ], ], ]s and the ] (''ñandú''), a flightless bird. ]s, ]s, ]s and ]s (''perdiz'', Argentine "false partridges") inhabit the region. There are also ] and ]es. Some of these species extend into ].

The western mountains are home to different animals. These include the ], ], ], among the most recognizable species of South America. Also in this region are the ], ], ], ] and the largest flying bird in the New World, the ].
].]]
Southern Argentina is home to the ], ], ] (the world's smallest deer), and introduced, non-native ].<ref name = "flofau"/> The coast of ] is rich in animal life: ], ], ] and species of ]. The far south is populated by ]s.

The territorial waters of Argentina have abundant ocean life; mammals such as ]s, ]s, and whales like the southern ], a major tourist draw for naturalists. Sea fish include ], ], ], ], and ]s; also present are ] and ] (''centolla'') in ]. Rivers and streams in Argentina have many species of ] and the South American ] fish. Outstanding snake species inhabiting Argentina include ] and the very ] ] ] and South American ].

The ] was elected the National Bird after a survey in 1928.<ref> Info about Hornero</ref>

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Argentina}}
Argentina benefits from abundant ]s, a highly ] population, an export-oriented ], and a diversified ] base. It was once one of the world's wealthiest nations.<ref></ref> Even during its era of relative decline between 1930 and 1980, the Argentine economy created Latin America's largest proportional middle class;<ref name=Lewis/> but this segment of the population has suffered from a succession of economic crises between 1981 and 2002, when the relative decline became absolute.

] waterfront and three sectors leading the recent economic recovery: construction, foreign trade and tourism.]]], Buenos Aires. One of two international airports in Buenos Aires, it has helped link Argentina to the world as well as the vast nation to its capital.]]]. The nations' railways move 25 million metric tons of cargo annually.<ref name=mecon/>]]

Argentina's economy started to slowly lose ground after 1930<ref></ref> when it entered the ] and recovered slowly, afterwards. Erratic policies helped lead to serious bouts of ] in the 1949-52 and 1959-63 cycles and the country lost its place among the world's prosperous nations, even as it continued to industrialize.<ref name=Lewis/> Following a promising decade, the economy further declined during the military dictatorship that lasted from 1976 to 1983 and for some time afterwards.<ref></ref>

During this period, the military dictatorship took out large loans with high interest rates from, among others, the IMF and encouraged the private sector to borrow massively from foreign private banks. The country engaged in a disorganized and corrupt financial liberalization that interrupted industrial development and upward social mobility in Argentina; over 400,000 companies of all sizes went bankrupt<ref name=Lewis/> and economic decisions made from 1983 through 2001 failed to revert the situation.

Record ], tax evasion and capital flight resulted in a ] crisis that plagued Argentina with serious ] from 1975 to 1990. Attempting to remedy this, economist ] ] the peso to the ] in 1991 and limited the growth in the ]. His team then embarked on a path of ], ] and ]. Inflation dropped and ] grew by one third in four years;<ref name=mecon/> but external economic shocks and failures of the system diluted benefits, causing the economy to crumble slowly from 1995 until the ]. That year and the next, the economy suffered its sharpest decline since 1930.<ref name=mecon/>

In 2002, Argentina had ] on its debt, its GDP had shrunk, ] reached 25% and the peso had ] 70% after being ] and ]. Careful spending control and heavy ]es on soaring exports, however, allowed the state to regain resources and conduct effective ].

In 2003, ] policies and soaring ]s, coupled with lower inflation and expansive economic measures, triggered a surge in GDP. This was repeated in 2004 and 2005, creating millions of jobs and encouraging internal consumption. ] decreased, domestic ] recovered to record levels and ] slowly returned. An influx of foreign currency from exports created a huge ]. The Central Bank has been forced to buy dollars from the market to prevent the Argentine peso from appreciating significantly and thereby undermining competitiveness.

The socio-economic situation has been steadily improving. All major social indicators have benefited strongly<ref name=indec/> and the economy grew around 9% annually for five consecutive years between 2003 and 2007; however, though official inflation numbers have hovered around 9% since 2006, they have been privately estimated at 12 to 15% that year and projected to be about 25% in 2008,<ref></ref> becoming a contentious issue again. The urban poverty rate dropped to 21% by late 2007 (less than half the peak level observed in 2003, though still above the level prior to 1976).<ref> World Bank</ref> ], having improved since 2002, is still considerably unequal.<ref>International Monetary Fund.
{{PDFlink||567&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 581446 bytes -->}}.</ref><ref>InfoBAE, 20 September 2006. .</ref>

===Sectors===
{{seealso|Agriculture in Argentina|Tourism in Argentina}}
Argentina is one of the world's major agricultural producers, ranking third worldwide in production of honey, soybeans, and sunflower seeds, fifth in maize and eleventh in wheat. In 2007, ] output accounted for 9.4% of ] and nearly one third of all exports. ] and its byproducts (mainly ] and ]) are major export ] at 24% of the total. ], ], ] and other cereals totalled 8%.<ref name = "indec"></ref> ]-raising is also a major industry, though mostly for domestic consumption. ], ] and ] were 5% of total exports.<ref name = "indec"/> ]-raising and ] are important in ], though these activities have declined by half since 1990.<ref name=indec/>

] soy fields. Though Argentina is now an industrial and service economy, agriculture still earns more than half the foreign exchange.]]

] and ] made up 4% of exports: ] and ] in the ] valley; ] and other ] in the ] and ]; ] and ] in ] and ] in the far south. ] and ] are major crops in the ], ] and ]s in the northwest and ] and ] in Cuyo. ] (]), ] (]) and ] (Mendoza) are grown for domestic consumption. Argentina is the world's fifth-largest ] producer, and fine wine production has taken major leaps in quality. A growing export, total ] potential is far from having been met. ] is the largest wine region, followed by ].<ref>(Spanish)</ref> As a ] by ]s, protesting an increase in ] ]es for their products, began 12 March 2008 and butchers and supermarkets were among the first affected by shortages.<ref></ref> Following a series of failed negotiations and the 16 July defeat of the export tax-hike in the ], the strikes and ] largely subsided.<ref></ref>

Argentine ], which bring in about a million tons of catch annually,<ref name=indec/> are centered around ] (50% of the catch), ], ] and ]. ] has long history in every Argentine region but the ], accounting for almost 14 million m<sup>3</sup> of ] harvests;<ref></ref> ] for ], ] and ] for furniture, as well as for ] products (1.5 million tons) are all widely harvested. Fisheries and logging each account for 2% of exports.<ref name=indec/>

]s, ] and ] are 12% of Argentina's exports. The most important ]s lie in ] and ]. An impressive network of ] send raw product to ], center of the petrochemical industry, and to the ]-] industrial belt.

] is a growing industry. The ] and ] are main regions of activity. ] is mined in ]. Metals mined include ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and, particularly, ]. These exports soared from US$ 200 million in 1996 to US$1.2 billion in 2004<ref>{{PDFlink|}}Economy Ministry of Argentina {{es icon}}</ref> and to over US$ 2 billion in 2007.<ref name=indec/>

] hydroelectric complex is the second largest in the world.]]

] is the nation's largest single sector in the economy (21.5% of GDP in 2007) and is well-integrated into Argentine agriculture; accounting for nearly two-thirds of exports in all, half the nation's industrial exports are agricultural in nature.<ref name = "indec"/> Leading sectors by production value are: ]; ]s and ]s; ]s, ] equipment and ]s; ], ] and ]; ]; as well as ]s and ]. Other manufactures include ]s and ]; ] and ]s; forestry products and ]; ] and ]; and ] products. Nearly half the nation's industries are in and around ], though ] and ] are also home to significant industrial centers. ] permits nationwide neared 16 million m<sup>2</sup> (170 million ft<sup>2</sup>) in 2005 and the sector is 6% of GDP. Two-thirds of this total was residential construction.<ref name=indec/>

The ] sector has been growing at a fast pace, with an important penetration of ] (more than 75% of the population)<ref>Clarin.com 1 February 2006 (Spanish)</ref> ] (with more than 16 million people online),<ref></ref> and ] services (4.1%). Regular ] (with 9.5 million lines)<ref> CIA Factbook</ref> and ] are robust.

Argentina produces electricity in large part through well developed ] and ] resources; ] is also of high importance.<ref></ref> The country is one of the largest producers and exporters (with Canada and Russia) of ], a ] ] widely used in ] therapy.

]

The ] is the biggest contributor to total GDP, accounting for 58%. Argentina enjoys a diversified service sector, which includes well-developed social, corporate, financial, insurance, real-estate, transport and communication services, as well as vigorous commercial and tourist trades.

] is increasingly important and provided 8% of economic output (over US$20 billion) in 2006.<ref name=wef></ref> Argentines, who have long been active travelers within their own country,<ref>''National Geographic Magazine.'' November, 1939.</ref> accounted for over 80% of this, though growing international tourism (4.2 million visited Argentina in 2006) contributed almost US$3.4 billion that year.<ref name=wef/> Stagnant for over two decades, domestic travel has increased robustly in the last few years<ref></ref> and foreigners are flocking to a country seen as affordable, fun because of its variety and safe:<ref>Luongo, Michael. ''Frommer's Argentina''. Wiley Publishing, 2007.</ref> Cosmopolitan ], ] and ocean-front ] and ]; the ]; colonial ] and ], rich in indigenous culture; the scenic foothills of ]; the ] of ]; the ski slopes and lakes near ] and the grottoes at ]; ] and ].

===Transportation===
{{main|Transportation in Argentina}}
].]]
] in Buenos Aires]]
]

Argentina's infrastructure is advanced compared to other Latin American countries'.<ref>. National Economies Encyclopedia</ref> There are over 230,000 km (144,000 mi) of roads (not including private rural roads) of which nearly 70,000 km (45,000 mi) are paved<ref name=adefa>http://adefa.com.ar/anuarios/anuario_2006/7_datos_complementarios-complementary_data.pdf</ref> and 1,575 km (980 mi) are expressways,<ref>http://www.grupopayne.com.ar/archivo/01/0112/011211/institucionales/institucionales.html</ref> many of which are privatized tollways. Having doubled in length in recent years, multilane expressways now connect several main cities and more are now under construction.<ref name="cc83">{{cite web | author = La república digital | title = Se dará inicio a las obras de la Autopista Mesopotámica | url = http://www.larepublicadigital.com.ar/spip.php?article3058 | accessmonthday=14 February | accessyear = 2008 }}</ref> Expressways are, however, currently inadequate to deal with local traffic, as 9.2 million motor vehicles are registered nationally as of 2008 (230 per 1000 population).<ref></ref>

The ] network has a total length of 34,059 km (21,170 mi).<ref></ref> After decades of declining service and inadequate maintenance, most intercity passenger services shut down in 1992 when the rail company was privatized and thousands of kilometers of track (excluding the above total) are now in disuse. Intercity rail services are currently being reactivated among several cities and, though also privatized, metro rail services in Buenos Aires have continued; in part thanks to their easy access to the Buenos Aires subways, these continue to be in great demand.

Inaugurated in 1913, the ] was the first built in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere.<ref></ref> It is no longer the most extensive in Latin America; but, its 33 miles of track carry nearly 800,000 passengers, daily.<ref name=mecon></ref>

Argentina has around 11,000 kilometers of navigable ] and these carry more cargo than do the country's renown freight railways.<ref>''Encyclopedia Britannica, Book of the Year (various issues): statistical appendix.''</ref> This includes an extensive network of canals, though Argentina is blessed with ample natural waterways, as well; the most significant among these being the ], ], ], ] and ] rivers.

===Water supply and sanitation===
] 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.

The 2001 Census revealed that, since 1980, very little progress had been made in reducing the prevalence of those without indoor running water or indoor plumbing (about 20% of the population, as of 2001).<ref name=censo>http://www.indec.mecon.ar/censo2001s2/ampliada_index.asp?mode=01</ref> Great regional disparities continued to exist, moreover, as the problem affected 2% of those in the city of ]; but, in the historically underdeveloped provinces of ] and ], a little over ''half'' lacked these amenities.<ref name=censo/>

==Population==
===Contemporary figures===
The ] (INDEC) 2001 ] showed the population of Argentina was 36,260,130. It ranks third in South America in total population and 30th globally. The 2008 estimate is 40,677,348. Argentina's ] is 15 persons per square kilometer of land area, well below the world average of 50 persons; the population, however, is not evenly distributed: the city of Buenos Aires has a population density of over 14,000&nbsp;inhab./km², while Santa Cruz province has fewer than 1&nbsp;inhab./km². Benefiting from a moderate birth rate since the 1930s,<ref>''Statistical Abstract of Latin America.'' UCLA Press, 1990.</ref> Argentina is the only nation in Latin America with a net positive ] rate; about +0.4 net immigrants per 1000 locals, yearly.<ref></ref>

===Cities and metropolitan areas===
{{main|List of cities in Argentina by population}}

], Argentina's 25 largest metropolitan areas are:
]
]
]]
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-right:60px"
! Rank !! City !! Province
! Population !! Region
|-
|align="center"| 1 || ''']''' || City + 24 ''partidos'' in ]
|align="right"| 12,789,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 2 || ''']''' || ]
|align="right"| 1,372,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 3 || ''']''' || ]
|align="right"| 1,242,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 4 || ''']''' || ]
|align="right"| 885,000 ||align="center"| Cuyo
|-
|align="center"| 5 || ''']'''|| ]
|align="right"| 789,000 ||align="center"| &nbsp;NOA&nbsp;(northwest)&nbsp;
|-
|align="center"| 6 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 732,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 7 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 604,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 8 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 516,000 ||align="center"| NOA (northwest)
|-
|align="center"| 9 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 493,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 10 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 453,000 ||align="center"| Cuyo
|-
|align="center"| 11 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 377,000 ||align="center"| Gran Chaco
|-
|align="center"| 12 || ] || ]&nbsp;
|align="right"| 357,000 ||align="center"| Gran Chaco
|-
|align="center"| 13 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 345,000 ||align="center"| Mesopotamia
|-
|align="center"| 14 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 304,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 15 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 298,000 ||align="center"| NOA (northwest)
|-
|align="center"| 16 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 287,000 ||align="center"| Mesopotamia
|-
|align="center"| 17 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 268,000 ||align="center"| Mesopotamia
|-
|align="center"| 18 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 255,000 ||align="center"| Patagonia
|-
|align="center"| 19 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 229,000 ||align="center"| Gran Chaco
|-
|align="center"| 20 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 196,000 ||align="center"| NOA (northwest)
|-
|align="center"| 21 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 192,000 ||align="center"| Cuyo
|-
|align="center"| 22 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 172,000 ||align="center"| NOA (northwest)
|-
|align="center"| 23 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 161,000 ||align="center"| Pampas
|-
|align="center"| 24 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 158,000 ||align="center"| Cuyo
|-
|align="center"| 25 || ] || ]
|align="right"| 148,000 ||align="center"| Mesopotamia
|-
|}
<ref name=EPH></ref>

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Argentina|Ethnography of Argentina}}
{{See also|Immigration to Argentina}}

]
===Ethnicity===
], as with other areas of new settlement such as ], ] or ] is considered a country of immigrants<ref>] y ] sostienen que «''la Argentina desde el siglo XIX, al igual que Australia, Canadá o Estados Unidos, se convierte en un '''''país de inmigración''''', entendiendo por esto una sociedad que ha sido conformada por un fenómeno inmigratorio masivo, a partir de una población local muy pequeña.»'' . Buenos Aires: Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 2000 . (IIGG Documentos de Trabajo, Nº 14). Disponible en la World Wide Web:http://www.iigg.fsoc.uba.ar/docs/dt/dt14.pdf)]; El antropólogo brasileño ] incluye a la Argentina dentro de los ''«pueblos trasplantados»'' de América, junto con ], ] y ] (Ribeiro, Darcy. ''Las Américas y la Civilización'' (1985). Buenos Aires:EUDEBA, pp. 449 ss.); El historiador argentino ] define a la Argentina como un ''«país aluvial» (Romero, José Luis. «Indicación sobre la situación de las masas en Argentina (1951)», en ''La experiencia argentina y otros ensayos'', Buenos Aires: Universidad de Belgrano,1980, p. 64).</ref> and a ] of different peoples, both autochthonous and immigrants.
Most Argentines are descended from colonial-era settlers and of the 19th and 20th century immigrants from ], with around 90 % of Argentina's population being of ] descent<ref name="autogenerated1"></ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html#People |title=Argentina (People) |accessdate=2008-08-08 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency}}</ref>
The majority of these European immigrants came from ] and ]. An estimated 7% of the population is ].<ref name="autogenerated1"/> The last national census, based on self-identification, counted about 600,000 Argentines (1.6 %) of ] heritage.<ref name=encuesta></ref> A further 3-4 % of Argentines were of ]ic or ]n heritage.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>

Following the arrival Spanish colonists, more than 6.2 million Europeans ] from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries.<ref></ref> Major contributors included Italy (initially from ], ] and ]; later from ] and ]),<ref> www.feditalia.org.ar</ref> Spain (mostly ] and ])<ref></ref> and France (mostly to Buenos Aires and Mendoza).<ref></ref> Smaller but significant numbers of immigrants came from ] and ] (to the ''Lakes Region'' of ] and to Córdoba), ], ], ], ], the ], ] (to Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Patagonia; see also ]) and ]. Eastern Europeans were also numerous from ], ], ] and from Central Europe (particularly ], ], ], ] and ]); former President of Argentina ] is partly of Croatian descent.<ref> - Monografías.com {{es icon}}</ref> Sizable numbers of immigrants also arrived from Balkan countries (] and ], particularly in Chaco).<ref></ref> There is a large ] community and the ] has a significant population of ] descent.<ref></ref>

===Minorities===
{{see also|Welsh settlement in Argentina|Asian-Argentines}}

].]]
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; ]ns, ]ese, and ] followed, now at over 60,000.<ref> Clarin.com 22 September 2006</ref>

The majority of Argentina's ] community are ], while about 15–20% are ] groups, primarily ]. ] is the fifth largest in the world.

Argentina is also home to a large community from the ], made up mostly of immigrants from ] and ]. Most are ]s of the ] and ] (]) Churches, with small ] and ] minorities. Many have gained prominent status in national business and politics, including former president ], the son of ]n settlers from the province of La Rioja.

The officially recognized ] 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).<ref> (in Spanish).</ref>

===Illegal immigrants===
] has been a recent factor in Argentine demographics. Most illegal immigrants come from ] and ], countries which border Argentina to the north. Smaller numbers arrive from ], ], and ].<ref> (Editorial) - ] {{es icon}}</ref> The Argentine government estimates that 750,000 inhabitants lack official documents and has launched a program called ''Patria Grande'' ("Big Homeland")<ref></ref> to encourage illegal immigrants to regularize their status; so far over 670,000 applications have been processed under the program.<ref></ref>

===Urbanization===
].]]
].]]
{{seealso|List of cities in Argentina}}
Argentina's population is highly urbanized; the country's ten largest metro areas are home to half the total population and fewer than one in ten live in rural areas.<ref name=EPH/> About 3 million people live in the autonomous city of ] and the ] totals 12.8 million (2008), making it one of the largest conurbations in the world. Together with their respective ]s, the second and third-largest cities in Argentina (] and ]) comprise around 1.3 and 1.2 million inhabitants, respectively; five other metro areas are home to at least half a million people.<ref name=EPH/>

Most European ] settled in the cities, which offered jobs, education and other opportunities which enabled newcomers to enter the ]. 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 ]s when train services ceased and local products manufactured on a small scale were replaced by massive amounts of cheap imported goods. Slums ('']''), which have long blighted the outskirts of a number of Argentine cities, expanded during that decade and, as of 2004, were thought to be home to about 750,000 households (four million people),<ref></ref> inhabited by impoverished lower-class urban dwellers, rural migrants from the interior (mainly from the north) and a large number of immigrants from neighbouring countries that settled in Argentine cities between the 1970s and the 1990s; though a significant proportion left during the 2001-2002 crisis, many have returned during the economic recovery that followed.
Many urban areas appear European, reflecting the influence of European immigrants. 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 is 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 ] was the first in South America with electric street illumination.<ref></ref>

==Culture==
] and sculptor ]'s work, ].]]
].]]
] and ], downtown Buenos Aires.]]
{{main|Culture of Argentina}}{{seealso|List of Argentines}}

Argentine culture has significant European influences. ], considered by many its cultural capital, is often said to be the most European city in South America, as a result both of the prevalence of people of European descent and of conscious imitation of European styles in ]. The other big influence is the ]s and their traditional country lifestyle of self-reliance. Finally, indigenous American traditions (like ] infusions) have been absorbed into the general cultural milieu.

===Literature===
{{main|Argentine literature}}
[[Image:Jorgeluisborges1.jpg|thumb|left|120px|<blockquote>
''When I think of what I've lost, I ask "who know themselves better than the blind?" - for every thought becomes a tool.''
]</blockquote> <ref>Borges, Jorge Luis. ''Siete Noches. Obras Completas, vol. III.'' Buenos Aires: Emecé, 1994.</ref>]]

Argentina has a rich history of world-class literature, including one of the twentieth century's most critically acclaimed writers, ]. The country has been a leader in Latin American literature since becoming a fully united entity in the 1850s, with a strong constitution and a defined nation-building plan. The struggle between the Federalists (who favored a loose ] of provinces based on rural conservatism) and the Unitarians (pro-] and advocates of a strong central government that would encourage European immigration), set the tone for Argentine literature of the time.

The ideological divide between ] epic '']'' by ], and ''Facundo''<ref>e-libro.net. Free digital books. {{PDFlink||638&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 653312 bytes -->}}.</ref> by ], is a great example. Hernández, a federalist, opposed to the centralizing, modernizing and Europeanizing tendencies. Sarmiento wrote immigration was the only way to save Argentina from becoming subject to the rule of a small number of dictatorial '']'' families, arguing such immigrants would make Argentina more modern and open to Western European influences and therefore a more prosperous society.

Argentine literature of that period was fiercely nationalist. It was followed by the ] movement, which emerged in France in the late nineteenth century, and this period in turn was followed by ], with ] as an important reference. ], its most acclaimed writer, found new ways of looking at the modern world in metaphor and philosophical debate and his influence has extended to writers all over the globe. Borges is most famous for his works in short stories such as '']'' and '']''.

Argentina has produced many more internationally noted writers, poets and intellectuals: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. A number of Argentine caricaturists have also become influential: ]'s grotesque characters captured life's absurdities with quick-witted comments and ] (born ''Joaquin Salvador Lavado''), has entertained readers the world over, while dipping into current events with soup-hating ] and her ] gang.

===Film and theatre===
{{main|Cinema of Argentina}}
]
Argentina is a major producer of ]. The world's first ] were made and released in Argentina, by cartoonist ], in 1917 and 1918. ] enjoyed a 'golden age' in the 1930s through the 1950s with scores of productions, many now considered classics of Spanish-language film. The industry produced actors who became the first movie stars of Argentine cinema, often tango performers such as ], ], ], ], ] and ].

More recent films from the "New Wave" of cinema since the 1980s have achieved worldwide recognition, such as ''] (La historia official)'', ''] (Nueve reinas)'', ''] (Hombre mirando al sudeste)'', ''] (El hijo de la novia)'', ''] (Diarios de motocicleta)'', or '']''. Argentine composer ], ] and ] all are ] winners. Although rarely rivaling ]-type movies in popularity, local films are released weekly and widely followed in Argentina and internationally. Even low-budget films have earned prizes in cinema festivals (such as ]). The city of ] organizes its ], while Buenos Aires has its ]. The per capita number of screens is one of the highest in Latin America, and viewing per capita is the highest in the region. A new generation of Argentine directors has caught the attention of critics worldwide.<ref>news.bbc.co.uk 3 April 2006.</ref> Additionally, Argentina is a major center of cinema, it is compared to European countries in terms of people who attend movie theaters. An example of this was '']'' which took in 466,586 the first day a record in Argentina. In Italy it took in 400,000 and Germany 486,571, breaking all records for first day release.<ref></ref>
]
Buenos Aires is one of the great capitals of ]. The Teatro Colon is a national landmark for opera and classical performances. Built at the ending of XIX century, Teatro Colon's acoustic is considered the best in the world. Currently it is undergoing major refurbishment, in order to preserve its outstanding sound characteristics, the French-romantic style, the impressive Golden Room (a minor auditorium targeted to Chamber Music performances) and the museum at the entrance.

], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], Víctor De Sabata, ], ], Sir ], ], ], Sir ], ], ], ], ], ], Marek Janowsky, ], ], ], ], ], ], Sir ], ] and ] are among the artists, composers and conductors who performed in this opera house.

Besides the ] (one of the great ] of the world), with its program of national and international caliber, ''Calle Corrientes'', or ], is synonymous with the art. It is dubbed 'the street that never sleeps', and sometimes referred to as the ] of Buenos Aires.<ref name="Adams">{{cite book |author=Adams, Fiona. |title=Culture Shock Argentina |publisher=Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company |location=Portland, OR |id=ISBN 1-55868-529-4 |year=2001}}</ref> Many great careers in acting, music, and film have begun in its many theaters. The ''Teatro General San Martín'' is one of the most prestigious along Corrientes Avenue; the ''Teatro Nacional Cervantes'' is designated the national theater of Argentina. Another important theater is the ''Independencia'' in ]. Florencio Sanchez and ] are famous Argentine playwrights. ] is one of the great ] of the modern era.

===Painting and sculpture===
], a student of ]'s.]]
Perhaps one of the most enigmatic figures of Argentine culture is Oscar Agustín Alejandro Schulz Solari, ''aka'' ], whose ] style and unorthodox painting media draws large crowds at museums worldwide; he also 'invented' two imaginary languages. The works of ] (in ] style), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]), ] (]) and ] (]) are appreciated internationally.

] is considered to be the quintessential 'port' painter, for which the city of ] and the working class and immigrant-bound ] neighborhood, in particular, was excellently suited. A similar environment inspired ], whose ]s have been influential since the 1920s. Today, ] and ] are acclaimed ] and ]ists. ] is a world-famous fantasy artist and sculptor and ]'s geometric designs have influenced advertisers worldwide since the 1970s.

===Food and drink===
{{main|Cuisine of Argentina}}
]
] is influenced and derived predominantly from the cuisines of Spain, Italy, as well as Germany, France and other European countries, and also from the culinary heritage of the indigenous ]s. From European countries, many foods such as pasta, sausages, and desserts are common in the nation's diet. Argentina has a wide variety of staple foods, which include '']s'' (a stuffed pastry) and '']'' (a spicy sausage), both derived from Spain; and food stuffs like '']'' (a mixture of corn, beans, meat, bacon, onion, and gourd), ]s and ], all originally indigenous Amerindian staples, the latter considered Argentina's national beverage. Other popular items include ''facturas'' (] ]) and ].

].]]
The Argentine barbecue, '']'' as well as a ''parrillada'', is one of the most famous in the world and includes various types of meats, among them ''chorizo'', ], ], and morcilla (]). Thin sandwiches, ], are also popular. Argentines have the highest consumption of ] in the world.<ref></ref>

The ] industry, long among the largest outside Europe, has benefited from growing investment since 1992; in 2007, 60% of foreign investment worldwide in ] was destined to Argentina.<ref></ref> The country is the fifth-most important wine producer in the world, with the annual ''per capita'' consumption of wine among the highest. (] has become a representative variety from Argentina). Malbec grape, a discardable varietal in France (country of origin), has found in Province of Mendoza an ideal environment to successfully develop and turn itself into the world's best Malbec. The city of ] is one of the eight wine capitals of the world,<ref></ref> and Mendoza accounts for 70% of the country's total production (all varietals considered). "Wine tourism" is important in the Province of Mendoza, with the impressive landscape of Cordillera de Los Andes and the highest peak in America, Mount Aconcagua, 6952 meters high, providing a very desirable destination for international tourism.

===Sports===
{{seealso|Sport in Argentina}}

] of ] on his way to score a try against ] in the ]. Beating France 17 - 12, Argentina reached third place in the tournament.]]

] (]) is the most popular ], whose ] was twice ] Champion and Olympic Gold medalist, as well as ] winners fourteen times.<ref>http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/team/profile.html?team=ARG</ref> Including other international cups and club tournaments, Argentine football is the most decorated in the world, counting 227 international titles as of early 2008;<ref></ref> Argentine players contribute greatly to other countries' football, as well: in early 2008, 1095 Argentine footballers played professionally in 63 other nations.<ref></ref> In Argentina over 540,000 people are registered football players for one club or another;<ref name=equis></ref> this is about one in twenty-five adult males, though the sport has become increasingly popular among girls and women, who've organized their own national championships since 1991 and were South American champions in 2006.

The ] was formed in 1893 and is the eighth oldest national football association in the world. The 1891 league tournament organized in Argentina made it only the third in football history, following the ones in the ] and the ]. The AFA today counts 390 professional teams, of which only 20 at any one time belong to the Premier Division. Among the fifteen teams honored with a national tournament title since the AFA went professional in 1931, ] has won 33 and ], 22. Among the public at large, however, Boca Juniors enjoys the widest allegiance, though by no means a absolute majority of fans. Other "big" teams are: ] (14 national titles), ] (10) and ] (7).<ref name=equis/> Over the last twenty years, ] and ] have garnered a growing following. The Argentine beach football team was one of four competitors in the first international championship for the sport, held in ] in 1993.
Also widespread are ] and ]; a number of basketball players participate in the ] and European leagues. Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino, and Fabricio Oberto are a few, and the national team won Olympic Gold in the ]. Argentina has an important ] team, "Los Pumas" (see ]), with many of its players playing in Europe. Argentina beat host nation France twice in the Rugby World Cup 2007, placing them third in the competition. The Pumas currently sit at fourth spot in the ] official world rankings. Argentine ] is very competitive on the world stage, with dozens of players, male and female, in active tour.

Other popular sports include ] (the top female sport, see '']''), ], and sailing. Argentina has the highest number of highly-ranked ] players in the world and the national squad has been the uninterrupted world champion ever since 1949. The Open Polo Championship of ] is the most important polo-related event in the world. ] is growing in popularity due to the National Team's recent successes where they came as the underdogs and finished runner's up of the Inaugural ] Division 3. ] is played in a most limited fashion, as well as the Gridiron.<ref></ref>

] are well represented in Argentina, with ] and ] being the most popular car racing formats. People all over the country enjoy the races, but it is most fervently followed in small towns and rural Argentina, attracting a rather similar demographic as ] in the United States. The ] is part of the ] (currently held in Córdoba Province). In ] racing, the country produced one world champion (Juan Manuel Fangio, five times) and two runners-up (Froilán González and ], once each)

Enjoying a small, though loyal, following, the official national sport of Argentina is ], played with a six-handle ball on horseback.

] Stadium, venue of the ] finals.]]

===Music===
{{main|Music of Argentina}}
], still the standard among ] vocalists.]]

'']'', the music ''and'' lyrics (often sung in a form of slang called ]), is Argentina's musical symbol. The ] dance was a predecessor, slowly evolving into modern ''tango''. Tango, by the 1930s, had changed from a dance-focused music to one of lyric and poetry, with singers like ], ], ], ] and ]. The golden age of tango (1930 to mid-1950s) mirrored that of ] and ] in the United States, featuring large orchestral groups too, like the bands of ], ], ] and ]. Incorporating ] and later, ]s into the genre after 1955, ] virtuoso ] popularized ] creating a more subtle, intellectual and listener-oriented trend. Today tango enjoys worldwide popularity; ever-evolving, ] is a global phenomenon with renown groups like ], ] and the ].

] musician ].]]

], called ''rock nacional'', is the most popular music among youth. Arguably the most listened form of ]-language rock, its influence and success internationally owes to a rich, uninterrupted development. Bands such as ] or ], and composers like ], ], and ] are referents of national culture. Mid-1960s ] and ] were cradles of the music and by 1970, Argentine rock was well-established among middle class youth (see ], ], ], ]). ] bridged the gap into the 1980s, when Argentine bands became popular across Latin America and elsewhere (], ], ], ]). There are many sub-genres: underground, pop-oriented and some associated with the working class (], ], ], ], ] and ]). Current popular bands include: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

] is well represented in Argentina. Buenos Aires is home to the world-renowned ]. Classical musicians, such as ], ], ], Eduardo Delgado and classical composers such as ], are internationally acclaimed, as are film score composers like ] and ]. All major cities in Argentina have impressive theaters or opera houses, and provincial or city orchestras. Some cities have annual events and important classical music festivals like ] in ] and the multitudinous Amadeus in ].

], the ''grand dâme'' of Argentine folk music.]]

Argentine folk music is uniquely vast. Beyond dozens of regional dances, a national folk style emerged in the 1930s. ]'s Argentina would give rise to ], as artists began expressing in their music objections to political themes. ], the greatest Argentine ], and ] would be defining figures in shaping Nueva Canción, gaining worldwide popularity in the process. The style found a huge reception in ], where it took off in the 1970s and went on to influence the entirety of ]n music.<ref> from http://www.msu.edu/~chapmanb/jara/enueva.html</ref> Today, ] and ] have brought folk back to younger generations. ]'s ''folk-rock'' bridged the gap between ] and ], introducing both styles to millions overseas in successive tours.

Other notable musicians include ] with his seductive ] and ] compositions and ] and his spacious ].

===Religion===
], dating back to the seventeenth century.]]
{{main|Religion in Argentina}}
{{seealso|State-Church relations in Argentina}}
Argentines are predominantly ]. Historically, around 90% have indentified themselves as Roman Catholic according to different surveys.<ref name=stateirf>U.S. Department of State. </ref> The Church, however, estimates an affiliation of 70%<ref>Marita Carballo. ''Valores culturales al cambio del milenio'' (ISBN 950-794-064-2). in ], 8 May 2005</ref> and a recent national survey supported this estimate; the study found that 76% declare themselves Roman Catholic and ] churches, which have gained a foothold in Argentina since the 1980s, are now adhered to by 9% of the total population.<ref name=creencias></ref> Traditional ] communities are present in most communities. Members of ] (Mormons), numbering over 330,000 (the seventh-largest concentration in the world), are also present.<ref></ref>

The country is also home to the largest ] population in ]; although it has been decreasing since 1960s, the community still numbers around 230,000. The Argentine Jewish population was possibly the third-largest (after those in the ] and the ]) following World War II, when it numbered over 400,000; since then, the appeal of ] and economic and cultural pressures at home have led many to leave, though instability in Israel has resulted in a modest reversal of the trend since 2003.<ref name=stateirf/><ref></ref>

] constitutes approximately 1.5% of the population, or an estimated 500,000-600,000 (93% ]).<ref name=stateirf/> Buenos Aires is home to one of the largest ]s in Latin America, serving Argentina's ] community.

The recent national study found that approximately 11% of Argentines are non-religious; this includes those who believe in God, though not religion, ]s (4%) and ]s (5%). Among the respondents, only 24% attended religious services regularly and only Protestants attended services in the majority of cases.<ref name=creencias/>

According to the ], the Argentine government should support Roman Catholicism; this, however, does not imply that it is the official religion of the Argentine Republic, nor does it imply that people working in the government should have this faith. Popular opinion, furthermore, opposes the Catholic Church's status as the sole recipient of public subsidies; only one in three supports the policy (though the majority approve of state subsidies for religious social and charitable work, for the maintenance of buildings and for the inclusion of religious studies in schools).<ref name=creencias/>

===Language===
]
{{seealso|Languages of Argentina|List of indigenous languages in Argentina}}
The official language of Argentina is ], usually called ''castellano'' (Castilian) by Argentines.

A phonetic study conducted by the Laboratory for Sensory Investigations of ] and the ] showed that the accent of the inhabitants of ] (known as '']s'') is closer to the ] dialect of ] than any other spoken language. Italian immigration and other European immigrations influenced '']'', the slang spoken in the Río de la Plata region, permeating the vernacular vocabulary of other regions as well.

Argentines are the largest ]-speaking society that universally employs what is known as '']'' (the use of the ] ''vos'' instead of ''tú'' (you), which occasions the use of alternate verb forms as well). The most prevalent dialect is ], whose speakers are primarily located in the basin of the ].

] is spoken by between 400,000 and 500,000<ref>WorldLanguage . Retrieved on ]</ref> Argentines of German ancestry, though it has also been stated that the there could be as many as 1,800,000.<ref></ref> German today, is the third or fourth most spoken language in Argentina.

According to one survey, there are around 1,500,000 ] speakers<ref name="Ethno"></ref> (which makes it the second most spoken language in the country) and 1,000,000 speakers of Levantine ],<ref name="Ethno"/> but these numbers are probably no longer current, as the newer generations mostly switch to Spanish and do not speak the ancestral language in the home. The same phenomenon applies to the ] that was used by many Spanish immigrants, ], and ]. The usage of these languages is in decline, as the respective immigration waves ended in the first half of the 20th century.

Some indigenous communities have retained their ]. ] is spoken by some in the northeast, especially in ] (where it enjoys official status) and ]. ] is spoken by some in the northwest and has a local variant in ]. ] is spoken by members of the Bolivian community who migrated to Argentina from ]. In ] there are several ]-speaking ]. More recent immigrants have brought ] and ], mostly to Buenos Aires. ], ] and ] are also spoken. English is commonly taught at schools as a second language and, to a lesser extent, Portuguese and French.

===Education===
]
{{main|Education in Argentina}}
After independence, Argentina (sometimes called ''"]"'') constructed a national public education system in comparison to other nations, placing the country high up in the global rankings of ]. Today the country has a ] of 97% and three in eight adults over age 20 have completed secondary school studies or higher.<ref name="indec"/>

School attendance is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 17. The Argentine school system consists of a primary or lower school level lasting six or seven years, and a secondary or high school level lasting between five to six years. In the 1990s, the system was split into different types of high school instruction, called ''Educacion Secundaria'' and the ''Polimodal''. Some provinces adopted the ''Polimodal'' while others did not. A project in the Executive to repeal this measure and return to a more traditional secondary level system was approved in 2006.<ref> Clarin.com 20 July 2006 (Spanish)</ref> President ] is overwhelmingly credited in pushing and implementing a free, modern education system in Argentina. The ] shaped the current tripartite representation of most public universities.

Education is funded by tax payers at all levels except for the majority of ]. There are many private school institutions in the ], ] and university levels. Around 11.1 million people were enrolled in formal education of some kind:
* 9,551,728 people attended either kindergarten, primary (lower school), or secondary (high school) establishments;
* 494,461 people attended non-university level establishments (such as training or technical schools);
* 1,125,257 people attended colleges or universities.<ref name= "indec"/>

Public education in Argentina is tuition-free from the primary to the university levels. Though literacy was nearly universal as early as 1947,<ref name= "indec"/> the majority of Argentine youth had little access to education beyond the compulsory seven years of grade school during the first half of the 20th century; since then, when the tuition-free system was extended to the secondary and university levels, demand for these facilities has often outstripped budgets (particularly since the 1970s).<ref name=monografias></ref> Consequently, public education is now widely found wanting and in decline; this has helped private education flourish, though it has also caused a marked inequity between those who can afford it (usually the middle and upper classes) and the rest of society, as private schools often have no scholarship systems in place.<ref name=monografias/>

There are thirty-eight ] across the country,<ref></ref> as well as numerous private ones. The Universities of ] (the largest one, with 300,000 students), ] (110,000 students and one of the oldest in the continent), ] (75,000 students), ] (75,000 students) and the ] (70,000 students) are among the most important. Public universities faced cutbacks in spending during the 1980s and 1990s, which led to a decline in overall quality.

===Health care===
] School of Medicine, alma mater to many of the country's 3,000 medical graduates, annually.<ref></ref>]]
Health care in Argentina is provided for through a combination of employer and labor union-sponsored plans (''Obras Sociales''), government insurance plans, public hospitals and clinics and through private health insurance plans. Government efforts to improve public health in Argentina can be traced to Spanish Viceroy ]'s first Medical Tribunal of 1780.<ref></ref> Following independence, the establishment of the ] School of Medicine in 1822 was complemented by the one in the ], in 1877. The training of doctors and nurses at these and other schools enabled the rapid development of health care cooperatives, which during the Administration of Pres. ], became publically-subsidized ''Obras Sociales''. Today, these number over 300 (of which 200 are related to labor unions) and provide health care for half the Argentine population; the national INSSJP (akin to ]) covers nearly all of Argentina's five million ]s.<ref name=iadb></ref>

Perón's Minister of Health, Dr. ], borrowed both from German Chancellor ]'s support for employer or ]-sponsored plans and British Health Minister ]'s ], as the encouragement of ''Obras Sociales'' and the creation of the INSSJP (then called PAMI) was accompanied by the construction of over 4,000 public clinics and hospitals.<ref name=iadb/><ref></ref> These (totaling 8,000) serve the roughly 40% of Argentines who belong to neither an ''Obra Social'' nor to one of 280 private health insurance companies operating in Argentina as of 2006.<ref name=coopsalud></ref> Private health insurace in Argentina, which was first made available in 1932 by Dr. ], covered 1.1 million households in 2006 (about 10%) and collected monthly premiums of about US$100, on average (though larger families often pay US$300). This system operates nearly 10,000 clinics though, in all, only 18,000 beds.<ref name=coopsalud/><ref name=deis></ref>

Health care costs in Argentina amount to almost 10% of GDP and have been growing in pace with the percentage of Argentines over 65 (7% in 1970). Public and private spending have historically split this about evenly: public funds are mainly spent through ''Obras'', which in turn, refer patients needing hospitalization to private and public clinics; private funds are spent evenly between private insurers' coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.<ref>''Argentina: From Insolvency to Growth.'' World Bank Press, 1993.</ref><ref></ref>

Argentine society, in all, counts with over 153,000 hospital beds, 121,000 physicians and 37,000 dentists (ratios comparable to those in developed nations).<ref name=deis/><ref name=undata></ref> The relatively high access to medical care Argentines have enjoyed has historically resulted in mortality patterns that are nearly similar to those in developed nations: from 1953 to 2005, deaths from ] have increased from 20% to 23% of the total, those from ] from 14% to 20%, ] problems from 7% to 14%, ] maladies (non-infectious) from 7% to 11%, ]s a steady 7%, ] a steady 6% and ] diseases, 4%. Causes related to ] led to many of the rest. Infant deaths, which accounted for 19% of all deaths in 1953, did so for only 3% in 2005.<ref>''UN Demographic Yearbook. 1957.''</ref><ref name=deis/>

The availability of health care has helped reduce infant mortality in Argentina from 69 per 1000 live births in 1948 to 12.9 in 2006<ref name=deis/> and raised life expectancy at birth from 60 years to 76.<ref>''UN Demographic Yearbook. Historical Statistics. 1997''.</ref><ref name=cia/> Though these figures compare favorably with World averages in both eras, they continue to fall somewhat short of levels seen in developed nations and in 2006, ranked fourth in Latin America.<ref name=undata/>
], sometimes referred to as "the World's widest street." Its name honors Argentine Independence Day (9 July 1816).]]

===Holidays===
{{main|Public holidays in Argentina}}

Though holidays of many faiths are respected, public holidays usually include most Catholic holidays. Historic holidays include the celebration of the ] (25 May), the ] (9 July), ] Day (20 June) and the death of ] (17 August).

The extended family gathers on Christmas Eve at around 9 p.m. for dinner, music, and often dancing. Candies are served just before midnight, when the fireworks begin. They also open gifts from Papá Noel (Father Christmas or "Santa Claus"). ] is also marked with fireworks. Other holidays include ], ], ] (1 May) and Sovereignty Day (formerly Malvinas Day, 2 April).

==Science and technology==
Argentina has contributed many distinguished doctors, scientists and inventors to the world, including three ] laureates in sciences.

] in Chemistry.]]
Argentines have been responsible for major breakthroughs in world ]; their research has led to significant advances in wound-healing therapies and in the treatment of ] and several forms of ]. ] designed and developed the first ] successfully implanted in a human being in 1969. ] developed the techniques and performed the world's first ever coronary ] and ] invented a more reliable artificial ]. Medicine's ] ], the first Latin American awarded with a ], discovered the role of ] in regulating ] in animals; Medicine's ] ] did extensive research in ]; Chemistry's ] ] discovered how organisms store energy converting glucose into ] and the compounds which are fundamental in ] ]s. ] devised the first safe method of blood transfusion, ] is a pioneer in laser-eye procedures and research and ] designed operating table tools such as the surgical scissors that bear his name ("Finochietto scissors") and a surgical rib-spreader.<ref></ref> They have likewise contributed to bioscience in efforts like the ], where Argentine scientists have successfully mapped the ] of a living being, a world first.<ref></ref><ref></ref>]
Argentina's ] is highly advanced, having resulted in a research reactor in 1957 and Latin America's first on-line commercial reactor in 1974. Argentina developed its nuclear program without being overly dependent on foreign technology. Nuclear facilities with Argentine technology have been built in ], ], Australia and ]. In 1983, the country admitted having the capability of producing weapon-grade ], a major step needed to assemble ]s; since then, however, Argentina has pledged to use nuclear power only for peaceful purposes.<ref> Non-Proliferation</ref>

In other areas, ], a Croatian immigrant, was the father of modern fingerprinting (dactiloscopy).<ref>Julia Rodríguez, Columbia University. .</ref> (see ]), ] demonstrated the world's first flight of a ], Hungarian-Argentine ] mass-produced the first modern ]s and Eduardo Taurozzi developed the more efficient pendular combustion engine.<ref></ref> ], an Argentine-American scientist, is a leading figure in ]. An Argentine satellite, the PEHUENSAT-1<ref></ref> was successfully launched on 10 January 2007 using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (]).
</sub>

==Communications and media==
===Print===
], as covered by ].]]
The print media industry in Argentina is highly developed and independent of the government. There are over two hundred newspapers in the country. The major national newspapers are from Buenos Aires, including the centrist '']'', the best-selling daily in Latin America and the second most-widely circulated in the Spanish-speaking world.<ref></ref> Other nationally-circulated papers are '']'' (center-right) published since 1870, '']'' (left), '']'' (business conservative), '']'' (sports) and '']'' (populist). Two Argentine foreign language newspapers enjoy a relatively high circulation: the '']'' in German and the ], published since 1876.

Regional papers with especially high influence include '']'' (]), '']'' (]), '']'' (]), '']'' (]), '']'' (]) and '']''. The most circulated newsmagazine in Argentina is ''Notícias''.<ref></ref>

The Argentine ] industry ranks with those in Spain and Mexico as the most important in the Spanish speaking world. Argentine readers can avail themselves of the largest ] chains in Latin America, '']'' and '']''.

===Radio and television===
{{main|Communications in Argentina}}
Argentina was a pioneering nation in radio broadcasting. At 9&nbsp;pm on 27 August 1920, ''Sociedad Radio Argentina'' announced: ''"We now bring to your homes a live performance of ]'s '']'' opera from the ] in downtown Buenos Aires"''; only about twenty homes in the city had a receiver to tune in. The world's first radio station was the only one in the country until 1922, when ''Radio Cultura'' went on the air; by 1925, there were twelve stations in Buenos Aires and ten in other cities. The 1930s were the "golden age" of radio in Argentina, with live variety, news, soap opera and sport shows.<ref> Don Moore</ref>
]
There are currently around 1,500 radio stations licensed in Argentina; 260 are ] and 1150 ].<ref></ref> Radio remains an important medium in Argentina. Music and youth variety programs dominate FM formats; news, debate, and sports are AM radio's primary broadcasts. ] is widespread in the country. Radio still serves a vital service of information, entertainment and even life saving in the most remote communities.

The Argentine television industry is large and diverse, widely viewed in Latin America, and its productions seen around the world. Many local programs are broadcast by networks in other countries, and others have their rights purchased by foreign producers for adaptations in their own markets. Argentina has five major networks. All provincial capitals and other large cities have at least one local station. Argentines enjoy the highest availability of cable and satellite television in Latin America, similar to percentages in North America.<ref> Trends in Latin American networking</ref> Many cable networks operate from Argentina and serve the Spanish-speaking world, including ], ], ] (with the United States and México), MTV Argentina, Cosmopolitan TV and the news network Todo Noticias.

==International rankings==
{{mainarticle|International rankings of Argentina}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Organization
! Survey
! Ranking
|-
| ] and ] Universities
| ]
| 38 out of 149
|-
| '']''
|
| 40 out of 111
|-
| ]
| ]
| 26 out of 177
|-
| ]/'']''
| ]
| 107 out of 157
|-
| ]
|
| 13 out of 192
|-
| ]
| ]
| 76 out of 167
|-
| ]
| ]
| 105 out of 180
|-
| ]
| ]
| 38 out of 177
|}

==See also==
* ]
* ]

==References==
<div class="reflist4" style="height: 300px; overflow: auto; padding: 3px">
{{reflist|2}}
</div>
===Bibliography===
{{wikisource|CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Argentina}}

* {{es icon}}
* {{es icon}} (official website of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Relations, International Trade and Worship)
* {{es icon}}
*
* {{es icon}}

==External links==
{{portal|Argentina|Flag of Argentina.svg}}
{{sisterlinks}}
*
* {{es icon}}
*
* {{wikiatlas|Argentina}}
* {{wikitravel}}
* {{dmoz|Regional/South_America/Argentina}}

; Country Data
* {{CIA World Factbook link|ar|Argentina}}
* for Argentina.
*

{{Argentina topics}}
{{Template group
|title = ]&nbsp;Geographic locale
|list =
{{Provinces of Argentina}}
{{CinemaofArgentina}}
{{Countries of South America}}
}}
{{Template group
|title = International membership
|list =
{{Latin Union}}
{{G15 nations}}
{{South American Community of Nations (CSN)}}
{{Mercosur/Mercosul (Southern Common Market)}}
{{Organization of American States (OAS)}}
}}
<!--As featured article-->

<!--Categories-->
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

{{Link FA|af}}
{{Link FA|de}}
{{Link FA|es}}
<!--Other languages-->

]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Revision as of 22:34, 14 October 2008

For a topic outline on this subject, see List of basic Argentina topics. For more on the subject see the Argentina Portal. For other uses of "Argentina" or "Argentine", see Argentina (disambiguation).

{{Infobox Country |native_name = República Argentina  Template:Es icon |common_name = Argentina |conventional_long_name = Argentine Republic |image_flag = Flag_of_Argentina.svg |image_coat = Coat_of_arms_of_Argentina.svg |image_map = LocationArgentina.svg |national_motto = bitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitch

Argentina: Difference between revisions Add topic