Information on Argentina - Facts & Figure

Argentina’s stunning landscapes and diverse, cosmopolitan population make it an ideal place to live and learn Spanish. The accent is somewhat different to other Latin American countries and also different to that of Spain, and they have many unique phrases and words.

The main difference in the accent is the pronunciation of the letters 'll' and the 'y' which sound much like a slurred 'j' in English.

For example, la calle would be pronounced 'la kah-yeh' throughout most of the Spanish-speaking world, but in Argentina it is pronounced 'la kah-shjeh'.

There are many language schools in towns and cities all over the country, and the prices are very reasonable, especially once one gets away from the major Argentine cities.

Learn Spanish in Argentina

Total immersion is the best way to learn a language, especially if combined with:

• a good grammar learning system,(see on the Grammar pages on this site...

• vocabulary learning system (if you are not learning 200 words a day of Spanish vocabulary you are using an outdated system),

• and an onsite course with a good teacher.

For more info about how to learn Spanish in Argentina click on the link.
Learn Spanish in Argentina!

Before you scoot off here are a few hundred small facts you might like to quickly familiarize yourself with.

Information on Argentina

Languages: Spanish is the main language, the lingua franca, with large pockets of Italian, English, German, French. In Patagonia there are many towns where Welsh is spoken by descendants of Welsh migrants.

Capital: Buenos Aires
Population: 38 million (2003 estimate.)

Basic Facts

Gained independence in 1816 from Spain. Since then underwent periods of internal political conflict between liberals and conservatives and also between the military and civilian groups.

After the Second World War, there was a long period of authoritarian Peronist rule. In 1976 a military junta that took power.

In 1983 democracy returned.

Geography information on Argentina

Location: Southern South America, between Uruguay (to the north-east and Chile in the west).

Latitude and Longitude: 34 degrees South 64 degrees West

Area: Total Land Area: 2.7 million square kilometres
Water Area: 30,200 square kilometres
Land boundary distances:
Total: 9,665 kilometres

Countries bordering: Chile 5,150 kilometres, Paraguay 1,880 kilometres, Brazil 1,224 kilometres, Bolivia 832 kilometres, Uruguay 579 kilometres,

The Total Coastline: 4,989 kilometres

Climate:
The climate is mostly temperate; dry, arid with low rainfall in south-east; cold, icy, sub Antarctic climatology in south-west of the country.

Terrain: Wide, rich flat plains of the Pampas in northern half, Patagonia in south is flat-rolling plateaux, rugged, mountainous Andes Mountains along the western border with Chile.
Elevation highs and lows - :
lowest point: Salinas Chicas 40 metres below sea level and is found on Valdes Peninsula
Highest Peak: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 metres Natural resources: fertile plains of the Pampas, zinc, lead, tin, copper, uranium, iron ore, manganese, petroleum.Land use: arable: 9%
permanent crops: 0.8%
other: 90.06% (1998)
Irrigated land: 15,610 sq kilometres(1998)

Natural hazards:
Earthquakes in San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas of Andes Mountains; violent windstorms called pamperos can strike the Pampas and northeastern regions; floods.

Geography: Second biggest country in South America (Brazil is the largest).

People information Argentina

Population: 38.7 million (2003) Age structure: under 14 years of age: 26%
15 to 64 years: 64%
65 years plus: 10%

Median age: 29
male: 28
female: 29.9 (2002) Population growth rate: 1.05% (2003)

Birth rate: 17 per thousand of population (2003)
Death rate: 7.58 deaths per thousand of population(2003)

Net migration rate of the Argentine Republic: 0.62 migrants per thousand of population (2003 estimate)
Infant mortality rate: total: 16.16 deaths per thousand live births
female: 14.08 deaths per thousand live births (2003 estimate)
male: 18.14 deaths/1,000 live births Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.48 years
male life expectancy: 71.72 years
female life expectancy: 79.44 years (2003 estimate)
Total fertility rate:
2.28 children born per woman (2003 estimate.)

Ethnic groups: white European (mostly of Spanish and Italian descent) 97%, Amerindian, mestizo, or other non-white groups 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 92%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Literacy: defined as number over 15 that can write and read
total population: 97.1% male literacy: 97.1% female literacy: 97.1% (2003 estimate.)

Government information on Argentina

Administrative divisions: Twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal

Independence: 9 July 1816
National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May 1810
Constitution: 1 May 1853; update August 1994

Voting: Argentines get the vote at age 18.

Head of Government: President, who appoints a Cabinet.
elections: The President and VP president are voted in for 4 year terms

Legislative branch: Bicameral Congreso Nacional of the Senate of 72 seats.

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema.

Economy - Argentina

Abundant natural resources, avery literate and educated population, a strong agricultural sector which exports a great deal, and a powerful and diverse industrial base.

Over the last ten years recurring economic problems of overseas debt, inflation, low investment, capital flight, and budget deficits have been prevalent.

The economic situation reached a crisis point in 2001 a an almost collapse of the banking system and economy.

Unemployment, already high reached at 21.5%, with much higher rates in the regions.

GDP: $USD390 billion (2002)
GDP growth rate: -14% (2002)
GDP - per capita: $USD10,200 (2002)

GDP segmentation: agriculture: 5%
industry: 28%
services: 67% (2000 est.)
Percentage of Population below poverty line: 37% (2001)

Budget: total revenue: $USD44 billion.
total expenditure: $USD48 billion

Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)
Currency code: ARS

Communications Argentina

Telephones: 7.5 million (1998) Telephones - mobile: 3 million (Dec 1999)

Television broadcast stations: 42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code: .ar

Transportation Argentina

Railways: total track: 34,000 kilometres (168 kilometres electrified)
Highways: total distance of highways: 215,434 kilometres of which 63,000 kilometres paved and 151,000 kilometers unpaved.

Travel & Tourism Aerolineas Argentina

The national airline has an international fleet and extensive domestic flight networks.Click for the official website of Aerolineas Argentinas.

Military Argentina

Military Forces: Argentine Army, Argentine Navy including Marines and Naval Aviation, National Aeronautical Police Force, Argentine Coast Guard, Argentine Air Force, Argentine National Gendarmerie,

International Issues Argentina

Disputes - international:

Claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands which are administered by the United Kingdom.

Argentina Map

Check out all the facts and figures on Argentina here - including the Argentinian map.

Facts from the CIA Factbook August 2003 edition.

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