Argentina

**Argentina**, officially the **Argentine Republic**, is a country in South America. Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and the eighth-largest country in the world.

Spanish is the most spoken language, and the official language, but many other languages are spoken. There are minorities speaking Italian, German, English, Quechua and even Welsh in Patagonia.

In eastern Argentina is Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, it is also one of the largest cities in the world. In order by number of people, the largest cities in Argentina are Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, La Plata, Tucumán, Mar del Plata, Salta, Santa Fe, Neuquén and Bahía Blanca.

Argentina is between the Andes mountain range in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east and south. It is bordered by Paraguay and Bolivia in the north, Brazil and Uruguay in the northeast, and Chile in the west and south. It also claims the Falkland Islands (Spanish: _Islas Malvinas_) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Most citizens of the Argentine Republic are descendants of immigrants from Europe. They are united by citizenship and not necessarily by ethnicity. Most Argentinians embrace both their ethnic origins and Argentinian nationality.

## History

The name **Argentina** comes from the Latin _argentum_ (silver) as the Spanish conquistadors believed the area had silver. In the Americas (South and North), Canada, US, Brazil and Argentina are the largest countries (in that order).

The oldest signs of people in Argentina are in the Patagonia (Piedra Museo, Santa Cruz), and are more than 13,000 years old. In 1480 the Inca Empire conquered northwestern Argentina, making it part of the empire. In the northeastern area, the Guaraní developed a culture based on yuca and sweet potato however typical dishes all around Argentina are pasta, red wines (Italian influence) and beef.

Other languages spoken are Italian, English and German. Lunfardo is Argentinean slang and is a mix of Spanish and Italian. Argentinians are said to speak Spanish with an Italian accent.

Argentina declared independent from Spain in 1816, and achieved it in a War led by José de San Martín in 1818. Many immigrants from Europe came to the country. By the 1920s it was the 7th wealthiest country in the world, but it began a decline after this. In the 1940s, following the "infamous decade" where the country's politics were not stable, Juan Peron came to power. Peron was one of the most important people in the country's history and many politicians today call themselves Peronist. Peron was forced out of power in 1955. After spending years in exile he returned to power in the 1970s.

In 1976, the country was falling into chaos, and the military took power. This was not the first time the military had done this. Leading the new government was Jorge Rafael Videla. Videla was one of history's most brutal dictators. Thousands of people disappeared or were killed during his time as president. Videla retired in 1980.

One of his successors was another general turned dictator, Leopoldo Galtieri. By the time Galtieri was in office in 1981 the dictatorship became unpopular. To stir up support, Galtieri ordered an invasion of the Falkland Islands, starting the Falklands War. Argentina lost the war, and soon the country fell into chaos again. Galtieri was removed from power and eventually democracy was restored. Galtieri and Videla would be charged with "crimes against humanity" because of the mass murder and other crimes that they ordered as president.

In the early 21st century Argentina is one of the most important countries in Latin America, though it still has many problems. It has a large economy and is influential in the "southern cone" of South America and a member of the G20 developing nations.

In December 2023, Argentina was the invitee country but it did not joined to the BRICS bloc.

## Politics

Argentina is a federal republic. The people of Argentina vote for a President to rule them and Senators and Deputies to speak for them and make laws for them. The President is Javier Milei since December 2023.

## Administrative divisions

Argentina is divided into 23 provinces (_provincias_; singular: _provincia_), and 1 city (commonly known as _capital federal_):

## Geography

Argentina is almost 3,700 km long from north to south, and 1,400 km from east to west (maximum values). It can be divided into three parts: the Pampas in the central part of the country, Patagonia in the southern part down to Tierra del Fuego; and the Andes mountain range along the western border with Chile, with the highest point in the province of Mendoza. Cerro Aconcagua, at 6,960 metres (22,834 ft), is the Americas' highest mountain.

The most important rivers include the River Plate, Paraguay, Bermejo, Colorado, Uruguay and the largest river, the Paraná. River Plate was incorrectly translated though, and should have been translated to English as River of (the) Silver. River Plate is also a famous Buenos Aires soccer team.

See List of cities in Argentina for the many places people live in Argentina.

## Other information

The majority of the Argentineans are descendants of Europeans mainly from Spain, Italy, Russia, France, Germany , Arabs other Europeans countries and Mestizo representing more than 90% of the total population of the country. More than 300,000 Roma gypsies live in Argentina. Since the 1990s, Romanian, Brazilian and Colombian gypsies arrived in Argentina.

Football or soccer is the most popular sport, although the national sport of the country is Pato. Argentina has a number of highly ranked Polo players. Field hockey (for women) rugby and golf are also favorites.

Argentina is a Christian country. Most of Argentina's people (80 percent) are Roman Catholic. Argentina also has the largest population of Jewish community after Israel and US. Middle Eastern immigrants who were Muslims converted to Catholicism, but there are still Muslims as well.

Medicine is socialized and so is education, making Argentina's literacy rate about 98%. State University is free as well.

## Related pages

- Argentina at the Olympics
- Argentina national football team
- List of rivers of Argentina

## References

<div class="references-small">
- General information and maps
- Geography and tourism
- Pictures from Argentina grouped by provincia
</div>

## Other websites

- Argentina.gov.ar - Official national portal
- Gobierno Electrónico  - Official government website
- Presidencia de la Nación  - Official presidential website
- Honorable Senado de la Nación - Official senatorial website
- Honorable Cámara de Diputados de la Nación - Official lower house website
- Secretaría de Turismo de la Nación - Official tourism board website

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Argentine Republic
- **common name**: Argentina
- **image flag**: Flag of Argentina.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Argentina.svg
- **other symbol**:
- **other symbol type**:

- **image map**: Argentina orthographic.svg
- **map width**: 220px
- **capital**: Buenos Aires
- **largest city**: capital
- **languages type**: Regional languages
- **languages2 type**: Other languages
- **languages2**: Argentine Italian, English language, English, Italian language, Italian, German language, German, Chinese language, Chinese, French language, French, Arabic language, Arabic, Portuguese language, Portuguese, Hindi language, Hindi, Russian language, Russian, Japanese language, Japanese, Dutch language, Dutch, Turkish language, Turkish
- **demonym**: Argentine
- **government type**: Federal republic, Federal Presidential system, presidential constitutional republic
- **leader title1**: President of Argentina, President
- **leader name1**: Javier Milei
- **leader title2**: Vice President of Argentina, Vice President
- **leader name2**: Victoria Villarruel
- **leader title3**: Argentine Chamber of Deputies, President of the Chamber of Deputies
- **leader name3**: Martín Menem
- **leader title4**: Supreme Court of Argentina, President of Supreme Court
- **leader name4**: Horacio Rosatti
- **legislature**: Argentine National Congress, Congress
- **upper house**: Argentine Senate, Senate
- **lower house**: Argentine Chamber of Deputies, Chamber of Deputies
- **sovereignty type**: Argentine War of Independence, Independence
- **sovereignty note**: from Spanish Empire, Spain
- **established event1**: May Revolution
- **established date1**: 25 May 1810
- **established event2**: Argentine Declaration of Independence, Declared
- **established date2**: 9 July 1816
- **established date3**: 1 May 1853
- **established date4**: 29 April 1857
- **area rank**: 8th
- **area km2**: 2780400
- **percent water**: 1.57
- **population estimate**: 42,669,500
- **population estimate year**: 2014
- **population census**: 40,117,096
- **population census year**: 2010
- **population census rank**: 32nd
- **population density km2**: 14.4
- **population density rank**: 212th
- **gdp ppp**: $927.382 billion
- **gdp ppp rank**: 25th
- **gdp ppp year**: 2014
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $22,101
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: 55th
- **gdp nominal**: $536.155 billion
- **gdp nominal rank**: 24th
- **gdp nominal year**: 2014
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $12,778
- **gdp nominal per capita rank**: 60th
- **gini year**: 2011
- **gini change**: decrease
- **gini**: 43.6
- **hdi year**: 2013
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi**: 0.808
- **hdi rank**: 49th
- **currency**: Argentine peso, Peso (Dollar sign, $)
- **currency code**: ARS
- **time zone**: Time in Argentina, ART
- **utc offset**: −3
- **date format**: dd.mm.yyyy (Common Era, CE)
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: +54
- **cctld**: .ar
- **footnote a**: _De facto_ at all government levels. In addition, some provinces have official _de jure_ languages:
:Guaraní language, Guaraní in Corrientes Province.
:Kom language (South America), Kom, Moqoit language, Moqoit and Wichi language, Wichi, in Chaco Province.
- **footnote b**: Trains ride on left.