Map of Argentina | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: A part of the Spanish empire until independence in 1816, Argentina subsequently experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. Meantime, thanks to rich natural resources and foreign investment, a modern agriculture and a diversified industry were gradually developed. After World War II, a long period of Peronist dictatorship was followed by rule by a military junta. Democratic elections finally came in 1983, but both the political and economic atmosphere remain susceptible to turmoil.


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Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 2,766,890 km²
Land: 2,736,690 km²
Water: 30,200 km²
Comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries
Total: 9,665 km
Border countries: (5) Bolivia 832 km; , Brazil 1,224 km; , Chile 5,150 km; , Paraguay 1,880 km; , Uruguay 579 km

Coastline: 4,989 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use
Arable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 52%
Forests and woodland: 19%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 17,000 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Geography
Note: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil; strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)


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Population: 36,265,463 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.3% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Argentine(s)
Adjective: Argentine

Ethnic groups: white 85%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 15%

Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 27% (male 5,078,061; female 4,888,883)
15-64 years: 62% (male 11,299,155; female 11,315,522)
65 years and over: 11% (male 1,526,682; female 2,157,160) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.3% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 19.96 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.67 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 19.03 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.54 years
Male: 70.9 years
Female: 78.34 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.68 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.2%
Male: 96.2%
Female: 96.2% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Argentine Republic
Conventional short form: Argentina
Local long form: Republica Argentina
Local short form: Argentina

Government type: republic

Capital: Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular_provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; Entre Rios; Formosa; Jujuy; La Pampa; La Rioja; Mendoza; Misiones; Neuquen; Rio Negro; Salta; San Juan; San Luis; Santa Cruz; Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur; Tucuman
Note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held 1999)
Election results: Carlos Saul MENEM reelected president; percent of vote_NA

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; formerly, three members appointed by each of the provincial legislatures; presently transitioning to one-third of the members being elected every three years to a nine-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms)
Elections: Senate_last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA 1998); Chamber of Deputies_last held 26 October 1997 (next to be held NA 1999)
Election results: Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PJ 39, UCR 1, others 32; Chamber of Deputies_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PJ 119, UCR 69, Frepaso 36, other 33

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINUGUA, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MTCR, NSG (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Diego Ramiro GUELAR
In the us chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-6,400 through 6,403
In the us fax: [1] (202) 332-3,171
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James R. CHEEK has retired; replacement to be appointed in 1998
From the us embassy: 4,300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires
From the us mailing address: International mail:use street address; APO address:Unit 4,334, APO AA 34,034
From the us telephone: [54] (1) 777-4,533, 4,534
From the us fax: [54] (1) 777-0197

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that has put Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 50 years. Argentines have responded to price stability by repatriating capital and investing in domestic industry. Growth averaged more than 8% between 1991 and 1994, then fell 4.6% in 1995, largely in reaction to the Mexican peso crisis. The economy has since recovered strongly. However, unemployment remains nearly 14%, and Buenos Aires still depends on foreign capital to meet the bulk of its financing needs. The IMF has urged additional economic reforms to ensure equitable long-term growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 8.4% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $9,700 (1997 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7%
Industry: 36%
Services: 57% (1995 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets; livestock

Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Industrial production growth rate: 8.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force
Total: 14.5 million (1995 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 12%
By occupation industry: 31%
By occupation services: 57% (1985est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.7% (October 1997)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $55 billion
Expenditures: $59 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1997 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value:$25.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodoties: meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, manufactures, fuels
Partners: Brazil 26.1%, US 8.5%, Chile 7.0%, Netherlands 5.7%, Italy 3.5% (1995)

Imports: total value:$30.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, transport equipment, agricultural products
Partners: Brazil 20.8%, US 20.7%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 6.2%, France 5.2% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $115 billion (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: pesos per US$1_0.99950 (January 1998), 0.99950 (1997), 0.99966 (1996), 0.99975 (1995), 0.99901 (1994), 0.99895 (1993)


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Electricity
Capacity: 19.61 million kW (1995)
Production: 65.72 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 1,960 kWh (1995)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 4.6 million (1990)

Telephone system: 12,000 public telephones; extensive modern system but many families do not have telephones; despite extensive use of microwave radio relay, the telephone system frequently grounds out during rainstorms, even in Buenos Aires
Domestic: microwave radio relay and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1997)
Percent of gdp: 1.5% (1997)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1,411 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 137
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 25
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 55
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 44
With paved runways under 914 m: 8 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1,274
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 65
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 635
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 570 (1997 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km

Railways
Total: 37,910 km
Broad gauge: 24,124 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified)
Standard gauge: 2,765 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 11,021 km 1.000-m gauge (26 km electrified)

Roadways

Waterways: 11,000 km navigable

Merchant marine
Total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 268,492 GRT/388,524 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 11, container 2, oil tanker 13, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of the southwestern boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas; claims UK-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US