Argentina

Argentina, known formally as Republica Argentina (Argentine Republic), is the second-largest country in South America by area. It occupies the southern portion of the continent and has a long eastern coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The country shares borders with Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay to the east; Bolivia to the north; and Chile along the entire western frontier. Argentina also claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (or Islas Malvinas) located off the southeastern coast, although administration of the islands remains under the control of Great Britain. Argentina declared independence from Spain in 1816.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: At the time of the 2010 census, around 97.2 percent of the population of Argentina was of European descent or Mestizo (mixed White and Indigenous ancestry). Italian and Spanish heritage was most common. Other ethnic groups included Amerindians (2.4 percent) and those of African descent (0.4 percent).

Like most of the population of Latin America, the majority of Argentines are Roman Catholics, who constituted 62.9 percent of the population according to 2019 estimates. Approximately 15.3 percent of the population adhered to Evangelical Christian denominations, while other faiths such as Judaism, Jehovah's Witness, and Mormonism each accounted for less than 2 percent. An estimated 18.9 percent of Argentinians belonged to no religion, including agnostics and atheists.

The official language of Argentina is Spanish, but some European and indigenous languages are spoken as well. The most common are English, Italian, German, French, Mapudungun, Guarani, and Quechua.

The largest city in Argentina is Buenos Aires, with an urban area population of 15.49 million in 2023. The capital sits on the south side of the Rio de la Plata River (across from the Uruguayan capital city, Montevideo) on the eastern coast of South America. Other large cities in Argentina include Córdoba (population 1.612 million), Rosario (population 1.594 million), Mendoza (population 1.226 million), San Miguel de Tucuman (1.027 million), and La Plata (914,000) (2023 estimates). According to CIA World Factbook, Population in 2024 is 46,994,384.

Argentina ranked 47 out of 193 countries and territories on the United Nations 2023 Human Development Index, which measures quality of life indicators.

Indigenous People: The largest groups of Indigenous peoples in Argentina include the Collas, Chiriguanos, Tobas, Selk'namgon, and Mapuches. Most live in the northern part of Argentina near the borders with Paraguay and Bolivia, but there are settlements found throughout the country. Quechua, Mapudungun, Chiringua, Guaraní, and other languages are spoken by Indigenous Argentines.

The conditions for Indigenous Argentines were dismal for centuries. Since the earliest contact with European colonizers, Indigenous Argentines were forced from their land. Populations have been decimated by disease and genocidal attacks or otherwise marginalized by the majority-White population. Argentina maintains a National Plan of Indigenous Policy, which allows some protections, but there are still many unaddressed grievances involving the political, environmental, and social conditions of Indigenous peoples throughout the country.

Education: Education in Argentina is compulsory from ages five to seventeen. Public schooling is free, but private education is available to those with the means to pay for it. Students progress from early childhood education to primary schooling, and secondary schooling; from there, they may enter into higher education. Primary education lasts for six years and is followed by three years of lower secondary education. General upper-secondary education is three years, while technical schooling goes for four. Argentina has many public and private colleges and universities, including the Universidad de Buenos Aires, the country's largest.

Argentina’s literacy rate was estimated at 99.1 percent in 2020, though this figure may not fully capture literacy levels beyond Buenos Aires and the surrounding metropolitan region.

Health Care: The health care system in Argentina is divided into three subsystems: public, private, and social security (obras sociales). Life expectancy for Argentines is 78.8 years (2024 estimate). Argentina has a relatively low infant mortality rate, at 9 deaths per 1,000 live births according to 2024 estimates.

Food: The heavy Spanish and Italian influence on Argentine culture can be seen in the country's cuisine. Argentines are fond of such dishes as alfajors (a type of cookie with caramel), asado (grilled barbecue), empanadas (turnovers that contain a variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other ingredients) and pasta dishes. Lasagna and other traditional Italian dishes are quite popular among Argentines.

Meat is an important component in Argentine cuisine, owing in part to the country's historical dependence on cattle and livestock ranching. Argentines are also fond of the drink yerba mate, which is a type of tea served in a gourd and sipped through a straw. Argentines often eat four meals a day, with cena, or dinner, being the most important meal. Argentina is widely recognised for producing high-quality wines.

Arts & Entertainment: Argentine arts and entertainment are influenced by both Europe and the United States. The gaucho culture of Argentina is quite strong; in Argentina, a gaucho is similar to the cowboy of North America, and the image has appeared constantly in literature, art (particularly folk art), dance, and music since the mid-eighteenth century.

Argentina has a diverse national literature. One of the nation's most renowned works is the poem "El Gaucho Martin Fierro" (1872), by José Hernández. Important writers of the twentieth century include the novelist and short story writer Julio Cortázar (1914–84), whose novel Rayuela (1963, translated into English as Hopscotch) is considered one of the finest works of not only Argentine literature, but Latin American literature in general; and Manuel Puig (1932–90), author of Kiss of the Spider Woman (1976), which was adapted into a motion picture in 1985. Another widely known author to come from Argentina was Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986). His short story collections, including Ficciones (1945), are highly regarded worldwide and have been compared to the works of other important twentieth-century authors such as Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, and Gabriel Garcia Márquez.

The gaucho theme is quite prevalent in Argentine folk music, but perhaps the best-known example of Argentine native arts is the tango, a dance and song style that grew out of Buenos Aires ballroom culture. Argentine musicians and composers have played important roles on the world stage, including the jazz and classical composer Lalo Schifrin (b. 1932), tango composer Astor Piazzolla (1921–92), and musician Daniel Barenboim (b. 1942). Other popular musical genres in Argentina include Argentine rock and Western dance club music.

Popular sports in Argentina include association football (soccer) and the equestrian sports of horse racing and polo. Argentina won the World Cup soccer tournament in 1978, 1986, and 2022. It also won Olympic gold medals in soccer in 2004 and 2008. Several Argentine footballers are widely considered among the best ever to play the sport, including Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Holidays: Argentine public holidays include National Memorial Day (March 24); Malvinas Day (April 2), which honors veterans of war; Revolución de Mayo (May 25), which celebrates one of Argentina's earliest attempts at independence; the Death of Martin Miguel de Güemes (June 15); Independence Day (July 9), which commemorates its 1810 independence from Spain; the Anniversary of General San Martin (August 17), which celebrates one of Argentina's founders; and National Sovereignty Day (November 23). Catholic holidays are also commonly celebrated, including Carnival during the season of Lent, Holy Week in March or April, and Immaculate Conception Day and Christmas in December. Internationally recognized holidays commemorated in Argentina include New Year's Day (January 1), Labor Day (May 1), and Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity (October 12), recalling the first voyage of explorer Christopher Columbus to the Americas.

Environment and Geography

Topography: There are three distinct topographical regions in Argentina: the Andes region along the western border; the Pampas, or treeless grasslands of central Argentina; and Patagonia, which stretches from central to southern Argentina, south of which lies the extreme tip of Argentina (and South America), Tierra del Fuego.

The Andes mountain range is shared with six other nations in South America, including neighboring Chile. The Argentine Andes contains the highest peak in the entire system, Aconcagua (also the highest in the Western Hemisphere), which rises to 6,962 meters (22,841 feet).

Central Argentina contains the Pampas region, which is home of several of Argentina's agricultural industries, including cattle farming and soybeans. The Patagonian region is a resource-rich semiarid plateau that has been a place of lasting fascination for world travelers and adventurers since Europeans first came across it in the early sixteenth century.

Argentine rivers include the Rio de la Plata, the Paraguay, and the Uruguay, and the Rio Parana, which flows southward from Brazil and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

Natural Resources: Petroleum and natural gas deposits, timber, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, and uranium are Argentina's chief natural resources. The Pampas region, where most of the country's agriculture takes place, boasts some of the richest soil in the world.

Issues of environmental concern in Argentina include deforestation, desertification, and air and water pollution.

Plants & Animals: Each of the regions of Argentina has distinct flora and fauna. The Pampas region is grassy and has the largest variety of indigenous plant life in the country. The treeless regions (the plains and Patagonia, principally) of Argentina have several types of herbs and shrubs. Tropical plants such as palm, rosewood, and lignum are found in the northeastern region, while cacti are common in the northwest. Carob and quebracho (white and red varieties) trees are also common in forested areas. Oak, araucaria, and cypress trees are also common.

Common animals found in the north include such large cats as jaguars, ocelots, and puma. In addition, the region includes monkeys, peccaries (known as javelinas in the southwestern United States), and tapirs. The mountainous regions are home to llamas, guanacos, alpaca, and vicunas. Common animals found in the plains region include hawks, armadillos, foxes, martens, and foxes.

Endangered species of Argentina include the short-tailed chinchilla, the Chacoan peccary, the South Andean deer (or Patagonian huemul), and the blue whale.

Climate: Climate change is contributing to a gradual warming trend across Argentina, with higher average temperatures, more frequent heatwaves, and increasingly variable precipitation patterns. These shifts have led to a rise in extreme weather events, including prolonged droughts, sudden heavy flooding, and heightened wildfire risk, making long-established climatic patterns less predictable across many regions. Because Argentina stretches from the midsection of South America to a sub-Antarctic southern tip, the country continues to encompass a wide range of climate zones, from subtropical conditions in the north to sub-Antarctic climates in the far south. Average annual temperatures generally range from about 11 to 24 degrees Celsius (51 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in sea-level Buenos Aires to roughly 8 to 24 degrees Celsius (46 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in the higher-elevation city of Mendoza, with average yearly precipitation measuring approximately 97 centimeters (38 inches).

Economy

Following the end of repressive military rule in 1983, Argentina faced prolonged economic challenges throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including high unemployment and inflation, currency devaluation, and weaknesses in the banking system. Economic reforms introduced in the early twenty-first century contributed to improvements in overall economic stability. A key strength of the Argentine economy lies in the diversity of natural resources, particularly extensive and productive agricultural regions. In response to the global financial crisis, a public works program valued at approximately US$32 billion was launched in 2008 to support economic activity.

Argentina’s gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US$1.213 trillion in 2024, with per capita GDP reaching approximately US$26,500. Services and industry accounted for the largest shares of employment during the same period. The unemployment rate in 2024 was estimated at 7.9 percent of the national labor force.

Industry: Argentina’s leading industries include food processing, chemicals, textiles, and printing. Key export products consist of edible oils, petroleum products and natural gas, cereals and animal feed, and automobiles. Principal trading partners include Brazil, China, the United States, Chile, and Germany.

Agriculture: Traditionally, agriculture has been a mainstay of the Argentine economy, owing in part to the richness and diversity of what can be grown or raised in the vast Pampas region. Among the most important crops are sunflower seeds, wheat and cereal grains, livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses), wool, lemons, grapes, and tobacco. Argentina ranks among the largest producers of grain and livestock in the world. The country is also a big producer of soybeans. Nearly 42.4 percent of the country's total area is devoted to agriculture (2023 estimate).

Tourism: Argentina is rich in tourist attractions and sustains a sizeable tourist industry. Among the most notable destinations are Patagonia, the Andes, and the city of Buenos Aires, which is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in South America. Other popular destinations include Iguazu Falls in the far northeast near the borders with Brazil and Paraguay, the beaches of Mar del Plata, and the city of Cordoba, which contains many unique examples of Argentine architecture.

Government

Argentina is a presidential republic, with twenty-three provinces and one federal district (Buenos Aires). The province of Tierra del Fuego, separated physically from the rest of Argentina by the Strait of Magellan, includes disputed territories in Antarctica and the Malvinas Islands, also known as the Falkland Islands. In 1982, Great Britain and Argentina went to war over the Falklands. The war ended in a British victory, though Argentina continues to assert a claim over the territory.

The constitution in force was adopted in 1853 and has been amended on several occasions, with the latest revision taking place in 1994. There have been several periods in Argentine history when the government has either rescinded or otherwise altered the original constitution, but this practice ended after 1983.

There are three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The president is elected to a four-year term, and may seek reelection once. The vice president is elected on the same ballot as the president. The president appoints his own cabinet officers and serves as the commander-in-chief of the military.

The legislative body is called the National Congress and is separated into the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies (elected for four-year terms). The seventy-two senators serve six-year terms. There are 257 members in the Chamber of Deputies. The president nominates justices to serve in the Supreme Court; the Senate then approves the nominees.

Controversial former president Juan Perón (in office 1946–55 and 1973–74) was one of the most powerful political figures of twentieth-century Latin American politics. The nationalist policies (known as Peronism) espoused by Perón and his second wife, Eva Perón, were very popular among the Argentine working class, and their influence is still felt many years later. After his death in 1974, Juan Perón was succeeded as president by his third wife, Isabel Perón, who also proved controversial. She was deposed in a 1976 coup and Argentina was run by a US-backed military junta until 1983. Under the junta thousands of political dissidents and others were murdered in a state-sanctioned campaign of violence known as the Dirty War.

Interesting Facts

• The name Argentina is derived from argentum, the Latin word for silver, due to the belief by explorers that the country was rich in silver.
• Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires is one of the widest streets in the world.
• The varied ecosystems throughout Argentina have made it one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.
• Argentina was one of just two countries in the world, along with Chile, to witness a total eclipse of the sun in July 2019.
• Pope Francis, who became head of the Catholic Church in 2013 and the first pope from the Americas, was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina.

Bibliography

“2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Argentina.” US Department of State, 2021, www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/argentina/. Accessed 2 June 2022.‌

"Argentina." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 6 May 2025, www.hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/ARG. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

"Argentina." The World Bank, 2024, www.data.worldbank.org/country/argentina. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

"Argentina." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 3 Dec. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/argentina/. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

“Argentina: Overview of the Education System (EAG 2021).” OECD Education GPS, OECD, 2021, gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=ARG&treshold=10&topic=EO. Accessed 2 Jun. 2022. ‌
"Consecutive Extreme Heat and Flooding Events in Argentina Highlight the Risk of Managing Increasingly Frequent and Intense Hazards in a Warming Climate." World Weather Attribution, 27 Mar. 2025, www.worldweatherattribution.org/consecutive-extreme-heat-and-flooding-events-in-argentina-highlight-the-risk-of-managing-increasingly-frequent-and-intense-hazards-in-a-warming-climate/. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.