Some places you should visit in Argentina: Iguazú Nat. Park; Valdes Peninsula; Perito Moreno Glacier; Buenos Aires City; Bariloche; Esteros del Iberá; Ushuaia

Argentina. The name conjures up images of soccer, tango, Pampas, Evita and Maradona…. But there is more, much more. It is a country of endless variety that offers you a stupendous range of colours, scents, styles, customs, architecture and geography.

If you have a sense of history you will love the museums, the legendary ruins and art. If you enjoy cultural traditions you can see a spectacular music, dance and folklore show almost everywhere.

If you like to be energetic, you can choose from rafting, gliding, trekking, fishing, skiing, safaris, and all the activities you can imagine. Or go tracking wildlife in the Andes Mountains on the west or one of the 34 national parks of the country. From beach resorts of holy cities, to cool hill stations and high mountain villages, the choice is enormous, whether you want an inexpensive experience, a cultural tour, or a high-priced exclusive holiday. Another of Argentina's special charms is the accommodation. It ranges from simple and friendly to fabled and luxurious hotels. Then there's the food. With many highly refined regional styles, eating in different parts of Argentina is a voyage of discovery.

Argentina is the second largest country in area in South America. It covers nearly 3,800,000 square km, or 29 % of the area of Europe; it stretches 3,460 km from N to S and 1,580 km from E to W. Argentina claims international frontiers that stretch across 25,728 km. Most are on the Atlantic ocean, but on the west Argentina is bounded by Chile across the Andes mountains. The Argentine Andes rise to a height of 6,959 m at Aconcagua, the heights elevation in the Americas, but much of Argentina is low lying and flat. Argentina's weather ranges from subtropical in the northeast, to temperate in the central region, to arid and semiarid and cold in the south and along the mountains.

Geographers usually recognize seven main physical areas: the Northwest, the North and Northeast, Cuyo, Central, the Pampas, and Patagonia. But as tourist areas, we also recognize Buenos Aires City.

Due to its great extension, Argentina offers a countless amount of different landscapes. There is a huge contrast between the vast eastern plains and the outstanding Andes mountain range in the west, with the highest peak of the western hemisphere: the Aconcagua, with 6,959 meters.

Along its extension from Jujuy to Tierra del Fuego, the mountain range displays a wonderful diversity of landscapes: from the deserted northeastern high plateaus, with valleys, ravines and colorful hills, to the Patagonia region with its lakes, forests and glaciers.

To the north, the Chaco is a wooded area connected to the Bermejo, Salado and Pilcomayo Rivers.

Bracketed by the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers, the Argentine Mesopotamia (Provinces of Entre Ríos, Corrientes and Misiones) is composed of low hills, small lakes, and marshes which indicate the ancient course of these big rivers. In some areas, inside the sub-tropical jungle, there are fractures which give rise to incredible phenomena such as the Iguazú Falls. In the center of Argentina, the Pampa region is the widest and best know plain. It is an agricultural and livestock raising area and comprises the Province of Buenos Aires, the northeastern part of the Province of La Pampa, Southern Córdoba and Santa Fe. To the south, the landscape is interrupted by the Tandil and La Ventana hills and to the west by the Córdoba hills. From the Andes to the sea, the vast extension of sterile and rocky Patagonian plateaus is lashed by strong winds most of the year. The Atlantic coastline, bordered by high cliffs, portrays winding shapes, such as the Valdés Peninsula, having a great variety of sea animals.

Argentina is divided into 24 jurisdictions: 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which serves the seat of the National Government.

Official Name

República Argentina

Capital

Buenos Aires

Government

República Federal

President

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

Population

40.677.348 (2008 estimate) 36.260.130 (2001)

Men

17.659.072 (Censo 2001)

Women

18.601.058 (Censo 2001)

Area

2.791.810 sq. km
3.761.274 sq. km (including Artartic sector claimed by Argentina)

Ethnics

Spanish, Italian, indigenous peoples (including Colla, Toba, Wichi, Mapuche, Guarani)

Official Language

Spanish (castellano)

Other Languages

In some regions: Italian, English, French, German, indigenous languages as mapuche, guarani, aymara, quichua, etc.

Religions

Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Islam

Currency

Peso

Notes

2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100

Coins

1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 1 peso

Phone Code

54

Phone Code mobil

54 + 9 + mobil nummer without the 2 first nummers.

Voltage

220V AC 50 HZ

Independence

July 9th 1816 from Spain

Internet Code

ar