Official name
Republica Argentina
Capital
Buenos Aires
History
The history of Argentina has been heavily influenced by European art, architecture, literature and lifestyle, but at the same time keeps its own unique image. Famous writers such as Jorge Luis Borges and Manuel Puig created their image, whose writings have put Argentina on the map. The culture of Argentina is embodied in the tango. Argentina is the place that discovered and made tango into the famous dance that it is today. You may be inclined to follow the pilgrimage to Carlos Gardel's life size statue, the famous tango singer, to pay homage to his impeccable artistic tango abilities. The liveliness of their famous prose combined with their electrifying music, dance and romantic language culminates into a unique place to experience and explore.
Geography
Argentina is the second largest country in area in South America. It covers nearly 3,800,000 square km.
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.
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.
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.
Great places to visit
Aconcagua
Andes Mountains
Buenos Aires
El Calafate
Iguazu Falls
Pampas
Patagonia
Patagonia Glaciers
Puerto Madryn
Punta Tombo
Tierra del Fuego
San Carlos de Bariloche
Ushuaia
Wineries in Argentina
Language
Spanish (Castellano)
Population
40.677.348 (2008 estimate)
Religion
Roman catholic (about 80%), and a small percentage of other religions including: protestant, whitness of jehova, mormons, muslim, judaism and more.
Although Jews only account for 2% of Argentina's population, Buenos Aires has the second largest population of Jewish people in the Americas, second only to New York City. Argentina also has the largest Muslim minority in America.
Phone code
54
Mobil code
54-city code-9 (void the first 2 digits of mobil#)
Currency
Peso
Electricity
Voltage 220V, AC 50Hz
Music
The music of Argentina is known mostly for the tango.
Tango arose in the brothels, bars and port areas of Buenos Aires, where waves of Europeans poured into the country mixing various forms of music.
Tango has changed from a dance-focused music to one of lyric and poetry, thanks to vocalists like Carlos Gardel, Roberto Goyeneche, Hugo del Carril, Tita Merello, Susana Rinaldi, Edmundo Rivero, Francisco Canaro, Julio de Caro, Osvaldo Pugliese, Anibal Troilo and Juan D'Arienzo.
After 1955, as the Nueva canción and Argentine rock movements stirred, tango became more intellectual and listener-oriented, led by Astor Piazzolla's new style of tango.
Folk (folklore) is popular as well.
Famous Argentine artists of all times: Mercedes Sosa, Charly García, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Fito Páez, and Pappo.
Argentine rock has become popular too. Famous artists or bands: Serú Girán, Soda Stereo, Enanitos Verdes, Sumo, Fabulosos Cadillacs, Virus, Andres Calamaro, La Renga, Divididos, Los Redonditos, Los Piojos, Babasónicos, Las Pelotas, Attaque 77, Intoxicados,
Mate
Yerba Mate is a medicinal and cultural drink of ancient origins. Introduced to the world by the Guarani Indians of South America, Mate contains ingredients that help keep its drinkers healthy and energetic.
People drink the mate in mugs using tea bags, or with a mate mug, where the herbs are placed with a straw, and hot water is added constantly.More than a drink, Yerba Mate has become a cultural phenomenon throughout South America.
*Casa Rosada picture displayed above by Bernardo Galmarini. |
