Argentina

Argentina is located in South America,and geographically at 34 00 S, 64 00 W.It is the 2nd largest country of South America and 8th largest country in the world.The capital city Buenos Aires is situated at 34 36 S, 58 40 W.Argentina possesses total 2,766,890 sq km area in the surface of the world(land: 2,736,690 sq km,water: 30,200 sq km).It is a neighbouring country of Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west and south. The Andes mountain range and the southern Atlantic Ocean cover the west and east-south region of the country respectively. British-administered the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are also Argentine territories. 374,312 sq mtr of Antarctica,the Argentine Antarctica is also claimed to be Argentine territory.


HISTORY:-Argentina was first inhabited in Patagonia,from 11,000 BC.Later In 1480, the Inca Empire reigned the region.Spain set up colony in Buenos Aires in 1580.British empire attacked Buenos Aires twice in 1806 and 1807,but both were lost by the British.The people of Buenos Aires declared May Revolution,after the defeat of King Ferdinand VII by Napoleon.Two nations United Provinces of South America (1810) and Liga Federal (1815) were collaborated to form present Argentina.As the consequence of Argentina-Brazil War Uruguay was formed in 1828.Between 1880 to 1930,the country had become prosperous in the sectors of agriculture and foreign investment.Argentina's history was mostly marked with the internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions in mid 20th century. Juan Perón became the President in 1946 as a result of sudden change of world politics after World War II.A military clique took over the the power in 1976.Finally democracy was established in 1983.

 

 

GEOGRAPHY:-Argentina is mainly plain land with sloping area of Atlantic coast,mountainous region of the Andes range.The wooden northern part is flood prone and beneath that zone there is fertile Pampas.The southern part is flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia.The highest peak Cerro Aconcagua (6,960 m) is  also the highest point of Western Hemisphere,while Laguna del Carbon (105 m) is the lowest point of both Argentina and Western Hemisphere.

 

 

 

 

 

CLIMATE:-The climate of Argentina is mostly mild,with  arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest, tropical in the north and tundra in the south.

 

GOVERNMENT:-The official name of the country is Argentine Republic.It is a federal presidential representative democratic republic.The constitution was written in 1st may 1853 and revised in 1994.The National government has three branches-

1.Executive,composed of the President(the head of the state and government), the vice president, cabinet

2. Lagislative, consists of Senate(72 members),Chamber of Deputies(257 members),and

3.Judicial,consists of Supreme Court, federal and provincial trial courts.

Prominent political parties are Justicialist (Peronist), Radical Civic Union (UCR) etc.Voting right is universal for adults. National Holiday is celebrated on the  Revolution Day,25th May.

 

 

Government officials:-

President--Cristina       Fernández de Kirchner

Vice President       Julio Cobos

Minister of Foreign Affairs     Jorge Taiana

Ambassador-designate to the United States  Hector Timerman

Ambassador to the Organization of American States Rodolfo Gil

Ambassador to the United Nations    Jorge Arguello

 

STATES:-Argentina is a federation of 23 provinces and 1 automonous city Buenos Aires,the capital federal.

 

CULTURE:-Argentine culture is a fusion of European and American culture.Argentina has given birth to great writers,poets as Jorge Luis Borges, Juan Bautista Alberdi, Roberto Arlt, Enrique Banchs, Adolfo Bioy Cásares, Eugenio Cambaceres, Julio Cortázar, Esteban Echeverría, Leopoldo Lugones, Eduardo Mallea, Ezequiel Martínez Estrada, Tomás Eloy Martínez, Victoria Ocampo, Manuel Puig, Ernesto Sabato, Osvaldo Soriano, Alfonsina Storni, and María Elena Walsh. Oscar Agustín Alejandro Schulz Solari, Candido Lopez, Emilio Pettoruti are some of the great Argentine painters.Spain, Italy, Germany, France and other European countries influence argentine cuisine. Foot ball is the most popular game in Argentina.Argentina has won FIFA World Cup for twice,and Olympic Gold medal once. volleyball and basketball are other popular sport in Argentina.Argentine cartoonist Quirino Cristiani had made first animated films  in 1917 and 1918.

 

UNICEF:-UNICEF has made significant improvement in infant and maternal mortality rate,HIV threats,child education,early child development.A national pragramme ‘Plan Familia’ is established to help 500000 poor families.UNICEF is continuously campaigning for breastfeeding,to shorten grade repetition and drop-outs,to stop child labour,sexual molestation of children.

 

POPULATION: (2008 est.):- It is the 2nd most populated country in south America and 30th in the world With a population of 40,677,348 (July 2008 est.).

Growth rate: 0.9%

Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 15,390.

Density per sq mi: 38

Literacy rate: 97.2% (2001 est.)

 

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 16.3/1000

Infant mortality rate: 13.8/1000

Life expectancy: 76.5

HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,500 (2003 est.) 

Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A

Water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 1,529.

 

CITIES:-Capital and largest city (2003 est.) is  Buenos Aires.Other large cities are Córdoba,Rosario,Mendoza,Mar del Plata.

LANGUAGES:- Spanish is the official language.Other main languages are English, Italian, German, French.

 

RACE:-

White (mostly Spanish and Italian)-97%

Mestizo (mixed white,Amerindian ancestry)Amerindian, or other non-white groups-3%

 

RELIGION:-

Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing)

Protestant 2%

Jewish 2%

other 4%

 

ECONOMY:-Argentina is ranked 1st in The Human Development Index level,and 2nd  highest in GDP  per capita in buying power parity among Latin American countries.The national GDP is ranked 23rd in the world which makes it 31st largest economy in the world.The country is recognized as the Upper-Middle Income Country by the World Bank.

 

Economic summary:

GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $523.7 billion; per capita $13,000

Real growth rate: 8.5%.

Inflation: 8.5% official rate

Unemployment: 8.9%.

Arable land: 10.03%.



Agriculture: sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock.

Labor force: 16.1 million: note: urban areas only (2007 est.); agriculture: 1%, industry: 23%, services: 76% (2007 est.).

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

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

Exports: $54.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles.

Imports: $40.26 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal manufactures, plastics.

Major trading partners: Brazil, Chile, U.S., China, Spain, Germany (2006).

Monetary unit: Peso

 

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: total: 31,902 km (2006).

Highways: total: 229,144 km; paved: 68,809 km;unpaved: 160,335 km (2004). Waterways: 11,000 km (2006).

Ports and harbors: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Punta Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas

Airports: 1,272 (2007).

 

 



 
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