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Introduction |
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Background: |
Following
independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods
of internal political conflict between conservatives and
liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World
War II, a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and
interference in subsequent governments was followed by a
military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in
1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored
Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.
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Geography |
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Location: |
Southern South
America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and
Uruguay
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Geographic
coordinates: |
34 00 S, 64 00 W
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Map references: |
South America
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Area: |
total:
2,766,890 sq km
land: 2,736,690 sq km
water: 30,200 sq km
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Area -
comparative: |
slightly less than
three-tenths the size of the US
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Land boundaries: |
total: 9,665
km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile
5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km
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Coastline: |
4,989 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin
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Climate: |
mostly temperate;
arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
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Terrain: |
rich plains of the
Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in
south, rugged Andes along western border
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and
Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the
northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza)
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Natural
resources: |
fertile plains of
the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese,
petroleum, uranium
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Land use: |
arable land:
12.31%
permanent crops: 0.48%
other: 87.21% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
15,610 sq km (1998
est.)
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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
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Environment -
current issues: |
environmental
problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy
such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air
pollution, and water pollution
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary
greenhouse gas targets
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Environment -
international agreements: |
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
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Geography -
note: |
second-largest
country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location
relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South
Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake
Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain,
while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western
Hemisphere
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People |
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Population: |
39,537,943 (July
2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
25.6% (male 5,170,721/female 4,938,171)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 12,626,711/female 12,627,026)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,712,117/female
2,463,197) (2005 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 29.42
years
male: 28.52 years
female: 30.4 years (2005 est.)
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Population
growth rate: |
0.98% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
16.9 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
7.56 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net migration
rate: |
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 15.18
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 75.91 years
male: 72.17 years
female: 79.85 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility
rate: |
2.19 children
born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: |
0.7% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
130,000 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
1,500 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun:
Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine
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Ethnic groups: |
white (mostly
Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian
ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%
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Religions: |
nominally Roman
Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish
2%, other 4%
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Languages: |
Spanish (official),
English, Italian, German, French
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.1% (2003 est.)
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Government |
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Country name: |
conventional
long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina
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Government type: |
republic
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Capital: |
Buenos Aires
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Administrative
divisions: |
23 provinces (provincias,
singular - provincia), and 1 autonomous city* (distrito
federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca,
Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, 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
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Independence: |
9 July 1816 (from
Spain)
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National
holiday: |
Revolution Day, 25
May (1810)
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Constitution: |
1 May 1853; revised
August 1994
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Legal system: |
mixture of US and
West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal and compulsory
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice President
Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25
May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003);
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 27 April 2003 (next election to be held NA 2007)
election results: results of the presidential election of
27 April 2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%,
Ricardo Lopez MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa
CARRIO 14.2%, other 8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated
for 25 May 2003 was awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM
withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election
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Legislative
branch: |
bicameral National
Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats;
members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the
members elected every two years to a six-year term) and the
Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct
vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a
four-year term)
elections: Senate - last held intermittently by province
during the 2nd half of 2003 (next to be held NA 2005); Chamber
of Deputies - last held intermittently by province during the
2nd half of 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or
party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - PJ 41, UCR 16, provincial
parties 15; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or
party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - PJ 133, UCR 46, IF 23, ARI
11, Socialist 6, other/provincial parties 38
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or
Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by
the president with approval by the Senate)
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Political
parties and leaders: |
Action for the
Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO]; Alternative for a Republic of
Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Federal Recreate Movement or
RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY]; Front for a Country in
Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition) [Dario Pedro
ALESSANDRO]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of
approximately 12 parties including RECREAR) [leader NA];
Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political
organization) [leader NA]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Angel
ROZAS]; Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All
[Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Argentine
Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial
Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society
(large landowners' association); business organizations; Central
of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and
unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning
umbrella labor organization); Peronist-dominated labor movement;
Roman Catholic Church; students
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International
organization participation: |
AfDB, Australia
Group, BCIE, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
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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
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Economy |
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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. Over the past decade, however, the country has
suffered problems of inflation, external debt, capital flight,
and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.8%, as both
domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the
government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed
exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation
worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine
bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline
in consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to
achieve a "zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and
to restore economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the
mounting economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was
abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was floated in February;
the exchange rate plunged and real GDP fell by 10.9% in 2002,
but by mid-year the economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower
level. GDP expanded by more than 8% in 2003 and again in 2004,
with unemployment falling and inflation remaining in single
digits.
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GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $483.5 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
8.3% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $12,400 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
10.6%
industry: 35.9%
services: 53.5% (2004 est.)
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Labor force: |
15.04 million (2004
est.)
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture NA%,
industry NA%, services NA%
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Unemployment
rate: |
14.8% (2004 est.)
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Population below
poverty line: |
44.3% (June 2004)
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Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
6.1% (2004 est.)
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Investment
(gross fixed): |
18.3% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$29.15 billion
expenditures: $26.84 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
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Public debt: |
118% of GDP (June
2004 est.)
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Agriculture -
products: |
sunflower seeds,
lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat;
livestock
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Industries: |
food processing,
motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and
petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
12% (2004 est.)
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Electricity -
production: |
81.39 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
52.2%
hydro: 40.8%
nuclear: 6.7%
other: 0.2% (2001)
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Electricity -
consumption: |
81.65 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
2.818 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
imports: |
8.775 billion kWh
(2002)
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Oil -
production: |
755,000 bbl/day
(2004 est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
486,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA
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Oil - imports: |
NA
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Oil - proved
reserves: |
2.9 billion bbl
(2004 est.)
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Natural gas -
production: |
37.15 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
31.1 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
6.05 billion cu m
(2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
proved reserves: |
768 billion cu m
(2004)
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Current account
balance: |
$5.473 billion
(2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$33.78 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports -
commodities: |
edible oils, fuels
and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles
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Exports -
partners: |
Brazil 16.5%, Chile
10.9%, US 10.2%, China 8.5%, Spain 4.5% (2004)
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Imports: |
$22.06 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports -
commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal manufactures,
plastics
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Imports -
partners: |
Brazil 27%, US 20%,
Germany 6.6%, China 4.6%, France 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2004)
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Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$19.47 billion
(2004 est.)
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Debt - external: |
$157.7 billion
(2004 est.)
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Currency (code): |
Argentine peso (ARS)
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Currency code: |
ARS
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Exchange rates: |
Argentine pesos per
US dollar - 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002), 0.9995
(2001), 0.9995 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year
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Communications |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
8,009,400 (2002)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
6.5 million (2002)
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Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to
competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications
Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of
modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk
lines are being installed between all major cities; the major
networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone
service is being improved; however, telephone density is
presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
available will take time
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a
domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk
network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and
mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding
international: country code - 54; satellite earth
stations - 8 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur
submarine cables; two international gateways near Buenos Aires
(1999)
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Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 260 (including
10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably more than 1,000, mostly
unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)
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Radios: |
24.3 million (1997)
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Television
broadcast stations: |
42 (plus 444
repeaters) (1997)
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Televisions: |
7.95 million (1997)
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Internet country
code: |
.ar
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Internet hosts: |
742,358 (2003)
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
33 (2000)
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Internet users: |
4.1 million (2002)
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Transportation |
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Railways: |
total:
34,091 km (167 km electrified)
broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m
gauge (2004)
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Highways: |
total:
215,471 km
paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)
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Waterways: |
11,000 km (2004)
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Pipelines: |
gas 27,166 km;
liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km; refined products 2,945
km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2004)
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Ports and
harbors: |
Bahia Blanca,
Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Punta Colorada,
Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas
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Merchant marine: |
total: 26
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 149,007 GRT/212,620 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1,
passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated
cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 2 (Chile 1, Uruguay 1)
registered in other countries: 23 (2005)
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Airports: |
1,334 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 144
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 62
914 to 1,523 m: 44
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 1,190
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
914 to 1,523 m: 569
under 914 m: 567 (2004 est.)
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Military |
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Military
branches: |
Argentine Army,
Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes Naval Aviation and
Marines), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA)
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Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18 years of age for
voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
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Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49:
8,981,886 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49:
7,316,038 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
344,575 (2005 est.)
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$4.3 billion (FY99)
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.3% (FY00)
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Military note: |
the Argentine
military is a well-organized force constrained by the country's
prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently
experienced a strong recovery, and the military is now
implementing "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces
lighter and more responsive (2005)
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Transnational Issues |
|
Disputes -
international: |
Argentina claims
the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution; it
briefly occupied the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no
longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim in
Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see
Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of
Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering,
smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and
fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute
between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim
River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question
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Illicit drugs: |
used as a
transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US;
some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border
Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is
increasing
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