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Location
Argentina is the
second-largest country in South America. It is bordered by Bolivia and
Paraguay to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to
the west in the Andes mountains. The eastern side faces the South Atlantic
Ocean. The country occupies a strategic position relative to sea lanes
between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans.
Currency
Between 1991 and 2001, the Argentine peso was pegged one-to-one to the US dollar
by the Convertibility Law. In January 2002, the government of Eduardo Duhalde
announced an end to the peso's parity and Argentina adopted a free floating exchange
rate.
Surface
Argentina occupies a continental surface area of 2,791,810 sq km (1,074 miles),
an Antartic area of 969,464 sq km, and 4,150 sq km of island territory off of
the Atlantic coast. The entire country occupies 3,761,274 sq km. From north to
south, the country measures 3,800 km (2,360 miles) and from east to west, it
spans 1,423 km (884 miles).
Population
According to the Census of 1998, there are 32.6 million habitants in Argentina,
more than one-third of whom live in the province of Buenos Aires. Ethnically,
the population is 85 per cent Caucasian and 15 percent Indian or mestizo (mixed
Indian-Spanish). A major factor behind this breakdown is the great wave of Southern
European immigrantion between 1860 and 1940, most of whom were of Italian and
Spanish origin. The largest group of indigenous peoples are the Guaraníes,
who are found mostly in Corrientes and Misiones.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Argentina. English is also widely used in
companies and for business purposes.
Climate
Continental Argentina stretches from the Tropic of Capricorn in the north to
55º latitude in the south, giving the country a wide range of climatic
zones, from tropical in the northern provinces, where temperatures can reach
up to 49º centigrade, to subartic in southern Tierra del Fuego, where tempartures
drop to as low as -35º centrigade. Between these extremes, the middle
of the country is temperate and the regions of Chaco and Formosa are subtropical.
There are also wide regional variations with regard to precipitation. More
than 1,520 mm (60 in) fall annually in the northern provinces but in the the
west and south the land is semi-arid.
Sports
Football is Argentina's greatest passion. There are 17 stadiums in the city,
most of them big enough to hold 40,000 spectators or more. The sport of pato
(duck, in Spanish) is native to Argentina. Originally played with a live duck,
pato consists of two teams on horseback battling for control of a ball with
handles. Argentina is also home to the world's finest polo players. Other popular
sports are tennis, field hockey, rugby, volleyball, basketball, and skiing.
Tourism
Argentina has been recently discovered by the European tourists; but it is
already very popular among Spanish and Italian visitors. Its wide scope of
possibilities -which go from skiing in the harsh Patagonian winter to the
tropical attractions in Jujuy and
Salta satisfy
tourists from all over the world. Accommodation Buenos Aires is a huge city
and has a wide range of hotels which are rated according to the number of
stars they display (from 5 to 1 in decreasing order). There are also residenciales
(A, B or C), hosterías, cabañas, motels and camping areas.
Transportation
Ezeiza International Airport (also know as Ministro Pistarini International Airport)
is located 35 km away from Buenos Aires City, and is easily reachable via regular
bus and taxi services. Domestic airlines -- Aerolínes Argentinas, Austral,
Dinar, LADE, LAPA and SW, among others - serve dozens of cities around the country.
Bus transportation is also available to every region of the country. The Buenos
Aires bus terminal is next to Retiro station, 400 meters away from the Retiro
stop on the subway "C" line. Argentina has an extensive train network, but passenger
service is slow and limited. The major international car rental companies also
operate in the country. Taxis are plentiful in Buenos Aires and relatively cheap,
compared to major cities in Europe or North America.
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