Country Profile In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era 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 has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents. The economy has recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002. Disputes uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in January 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)
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Population and Demographics
Argentina has a population of 40,677,348 (July 2008 est.) .
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
| Main urban areas | Cordoba, La Plata, Mendoza, San Miguel |
| Ethnic groups | white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3% |
| Languages spoken | Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French |
| Population age 0-14: 24.6% (m 5,123,722/f 4,893,843) |  | | |
| 0-14 | 15-64 | 65+ | |
| Gender ratios At birth: 1.05 m/f , 0-14: 1.05 m/f , 15-64: 1 m/f , 65+: 0.7 m/f | |||
Changing Population (Life expectancy, births, deaths and fertility)
The population growth rate for Argentina is 0.917% (2008 est.) (world growth rate at 2006 is 1.14%). The country also saw migration of 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.). The median age of the country is total: 30.3 years male: 29.3 years female: 31.3 years (2008 est.).
Note: on the graphs, world figures are represented by a red bar, figures for Argentina are illustrated with a green bar.
| Life Expectancy: | Total population: 76.52 years Male: 72.81 years Female: 80.43 years (2008 est.) |  [76.52] [64.77][Male:, m] [63.16, m][, f][66.47, f] |
| Fertility: | 2.09 children born/woman (2008 est.) | [2.09][2.59] |
| Births: | 16.32 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) | [16.32][20.05] |
| Deaths: | 7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) | [7.54][8.67] |
| Infants: | Total: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births Male: 15.65 deaths/1,000 live births Female: 11.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) | [13.87][48.87][15.65, m][50.98, m][11.99, f][46.65, f] |
Economic Data
Economy Overview
The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 9% annually over the subsequent five years, taking advantage of previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation, however, reached double-digit levels in 2006 and the government of President Nestor KIRCHNER responded with "voluntary" price agreements with businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints. Multi-year price freezes on electricity and natural gas rates for residential users stoked consumption and kept private investment away, leading to restrictions on industrial use and blackouts in 2007.
Debt and Aid
Debt: $135.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Aid Given: N/A
Aid Received: $99.66 million (2005)
Labour Force
Number in labour force: 16.03 million note: urban areas only (2007 est.)
Sectors: agriculture: 1% industry: 23% services: 76% (2007 est.)
Unemployment: 14.1% (2007 est.)
GDP Facts and Figures
Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)
GDP: $523.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $13,300 (2007 est.)
GDP Real Growth: 8.7% (2007 est.)
GDP Composition: agriculture: 9.5% industry: 34% services: 56.5% (2007 est.)
Production Growth Rate: 7.5% (2007 est.)
Industries, Land Use and Resource Consumption
Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Land use: arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005)
Exports: soybeans and derivatives, petroleum and gas, vehicles, corn, wheat
Electricity Consumption: 88.98 billion kWh (2005)
Natural Gas Consumption: 38.79 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Oil Consumption: 480,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Geographic Data
Argentina is located in Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay, in the timezone GMT -3. The country has boundaries of 9,665 - Bolivia 832, Brazil 1,224, Chile 5,150, Paraguay 1,880, Uruguay 579 (km), and a coastline of 4,989 (km). Major urban areas: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, La Plata, Mendoza, San Miguel.
Elevations
Lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula Valdes)
Highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m
Physical Features
Mainly rich plains ( the Pampas ) in the northern half, flat to rolling plateau (Patagonia) in south and rugged Andes along western border. Mt Aconcagua (6,960 m), Ojos del Salado (6,910 m), Patagonian desert (673,000 km2), Plata-Parana-Grande river (4,880 km)
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
Climate
Mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Natural Resources
Fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Land Use
Arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005)
Renewable Water Resources
814 cu km (2000)
Fresh Water Withdrawal
total: 29.19 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%) per capita: 753 cu m/yr (2000)
Environmental 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
A selection of key transport and communications information for Argentina
Number of main telephone lines
9.46 million (2006)
Mobile (cellular) phones
31.51 million (2006)
Radio stations
AM 260 (includes 10 inactive stations), FM (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)
Television stations
42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)
Internet users
8.184 million (2006)
Country internet code
.ar
Railways
total: 31,902 km broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)
Highways
total: 229,144 km paved: 68,809 km (including 734 km of expressways) unpaved: 160,335 km (2004)
Waterways
11,000 km (2005)
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)
Ports and harbours
Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Punta Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas
Airports
1,272 (2007)
Heliports
1 (2007)
