Country Summary: Argentina
Country Name: Argentina
Capital: Buenos Aires
Official Visa & Travel Information: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship - Argentina (Visa Services)
Government Type: Presidential Republic
Background: In 1816, the United Provinces of the Río de la 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, with Italy and Spain providing 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 unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions.
After World War II, an era of populism under former President Juan Domingo Peron - the founder of the Peronist political movement - and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-2002 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-2015 saw Peronist rule by Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) and his spouse Cristina Fernandez De Kirchner (2007-2015), who oversaw several years of strong economic growth (2003-2011) followed by a gradual deterioration in the government’s fiscal situation and eventual economic stagnation and isolation. Argentina underwent a brief period of economic reform and international reintegration under Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), but a recession in 2018-2019 and frustration with Macri’s economic policies ushered in a new Peronist government in 2019 led by President Alberto Fernandez and Vice President Fernandez De Kirchner. Presidential elections will take place next in October 2023.
Continent: South America
Population: 46,621,847 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: European (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindian ancestry) 97.2%, Amerindian 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.)
Languages: Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Quechua, Guarani, Mapudungun)
Religions: Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ 1.4%, other 1.2% (includes Muslim, Jewish), none 18.9% (includes agnostic and atheist), unspecified 0.3% (2019 est.)
Economic Overview:
Currency: Argentine Peso (ARS)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $39.653 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $986.134 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in 2017 U.S. dollars
Real GDP Growth Rate: 10.4% (2021 est.)
Real GDP per Capita: $21,500 (2021 est.); note: data is in 2017 U.S. dollars
Exports:
$87.415 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in current year U.S. dollars and does not include illicit exports or re-exports
Comparison Ranking: 49
Export Commodities: Corn, soybean products, delivery trucks, wheat, beef, and gold (2021)
Export Partners: Brazil 16%, China 11%, United States 7%, Chile 5% (2019)
Imports:
$72.362 billion (2021 est.) note: data is in current year U.S. dollars
Comparison Ranking: 53
Import Commodities: cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts, natural gas, and soybeans (2019)
Import Partners: Brazil 21%, China 18%, US 14%, Germany 6% (2019)
Natural Resources: Fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium, and arable land.
Agricultural Products: Maize, soybeans, wheat, sugar cane, milk, barley, sunflower seed, beef, grapes, and potatoes.
Industries: Food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, and steel.
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
15.26% (2021 est.); note: based on private sector estimates
Comparison Ranking: 16
Labor Force: 21.206 million (2021 est.); note: urban areas only
Labor Force By Occupation:
Agriculture: 5.3%
Industry: 28.6%
Services: 66.1% (2017 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 10.9% (2021 est.)
Natural Hazards: San Miguel de Tucumán and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas; volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchón-Peteroa, San José, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma.
Geography:
Total: 2,780,400 sq km
Land: 2,736,690 sq km
Water: 43,710 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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