Argentina, officially known as the Argentine Republic, is the eighth largest country in the world, second in size only to Brazil on the continent of South America. It is bordered by Paraguay and Bolivia in the north, Brazil and Uruguay in the northeast, and Chile in the west and south.

Argentina is a medium income country and is the third largest economy in Latina America after Mexico and Brazil. Its GDP is currently estimated at €152 billion and its per capita GDP at €3900. The economy has been growing at above 8% per annum since 2003. Main exports are soya, vegetable oils, wheat, maize and beef. Tourism has been growing rapidly in importance in recent years.

Argentina’s population of approximately 40 million people is predominantly of European descent, with large majorities of Italian and Spanish descendants. Other groups are German, French, Croatian, Welsh, and Polish and there is a community of Irish descent of up to half-a-million people.

Facts about Argentina

Name: Argentine Republic

Capital: Capital Federal, Buenos Aires

Area: 2,766,890 square km (1,078,000 sq mi)

Population: 40,302,000

Form of government: Republic (federal presidential representative democratic republic with 4-year election periods). Argentina’s administrative divisions comprise 23 provinces and the autonomous Federal Capital of Buenos Aires.

Language: Spanish (official)

Currency: Argentine Peso (1 peso = 100 centavos)

Religion: Roman Catholic (majority)

Climate: Mainly temperate, arid in southeast, sub-antarctic in southwest

Local time: in the northern hemisphere winter GMT-3 hours, in the northern hemisphere summer GMT-4 hours.

International country phone code: 54

Internet domain: .ar