Country Facts

TEFL Trainees / ESL Teachers

Size:
Total Area: 2,780,400 sq. km
Land: 2,736,690 sq. km
Water: 43,710 sq. km

Population:
July 2010 estimate: 41,343,201
Population Growth Rate: 1.036% (2010 estimate)
Density: 14.435/km2.

Neighboring Countries:
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay

Currency:
Currency of Argentina: Argentine Peso (ARS)
Code: ARS
Subunit: 1/100 centavo
Banknotes: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10000 pesos
Central Bank: Banco Central de la Republica Argentina

Politics:
Government Type: Republic
Constitution: 1 May, 1853; amended many times since 1860.
The Govt. of Argentina is a mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.

Argentina is a federal republic formed by 23 autonomous provinces and 1 autonomous city, Buenos Aires (the capital). The President elected for a period of four years heads the Executive Branch. The Argentine Constitution allows for one successive re-election. Legislative power is exercised by a bicameral legislature with a Lower Chamber (254 members representing the people) and a Senate (72 elected Senators representing the provinces and the autonomous capital city, 3 for each). The Judiciary is independent and the highest Federal Court is the Supreme Court, consisting of 9 Judges.

Each province has its own Government and Courts. While substantive law is largely the same at both the Federal and Provincial Levels, procedure may vary in provincial courts. Under Argentina’s Constitution, the provinces used to assign to the federal legislature the power to enact laws of national scope governing civil and commercial issues, foreign relations, defense and other matters.

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the President.

Language:
Official: Spanish
Others: Italian, English, German, French

Religion:
Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing)
Protestant 2%
Jewish 2%
Others 4%

Culture:
The Culture of Argentina varies as the country’s geography and mix of ethnic groups. The modern culture has been largely influenced by European immigration although there are some Amerindian and African influences, particularly in Music and Arts. The architectural styles in Buenos Aires and other cities are a mixture of styles imported from Europe. But in the case of older settlements and of older preserved neighborhoods within cities, modern styles are mixed with colonial features, and relics from the Spanish-ruled past. There are lots of museums, cinemas and galleries in all the large urban centers, as well as traditional establishments like literary bars, or live music bars offering a variety of genres.

Sports:
National Game: Football (soccer) [Introduced in the 1860s by the British soldiers].
Polo [Argentinian team won the first Olympic gold medal in polo in 1924].
Pato [Played by two teams on horseback using a duck in a leather pouch with handles].
Basketball, Volleyball, Rugby, Field Hockey, Horse racing, Tennis.
In winter, many Argentinians enjoy Andinismo, meaning hiking, mountain-climbing or alpine or cross-country skiing in the Andes Mountains.

Important Cities:
Buenos Aires (the Capital), Cordoba, Rosario, Mendoza, La Plata, San Miguel de Tucuman, Mar del Plata, Salta, Santa Fe, San Juan, Resistencia, Neuquen, Santiago del Estero, Corrientes, Avellaneda, Bahla Blanca, Quilmes, Lanus