sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
Natural hazards:
ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island;
icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme
northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked
from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from
October to May
Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile
ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or
damage; thinning polar icepack
Geography - note:
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the
Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between
North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes
of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated
by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20
to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10
months
Economy ::Arctic Ocean
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural
resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.
Transportation ::Arctic Ocean
Ports and terminals:
Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Transportation - note:
sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest
Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are
important seasonal waterways
Transnational Issues ::Arctic Ocean
Disputes - international:
the littoral states are engaged in various stages of demonstrating
the limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles
from their declared baselines in accordance with Article 76,
paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;
record summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic has restimulated
interest in maritime shipping lanes and sea floor exploration
page last updated on October 22, 2009
======================================================================
@Argentina (South America)
Introduction ::Argentina
Background:
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 populism 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 (Malvinas)
Islands by force, 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.
Geography ::Argentina
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Chile and Uruguay
Geographic coordinates:
34 00 S, 64 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 2,780,400 sq km
country comparison to the world: 8
land: 2,736,690 sq km
water: 43,710 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 9,861 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km,
Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km
Coastline:
4,989 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Terrain:
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau
of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San
Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa
Cruz)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern
corner of the province of Mendoza)
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)
Irrigated land:
15,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
814 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 29.19 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%)
per capita: 753 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural 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
Environment - current 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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic
location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the
South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake
Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical
climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is
the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon
is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere
People ::Argentina
Population:
40,913,584 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.6% (male 5,369,477/female 5,122,260)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 12,961,725/female 13,029,265)
65 years and over: 10.8% (male 1,819,057/female 2,611,800) (2009
est.)
Median age:
total: 30 years
male: 29 years
female: 31 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.053% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Birth rate:
17.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Death rate:
7.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Urbanization:
urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.44 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 149
male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.56 years
country comparison to the world: 66
male: 73.32 years
female: 79.97 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.35 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine
Ethnic groups:
white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and
Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant
2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.2%
female: 97.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 16 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 113
Government ::Argentina
Country name:
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Buenos Aires
geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 40 W
time difference: UTC-3 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends
third Saturday in March; note - a new policy of daylight saving time
was initiated by the government on 30 December 2007
Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous
city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital
Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,
Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio
Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del
Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,
Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Independence:
9 July 1816 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)
Constitution:
1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860
Legal system:
mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10
December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since
10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December
2007)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)
election results: Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER elected president;
percent of vote - Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER 45%, Elisa CARRIO
23%, Roberto LAVAGNA 17%, Alberto Rodriguez SAA 8%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently
one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year
terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected
by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in
2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 28 October 2007
(next to be held in 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA;
seats by bloc or party - FpV 12, UCR 4, CC 4, other 4; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or
party - FpV 5, UCR 10, PJ 10, PRO 6, CC 16, FJ 2, other 31; note -
as of 1 January 2009, the composition of the entire legislature is
as follows: Senate - seats by bloc or party - FpV 42, UCR 8, CC 2,
other 20; Chamber of Deputies - seats by bloc or party - FpV 119,
UCR 24, CC 18, PS 10, PRO 9, other 77
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the Supreme Court judges are
appointed by the president with approval of the Senate)
note: the Supreme Court has seven judges; the Argentine Congress in
2006 passed a bill to gradually reduce the number of Supreme Court
judges to five
Political parties and leaders:
Coalicion Civica (a broad coalition loosely affiliated with Elisa
CARRIO); Front for Victory or FpV (a broad coalition, including
elements of the UCR and numerous provincial parties) [Nestor
KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of
approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Party or PJ
[Nestor KIRCHNER]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Gerardo MORALES];
Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI] (including Federal
Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Esteban BULLRICH]; Socialist Party or
PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several
provincial parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine
Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural
Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association);
Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); Central of
Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and
unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT
(Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); White and Blue CGT
(dissident CGT labor confederation); Roman Catholic Church
other: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement;
Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either
pro or anti-government); students
International organization participation:
AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN
(associate), FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,
MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA
(observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
Latina (observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hector Marcos TIMERMAN
chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE
embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires
mailing address: international mail: use embassy street address; APO
address: US Embassy Buenos Aires, Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light
blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a
human face known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear
skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the
appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the
first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features
are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun
Economy ::Argentina
Economy - overview:
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate
population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest
countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th
century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and
current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt,
and capital flight. A severe depression, growing public and external
indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious
economic, social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent
history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default -
the largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in
December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after
taking office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to
the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early 2002.
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 also increased, however,
during the administration of President Nestor KIRCHNER, which
responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export
taxes and restraints, and beginning in early 2007, with understating
inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband
as President in late 2007, but was stymied in her efforts to hike
export taxes still further by protesting farmers. Her government
nationalized private pension funds in late 2008, which bolstered
government coffers, but failed to assuage investors' concerns about
the direction of economic policy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$575.2 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
$538.6 billion (2007 est.)
$495.5 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$324.8 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
8.7% (2007 est.)
8.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,200 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$13,400 (2007 est.)
$12,500 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.9%
industry: 32.7%
services: 57.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
16.27 million
country comparison to the world: 36
note: urban areas only (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 23%
services: 76% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.9% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
8.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
23.4% (January-June 2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 35% (January-March 2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49 (January-March 2007)
country comparison to the world: 27
Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Budget:
revenues: $86.65 billion
expenditures: $82.85 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
48.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
118% of GDP (June 2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
8.8% (2007 est.)
note: based on official estimates, which lack credibility;
non-official estimates put inflation at 22% in 2008
Central bank discount rate:
NA
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.47% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 7
28% (28 November 2008)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$33.93 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$45.92 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$72.55 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$52.31 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 50
$86.68 billion (31 December 2007)
$79.73 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts,
tea, wheat; livestock
Industries:
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles,
chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate:
4.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Electricity - production:
109.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Electricity - consumption:
99.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Electricity - exports:
2.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
792,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Oil - consumption:
610,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Oil - exports:
314,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Oil - imports:
52,290 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Oil - proved reserves:
2.616 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Natural gas - production:
44.06 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Natural gas - consumption:
44.47 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Natural gas - exports:
890 million cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - imports:
1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Natural gas - proved reserves:
441.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Current account balance:
$7.077 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
$7.103 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$70.02 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$55.78 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
soybeans and derivatives, petroleum and gas, vehicles, corn, wheat
Exports - partners:
Brazil 18.9%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Chile 6.7%, Netherlands 4.2%
(2008)
Imports:
$54.56 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
$42.53 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum and natural gas, organic
chemicals, plastics
Imports - partners:
Brazil 31.3%, China 12.4%, US 12.2%, Germany 4.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$46.37 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
$46.12 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$128.2 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 34
$124 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$73.98 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
$66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$28.75 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
$26.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar - 3.1636 (2008 est.), 3.1105
(2007), 3.0543 (2006), 2.9037 (2005), 2.9233 (2004)
Communications ::Argentina
Telephones - main lines in use:
9.631 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 23
Telephones - mobile cellular:
46.509 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 21
Telephone system:
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to
competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications
Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of
modern telecommunications technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines
are being installed between all major cities; major networks are
entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is
improving; fixed-line telephone density is gradually increasing
reaching nearly 25 lines per 100 people in 2008; mobile telephone
subscribership has been increasing rapidly and has reached a level
of 115 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding; broadband services are
gaining ground
international: country code - 54; landing point for the Atlantis-2,
UNISUR, and South America-1 optical submarine cable systems that
provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US;
satellite earth stations - 112; 2 international gateways near Buenos
Aires (2008)
Radio broadcast stations: