World watch: Argentina

History

Once part of South America's United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, which gained independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina was formed after Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay had broken away as separate countries. Throughout its history, Argentina has experienced political unrest and a struggle between civilian and military leadership, most famously in the 1940s and 1950s under the military leader and politician Juan Perón. In 1976, a military junta took over the government. Democracy did not return until 1983, following a failed attempt to take the Falkland Islands, which Argentina claims and calls the Malvinas, by force.

Geography

The world's eighth-largest country in terms of total area, Argentina has a largely mild climate, which becomes subantarctic in the far south-west. The country has a wealth of natural resources, including iron ore, uranium and a vast amount of pasture land, which makes up nearly 40 per cent of the total land area.

Society

Immigration from all over Europe, particularly from Spain and Italy, has had a big impact on the country's culture and demographics. Over 97 per cent of the population is either of European or a mixture of European and indigenous descent. Another 2.4 per cent is indigenous, and 0.4 per cent is of African ethnicity. As of 2023, the population of Argentina was over 46 million.

Languages

Spanish is Argentina's official language, but Italian, English, German and French, along with the indigenous languages Quechua, Guaraní and Mapudungun, are also widely spoken.

Economy

Argentina's export-led economy has struggled recently with high inflation and the financial risks caused by its debt obligations. Also, the country has a tendency to under-report inflation and nationalize businesses, all of which is unsettling for investors.

Services are the largest sector, but other important industries include food processing, motor vehicles and petrochemicals. Agricultural exports including corn, wheat, sugar cane and beef are also important. Argentina's biggest export markets are Brazil, China, the US and Chile.

Government

Argentina is a presidential republic. Its capital is Buenos Aires. President and head of state has been Alberto Ángel Fernández since December 2019.

Argentina's National Congress is made up of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Members are elected on a provincial basis, with two Senate seats given to the winning party and one seat to the party with the second-highest number of votes. There are 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, whose members serve for four-year terms, while half of the membership must be renewed every two years.

Source: The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency