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NAVIGATION
Argentine Republic
Republica Argentina
Argentina
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay |
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Geographic coordinates:
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34 00 S, 64 00 W |
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Map references:
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South America |
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Area:
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total: 2,766,890 sq km
land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 9,665 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km |
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Coastline:
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4,989 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin |
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Climate:
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mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest |
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Terrain:
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rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula Valdes)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m |
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Natural resources:
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fertile plains of the Pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium |
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Land use:
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arable land: 9.14%
permanent crops: 0.8% other: 90.06% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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15,610 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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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 |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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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); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain, while the Valdes Peninsula is the lowest point on the continent |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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37,812,817 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 26.3% (male 5,090,046; female 4,854,761)
15-64 years: 63.2% (male 11,968,135; female 11,937,709) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 1,636,332; female 2,325,834) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.13% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.23 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.48 years
female: 79.03 years (2002 est.) male: 72.1 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.69% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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130,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,800 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine |
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Ethnic groups:
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white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3% |
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Religions:
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nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4% |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2% male: 96.2% female: 96.2% (1995 est.) |