All About Argentina

genus genus genus Argentina, country in southeastern the States east of Chile and west of the Atlantic Ocean. The atomic number 18a of the country is 2,780,400 sq km. The Argentine government, however, claims a total argona of 2,808,602 sq km including the British-administered Falkland Islands, or Islas Malvinas, and other sparsely settled grey Atlantic islands. The capital and largest city is Buenos Aires. The throng is 35,797,981 million. Largely urban and of European origin. Spanish is the official language. Roman Catholics make up more than 92 percent of the population. Judaism, Protestantsim, and a number of other Christian and non-Christian religions are practiced. By law, the president and the vice-president must be Roman Catholic.Physical Geography The Andes Mountains disceptation Argentinas western edge, forming the boundary with Chile. The highest peak, Aconcagua, stands 6960 m. Gently wheeling plains extend eastward from the base of the Andes and condescend gradua lly to sea level. The Pampas, treeless plains that involve the around productive agricultural sections of the country, matter to much of this region. Patagonia, south of the Pampas, is dry and deso ripe. At the southern tip of Argentina deception the islands of Tierra del Fuego.Climate Argentina has a temperate climate, except for a small tropical area in the northeast and a subtropical region in the north. The higher(prenominal) Andes and Patagonia are cold, while in most coastal areas temperatures are moderated by the ocean. rainwater is high in the north, and quite mild in the south.Argentinas main natural election has been the agricultural land of the Pampas. Productive seaward deposits of petroleum and natural gas are also big.Education and Culture main(a) facts of life is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 14. In 1996, 5.3 million pupils attended old schools 2.6 million attended secondary and vocational schools. Enrollment in higher education institutions was 1.1 m illion in 1994. Argentinas literacy rate of 96 percent is nonpareil of the highest in Latin America. Argentina has cryptical literary and musical traditions. The tango, a widely popular ballroom dance, originated here.Economy Argentina ranks among world leaders in the outturn of grain and cattle. Wheat is the most important crop, and wool is a major export. char and petroleum production, once relatively small-scale, has change magnitude significantly in recent years. The unit of measurement of currency is the nuevo peso argentino (1 peso equals U.S.$1 1996).Government Executive power is held by a president take to no more than two consecutive four-year terms. The subject Congress consists of the 257-member House of Deputies and the 72-member Senate. Deputies are elected directly to four-year terms, and each of the countrys 23 provinces elects tierce senators to six-year terms. In each province, the largest nongoverning party chooses one of the three senators.History Along with legion(predicate) nomadic tribespeople, two main indigenous groups existed in Argentina before the European arrival. In the northwest, near Bolivia and the Andes, was a people known as the Diaguita, while promote south and to the east were the Guarani. Together the Diaguita and the Guarani pee the origins of permanent agricultural civilization in Argentina, both developing the cultivation of maize. The Diaguita are also remembered for having successfully prevented the powerful Inca from expanding their pudding stone into Argentina from what is now Bolivia.It was perhaps a legacy of this successful resistance that enabled the inborn peoples of Argentina to carry on a prolonged campaign against colonization and feel by the Spanish. The first Spaniard to land in Argentina, Juan de Solis, was killed in 1516, and several attempts to found Buenos Aires were stymied by the topical anesthetic inhabitants. Inland cities were more successful, and it wasnt until the late 16th ce ntury that Buenos Aires was securely established.patronage its military success, indigenous resistance was inexorably weakened by the introduction of diseases from Europe. regular(a) after the native threat became minimal, however, Argentina was still mostly neglected by Spain, which was more interested in developing Lima and the riches of Peru. Buenos Aires was forbidden to plow with foreign countries, and the city became a smugglers haunt. The sumptuary trade policy probably did unretentive to endear Spain to the colonists. The British attacked Buenos Aires in 1806 and 1807, as Spains had come under the control of Napoleonic France. The colony managed to repulse Britains attacks without any attention from their mother country, an act of strength that no doubt helped to foster the regions growing genius of independence.When the French captured Spains King Ferdinand VII, Argentina ferine completely under the rule of the local viceroyalty, which was highly unpopular. The local s rebelled against the viceroyalty and declared their allegiance to the intent king. By 1816, the deep division amongst Argentina and its mother country had die quite apparent, and a party of separatists opinionated to declare the countrys independence. One of the new patriots, Jose de San Martin, go across the Andes and captured Lima. Along with Simon Bolivar, Martin is credited with breaking the trammel net of Spanish rule in South America.Early independence in Argentina was marked by an often caustic struggle between two political groups the Unitarists and the Federalists. The Unitarists wanted a strong rudimentary government, while the Federalists wanted local control.