We explain everything about Argentina and its physical and cultural characteristics. In addition, we explain its economy, religion and the history of this country.
Argentina has a total area of 2,780,400 square kilometers.
Argentina
Argentina is a national state located in the southern tip of South America whose official name is the Argentine Republic. Its territory is divided into 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which is its capital and most populous city.
The Argentine Republic has a total area of 2,780,400 km2, making it the second largest country in South America after Brazil. It is bordered to the west by Chile, to the northwest by Paraguay and Bolivia, and to the northeast by Brazil and Uruguay.
Argentina was a Spanish colony until 1816, the year of its independence. Therefore, their Customs and traditions mix Spanish heritages, from the immigrants who received it since the end of the 19th century and of the native peoples who survived the conquest of America.
Currently Argentina has a democratic, republican and presidential political system.and is one of the founding countries of international institutions such as the UN, Mercosur, the OAS and UNASUR.
Why is it called that? The name “Argentina” comes from the Latin argentum, which means “silver”. It is believed that it was the Spanish poet Martín del Barco Centenera who first named the lands near the Río de la Plata as “Argentina” in 1602.
Characteristics of Argentina
- Its population is 46,044,000 inhabitants.
- It has an area of 2,780,000 square kilometers, which represents a population density of 16.5 inhabitants per square kilometer.
- Its capital is the city of Buenos Aires.
- It is part of Mercosur, UNASUR, the OAS and the UN.
- Its predominant climate is temperate oceanic.
- Its predominant reliefs are the Andes mountain range in the west of the country and the Chaco-Pampas plain in the east.
- The official language is Spanish and the predominant religion is Catholic.
- Tango is one of its most characteristic cultural expressions.
- Its main economic activity is agriculture, and it is one of the main producers and exporters of soybeans in the world.
- The official currency is the Argentine peso, and its main economic partners are Brazil, the United States and China.
Area, population and capital of Argentina
Argentina has a population of more than 44 million inhabitants.
Argentina is divided into 23 provinces and one autonomous city.the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which is the capital of the country.
The city of Buenos Aires is located in the center-east of the country, on the banks of the Río de la Plata, and its territory is divided into 15 communes in which 3,120,000 inhabitants live. It is an autonomous territory presided over by a Head of Government and has its own executive, legislative and judicial powers and its own security forces. Its metropolitan area includes more than 40 districts in the province of Buenos Aires and reaches a population of 14 million inhabitants.
For its part, Provinces are jurisdictions that also have their own political organization and have executive, legislative and judicial powers. Their territory is divided into departments or districts that are made up of municipalities.
The Argentine provinces are:
- Buenos Aires. It is located in the Pampas region and is the most populated Argentine province. Its capital is the city of La Plata.
- The Pampa. It is located in the Pampas region and its capital is the city of Santa Rosa.
- CordovaIt is located in the Pampas region and its capital is the city of Córdoba, which is the second most populated city in the country.
- Santa FeIt is located in the Pampas region and its capital is the city of Santa Fe. Its most populated city is Rosario, the third most populated in the entire country.
- Between riversIt is located in the northeast region (NEA) of the country. Its capital is the city of Paraná.
- Currents. It is located in the northeast region (NEA) and its capital is the city of Corrientes.
- MissionsIt is located in the northeast region (NEA) and its capital is the city of Posadas.
- Formosa. It is located in the northeast region (NEA) and its capital is the city of Formosa.
- Chaco. It is located in the northeast region (NEA) and its capital is the city of Resistencia.
- Jump. It is located in the northwest region (NOA) and its capital is the city of Salta.
- JujuyIt is located in the northwest region (NOA) and its capital is the city of San Salvador de Jujuy.
- TucumanIt is located in the northwest region (NOA) and its capital is the city of Tucumán.
- Santiago del EsteroIt is located in the northwest region (NOA) and its capital is the city of Santiago del Estero.
- Catamarca. It is located in the northwest region (NOA) and its capital is the city of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca.
- The RiojaIt is located in the northwest region (NOA) and its capital is the city of La Rioja.
- saint LouisIt is located in the Cuyo region and its capital is the city of San Luis.
- San JuanIt is located in the Cuyo region and its capital is the city of San Juan.
- Mendoza. It is located in the Cuyo region and its capital is the city of Mendoza.
- Neuquen. It is located in the Patagonian region and its capital is the city of Neuquén.
- Black river. It is located in the Patagonian region and its capital is the city of Viedma.
- ChubutIt is located in the Patagonian region and its capital is the city of Rawson.
- Santa CruzIt is located in the Patagonian region and its capital is the city of Río Gallegos.
- Land of Fire. It is located in the Patagonian region and its capital is the city of Ushuaia. Its official name is Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands.
Climate, relief and hydrography of Argentina
Due to the extension of its territory, Argentina is a country that presents different types of climates. The climate characteristics according to each region are:
Climate in the Argentine Northeast
The climate of this area is warm subtropical with humid and very hot summers and short, cool winters, and precipitation decreases from east to west. Maximum temperatures in summer usually exceed 30°C and in winter they do not drop below 10°C. In this region, extensive and mighty rivers are formed, as well as estuaries and marshes as a result of the abundant rainfall.
Climate in the Argentine Northwest
It is a region where two different reliefs coexist: a lower area, where there are high temperatures and abundant rainfall, and a more arid mountainous area, where the climate is dry and hot. Temperatures range from a minimum of 4°C in winter to a maximum of 30°C in summer. It is a region characterized by its mountains and hills, and rainfall is concentrated in the summer. The rivers in this region noticeably reduce their flow in the winter.
Climate in the Pampas region of Argentina
The climate of this area is temperate oceanic, the summers are warm and the winters are cool (with frost but a low probability of snowfall). Summer in this region has average temperatures between 20 and 30°C and rainfall, and winter usually has temperatures between 10 and 20°C. It is characterized by being an extensive undulating plain that is used, for the most part, for the practice of agriculture. It is crossed by extensive and mighty rivers that are used for the navigation of large ships used for the country’s foreign trade.
Climate in the Cuyo region of Argentina
The climate of this area is temperate semi-arid with high temperatures during the summer and low temperatures in the winter. Little rainfall occurs in winter. It has the climate and relief suitable for the cultivation of vines and is a region famous for its wines. The Cuyo area is characterized by the presence of the zonda wind, a type of strong, hot and dry wind that transports a large amount of dust. Its relief has plateaus and mountain chains among which the Andes mountain range stands out (which runs through the country from north to south) and is home to Aconcagua, the highest peak in America at 6961 meters high. Its rivers and streams originate in the mountain range and descend at high speed forming rapids used for rafting.
Climate in Argentine Patagonia
It is the southernmost area of the American continent and its temperatures decrease from north to south. There is an area known as the “Patagonian forests”, which is cold and humid, and an area of the “Patagonian steppe”, where the winds lose humidity and the region becomes a dry and arid area. The rivers are generally short and have little flow.
The relief of Argentina is characterized by the presence of large plains in the east of the country.The most important is the Chaco-Pampas plain, which covers approximately 30% of the country’s surface.
Another important relief is the Andes mountain range.which extends from north to south in the western sector of the country. The two most important plateaus in the country are the Patagonian and the Missionary plateaus.The Patagonian plateau is the largest and is located in the south of the country. The Misiones plateau is located in the north and is smaller in size.
Flora and fauna of Argentina
The flora and fauna of Argentina is very varied and changes according to different geographic regions.
- NortheastIn this area, vegetation is abundant, the plants are tall and dense, and rainforests and jungle plants are common. Animals that can be seen in this region are monkeys, toucans, pumas, jaguars, tapirs and capybaras. Among the vegetation, aquatic plants, palm trees, carob trees, aguaribayes, poplars, willows, lapachos, reeds, timbos, among others, stand out.
- Northwest. In this area the vegetation and fauna change according to each type of relief and climate. To the west (in the provinces of Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca, San Juan, La Rioja and Tucumán), the climate allows llamas, vicuñas, pumas, snakes and foxes to live and, in high altitude areas, you can see eagles and condors. The flora in this area is scarce, with an abundance of cacti and low plants. In the Yungas area there is a great variety of vegetation with species such as laurels, cedars, orchids and mosses.
- Pampas region. This area is made up of plains that allow grazing of sheep, horses and cows. In addition, partridge, rhea, capybara, hairy capybara, vizcacha, fox, gray lizard and skunk, among others, are native animals of this region. Regarding vegetation, the agricultural production of grasses (such as wheat, corn and barley) is popular thanks to the large presence of humus in the soil, which makes this area one of the most fertile regions of the country. There are no large native trees in the central area, with the exception of the ombú and other species that grow on the margins of water courses, so grasses such as the brava straw, the flying straw, the red grass, among others, abound. . Some of the trees introduced in this area are eucalyptus and pine. Much of the native flora and fauna of this region is…