Argentina

Branches

Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $4.7 billion, 1.5% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 8,707,014 males fit for military service: 7,063,304 males reach military age (20) annually: 310,107 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 171, FM 0, shortwave 13

Radios

22.3 million (1991 est.)

Telephone system

12,000 public telephones; extensive modern system but many families do not have telephones; despite extensive use of microwave radio relay, the telephone system frequently grounds out during rainstorms, even in Buenos Aires domestic: microwave radio relay and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

2.7 million (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

231

Televisions

7.165 million (1991 est.) Defense

Agriculture

wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets; livestock

Budget

revenues: $48.46 billion expenditures: $46.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.5 billion (1994 est.)

Currency

1 nuevo peso argentino = 100 centavos

Economic aid

$NA

Economic overview

Argentina, rich in natural resources, benefits also from a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Argentines have responded to the relative price stability by repatriating flight capital and investing in domestic industry. After registering impressive 7.4% growth in 1994, based largely on inflows of foreign capital and strong domestic consumption, the Argentine economy stumbled in 1995 as financial pressures fueled by the Mexican peso crisis and political squabbling within the MENEM administration undermined investor confidence and triggered capital outflows. By yearend, GDP had contracted 4.4%, unemployment reached 16%, and Buenos Aires struggled to meet fiscal targets. On the trade front, exports soared during the first half of 1995 - largely because of strong demand in Brazil and high commodity prices - while anemic domestic consumption lowered imports; the resulting yearend trade surplus was about $1.2 billion. However, because exports contribute only 7.5% to GDP, increased foreign sales had little impact on aggregate growth. High unemployment will continue to plague the MENEM administration for the next several years as provincial entities are readied for privatization and more public sector employees are laid off.

Electricity

capacity: 17,330,000 kW production: 54.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,610 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

pesos per US$1 - 1.00000 (January 1996), 0.99975 (1995), 0.99901 (1994), 0.99895 (1993), 0.99064 (1992), 0.95355 (1991)

Exports

$20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, manufactures partners: US 9%, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Netherlands

External debt

$90 billion (December 1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $278.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 6% industry: 31% services: 63% (1992 est.)

GDP per capita

$8,100 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-4.4%

Illicit drugs

increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US

Imports

$19.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products partners: US 21%, Brazil, Germany, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands

Industrial production growth rate

-4.6% (1995 est.)

Industries

food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (1995 est.)

Labor force

10.9 million by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate

16% (1995 est.)

Area

total area: 2,766,890 sq km land area: 2,736,690 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Climate

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Coastline

4,989 km

Environment

current issues: erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use natural hazards: Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Geographic note

second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

International disputes

short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

Irrigated land

17,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Land use

arable land: 9% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 52% forest and woodland: 22% other: 13%

Location

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Terrain

rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

Administrative divisions

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; 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 or Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands

Capital

Buenos Aires

Chamber of Deputies

one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms; elections last held 14 May 1995; (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (257 total) PJ 132, UCR 68, Frepaso 26, other 31

Constitution

1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Data code

AR

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Enrique GRANILLO OCAMPO chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6400 through 6403 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989) was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held May 1999); results - Carlos Saul MENEM was reelected; Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president

FAX

[54] (1) 777-0197

Flag

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

Independence

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MTCR, NSG (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate

Legal system

mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Name of country

conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina

National holiday

Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Other political or pressure groups

Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor (CGT), Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization; Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces

Political parties and leaders

Justicialist Party (PJ), Carlos Saul MENEM, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR), Rodolfo TERRAGNO, moderately left-of-center party; Union of the Democratic Center (UCD), conservative party; Dignity and Independence Political Party (MODIN), Aldo RICO, right-wing party; Grand Front (Frente Grande), Carlos ALVAREZ, center-left coalition; Front for a Country in Solidarity (Frepaso, a four party coalition), leader Jose Octavio BORDON; several provincial parties

Senate

elections last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) PJ 38, others 34

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador James R. CHEEK embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 777-4533, 4534

Age structure

0-14 years: 28% (male 4,904,380; female 4,707,293) 15-64 years: 63% (male 10,851,004; female 10,834,593) 65 years and over: 9% (male 1,414,412; female 1,961,315) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

19.41 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.62 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white 85%, mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups 15%

Infant mortality rate

28.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.66 years male: 68.37 years female: 75.12 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 96.2% male: 96.2% female: 96.2%

Nationality

noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine

Net migration rate

0.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

34,672,997 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.1% (1996 est.)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.62 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 1,253 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 5 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 25 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 54 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 46 with paved runways under 914 m: 511 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 60 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 549 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 215,578 km paved: 61,440 km unpaved: 154,138 km

Merchant marine

total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 303,448 GRT/458,864 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 11, chemical tanker 1, container 3, oil tanker 14, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km

Ports

Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Railways

total: 37,910 km broad gauge: 24,124 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,765 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 11,021 km 1.000-m gauge (26 km electrified)

Waterways

11,000 km navigable