Argentina

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 9,571,562 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

government owns a TV station and radio network; more than two dozen TV stations and hundreds of privately owned radio stations; high rate of cable TV subscription usage (2022)

Internet country code

.ar

Internet users

total: 39.15 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 87% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Argentina s ongoing problem with hyperinflation continues to distort the telecom market s performance, which shows strong growth in revenue but only modest gains in subscriber numbers each year; the fixed broadband segment has penetration levels only slightly higher than the fixed-line teledensity; nearly a quarter of the country s broadband connections are via DSL, although fiber is starting claim an increasing share of that market as networks expand across most of the main cities; mobile broadband continues to be the preferred platform for internet access, supported by high mobile penetration levels and nationwide LTE coverage; the first 5G service was launched in February 2021 using refarmed LTE frequencies; the anticipated 5G spectrum auctions should drive even stronger uptake in mobile broadband services; while the various fixed, mobile, and cable operators push to expand and enhance their services, the government is also making an active contribution towards boosting broadband connectivity around the country; its national connectivity plan Plan Conectar , launched in September 2020, provides funding for a range of programs to increase coverage; in August 2021, the telecom regulator announced the release funding to help operators accelerate the rollout of their broadband infrastructure and services (2021) domestic: roughly 15 per 100 fixed-line and 130 per 100 mobile-cellular; microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network (2021) international: country code - 54; landing points for the UNISUR, Bicentenario, Atlantis-2, SAm-1, and SAC, Tannat, Malbec and ARBR submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US; satellite earth stations - 112 (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 7.615 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 60.236 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2022 est.)

Agricultural products

maize, soybeans, wheat, sugarcane, milk, barley, sunflower seeds, beef, sorghum, chicken (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 23.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $113.553 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $138.622 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: CCC (2020) Moody's rating: Ca (2020) Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

-$21.494 billion (2023 est.) -$4.29 billion (2022 est.) $6.645 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$77.88 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

large diversified economy; financial risks from debt obligations, rapid inflation, and reduced investor appetites; resource-rich, export-led growth model; increasing trade relations with China; G20 and OAS leader; tendency to nationalize businesses and under-report inflation

Exchange rates

Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar - 296.258 (2023 est.) 130.617 (2022 est.) 94.991 (2021 est.) 70.539 (2020 est.) 48.148 (2019 est.)

Exports

$83.359 billion (2023 est.) $103.002 billion (2022 est.) $87.486 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$640.591 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 67.2% (2023 est.) government consumption: 15.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 12.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -14.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 6.1% (2023 est.) industry: 25.1% (2023 est.) services: 52.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

40.7 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 29.8% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$92.574 billion (2023 est.) $97.558 billion (2022 est.) $72.392 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-0.35% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

25.7% (2017 est.) 26.5% (2016 est.) note: data are derived from private estimates

Labor force

21.906 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

39.2% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

57.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.235 trillion (2023 est.) $1.254 trillion (2022 est.) $1.195 trillion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

-1.55% (2023 est.) 4.96% (2022 est.) 10.72% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$26,500 (2023 est.) $27,100 (2022 est.) $26,100 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

0.25% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.18% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$23.081 billion (2023 est.) $44.795 billion (2022 est.) $39.653 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

11.15% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

6.18% (2023 est.) 6.81% (2022 est.) 8.74% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 18% (2023 est.) male: 16.9% (2023 est.) female: 19.5% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Carbon dioxide emissions

185.37 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 89.464 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 90.515 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

production: 1.318 million metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 3.391 million metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 8,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2.196 million metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 799.999 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 46.82 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 127.98 billion kWh (2022 est.) exports: 31 million kWh (2022 est.) imports: 12.909 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 29.877 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 65.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) nuclear: 5.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 16.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

75.735 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

production: 43.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) consumption: 46.228 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) exports: 3.422 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 6.229 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) proven reserves: 396.464 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 3 (2023) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2023) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.64GW (2023 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 6.3% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 807,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 706,000 bbl/day (2022 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 2.483 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 12.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 201.35 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 120.66 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Environment - current issues

environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation (erosion, salinization), desertification, air pollution, and water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land: 53.9% (2018 est.) arable land: 13.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 39.6% (2018 est.) forest: 10.7% (2018 est.) other: 35.4% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Guaran Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lago Buenos Aires (shared with Chile) - 2,240 sq km; Lago Argentino - 1,410 sq km; Lago Viedma - 1,090 sq km; Lago San Mart n (shared with Chile) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Colhu Huapi - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Chile) - 590 sq km; Lago Nahuel Huapi - 550 sq km salt water lake(s): Laguna Mar Chiquita - 1,850 sq km;

Major rivers (by length in km)

R o de la Plata/Paran river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Paraguay, and Uruguay) - 4,880 km; Paraguay (shared with Brazil [s], and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Uruguay (shared with Brazil [s] and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paran (2,582,704 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.09% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

876.24 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 5.85 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 27.93 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 92.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 17,910,550 tons (2014 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,074,633 tons (2010 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6% (2010 est.)

Area

total : 2,780,400 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 43,710 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Climate

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Coastline

4,989 km

Elevation

highest point: Cerro Aconcagua (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza; highest point in South America) 6,962 m lowest point: Laguna del Carb n (located between Puerto San Juli n and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) -105 m mean elevation: 595 m

Geographic coordinates

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: 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); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carb n is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere; shares Iguaz Falls, the world's largest waterfalls system, with Brazil note 2: southeast Bolivia and northwest Argentina seem to be the original development site for peanuts

Irrigated land

23,600 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 11,968 km border countries (5): Bolivia 942 km; Brazil 1,263 km; Chile 6,691 km; Paraguay 2,531 km; Uruguay 541 km

Land use

agricultural land: 53.9% (2018 est.) arable land: 13.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 39.6% (2018 est.) forest: 10.7% (2018 est.) other: 35.4% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Guaran Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lago Buenos Aires (shared with Chile) - 2,240 sq km; Lago Argentino - 1,410 sq km; Lago Viedma - 1,090 sq km; Lago San Mart n (shared with Chile) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Colhu Huapi - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Chile) - 590 sq km; Lago Nahuel Huapi - 550 sq km salt water lake(s): Laguna Mar Chiquita - 1,850 sq km;

Major rivers (by length in km)

R o de la Plata/Paran river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Paraguay, and Uruguay) - 4,880 km; Paraguay (shared with Brazil [s], and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Uruguay (shared with Brazil [s] and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paran (2,582,704 sq km)

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

San Miguel de Tucum n and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planch n-Peteroa, San Jos , Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

one-third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated

Terrain

rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Administrative divisions

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city*; Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Corrientes, 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 (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Capital

name: Buenos Aires geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 22 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish and derives from the original designation of the settlement that would become the present-day city, "Santa Maria del Buen Aire" (Saint Mary of the Fair Winds)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853 amendments: a declaration of proposed amendments requires two-thirds majority vote by both houses of the National Congress followed by approval by an ad hoc, multi-member constitutional convention; amended several times, last significant amendment in 1994

Country name

conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Rep blica Argentina local short form: Argentina etymology: originally the area was referred to as Tierra Argentina, i.e., "Land beside the Silvery River" or "silvery land," which referred to the massive estuary in the east of the country, the R o de la Plata (River of Silver); over time the name shortened to simply Argentina or "silvery"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Marc Robert STANLEY (since 24 January 2022) embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires mailing address: 3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC 20521-3130 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240 email address and website: Buenosairespublicaffairs@state.gov https://ar.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gerardo WERTHEIN (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 email address and website: eeeuu@mrecic.gov.ar https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023) head of government: President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority vote (to win, a candidate must receive at least 45% of votes or 40% of votes and a 10-point lead over the second place candidate; if neither occurs, a second round is held ); the president serves a 4-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 22 October 2023 with a runoff held 19 November 2023 (next to be held in October 2027) election results: 2023: Javier Gerardo MILEI elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Sergio Tom s MASSA (FR) 36.7%, Javier Gerardo MILEI (PL) 30%, Patricia BULLRICH 23.8% (JxC/PRO), Juan SCHIARETTI (PJ) 6.8%, Myriam BREGMAN (PTS) 2.7%; percent of vote in second round - Javier Gerardo MILEI 55.7%, Sergio Tom s MASSA 44.3% 2019: Alberto ngel FERN NDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERN NDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3%

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), white, and sky blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face (delineated in brown) known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CABEI, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of the court president, vice president, 2 judges, 1 vacancy) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; ministers can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75; extensions beyond 75 require renomination by the president and approval by the Senate subordinate courts: federal level appellate, district, and territorial courts; provincial level supreme, appellate, and first instance courts

Legal system

civil law system based on West European legal systems; note - in mid-2015, Argentina adopted a new civil code, replacing the old one in force since 1871

Legislative branch

description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (72 seats; members directly elected from 24 provincial districts by closed-list proportional representation vote; 2 seats per district awarded to the party with the most votes and 1 seat per district to the party with the second highest votes; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) Chamber of Deputies or C mara de Diputados (257 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years) elections: Senate - last held on 22 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2025) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 22 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2025) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - UP 12, LLA 8, JxC 2, other 2; composition - men 39, women 33, percentage women 45.8% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - UP 58, LLA 35, JxC 31, NHP 4, other 2; composition - men 148, women 109, percentage women 42.4%; total National Congress percentage women 43.2%

National anthem

name: "Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem) lyrics/music: Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA note: adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 12 (7 cultural, 5 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Los Glaciares National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Iguaz National Park (n); Cueva de las Manos (c); Vald s Pen nsula (n); Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks (n); Jesuit Block and Estancias of C rdoba (c); Quebrada de Humahuaca (c); Qhapaq an/Andean Road System (c)

National holiday

Revolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810)

National symbol(s)

Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: sky blue, white

Political parties

Avanza Libertad or AL Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI Consenso Federal (Federal Consensus) or CF Frente C vico por Santiago (Civic Front for Santiago) Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores Unidad (Workers' Left Front) or FIT-U (coalition of leftist parties in lower house; includes PTS, PO, and MST) Frente de la Concordia Misionero (Front for the Renewal of Social Concord) or FRCS Frente Renovador (Renewal Front) or FR Generaci n por un Encuentro Nacional (Generation for a National Encounter) or GEN Hacemos por C rdoba (We do for Cordoba) or HC Hacemos por Nuestro Pais (We Do For Our Country) or NHP Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) or JxC (includes CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR); note - primary opposition coalition since 2019 Juntos Somos R o Negro (Together We Are Rio Negro) or JSRN Partido Justicialista (Justicialist Party) or PJ La C mpora La Libertad Avanza (The Liberty Advances) or LLA Movimiento Popular Neuquino (Neuqu n People's Movement) or MPN Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores (Workers' Socialist Movement) or MST Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (Socialist Workers' Party) or PTS Partido Dem crata (Democratic Party) or PDN Partido Libertario (Libertarian Party) or PL; note - party is also a founding member of the coalition La Libertad Avanza Partido Obrero (Workers' Party) or PO Partido Socialista or PS Propuesta Republicana (Republican Proposal) or PRO Unidad Federal (coalition of provencial parties in the lower house; includes FRCS and JSRN) Uni n C vica Radical (Radical Civic Union) or UCR Uni n por la Patria (Union for the Homeland) or UP (formerly Frente de Todos (Everyone's Front) or FdT) (includes FR, La C mpora, and PJ); note - ruling coalition since 2019; includes several national and provincial Peronist political parties Vamos con Vos (Let's Go with You) or VcV

Suffrage

18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age - optional for national elections

Background

In 1816, the United Provinces of the R o de la Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. European immigrants heavily shaped the country's population and culture, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions. After World War II, former President Juan Domingo PER N -- the founder of the Peronist political movement -- introduced an era of populism, serving three non-consecutive terms in office until his death in 1974. Direct and indirect military interference in government throughout the PER N years led to a military junta taking power in 1976. In 1982, the junta failed in its bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force from the United Kingdom. Democracy was reinstated in 1983 and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by N stor KIRCHNER (2003-07) and his spouse Cristina FERN NDEZ DE KIRCHNER (2007-15), who oversaw several years of strong economic growth (2003-11) followed by a gradual deterioration in the government s fiscal situation and eventual economic stagnation and isolation. Argentina underwent a brief period of economic reform and international reintegration under Mauricio MACRI (2015-19), but a recession in 2018-19 and frustration with MACRI s economic policies ushered in a new Peronist government in 2019 led by President Alberto FERN NDEZ and Vice President Cristina FERN NDEZ DE KIRCHNER. Argentina's high public debts, its pandemic-related inflationary pressures, and systemic monetary woes served as the catalyst for the 2023 elections, culminating with President Javier MILEI's electoral success. Argentina has since eliminated half of its government agencies and is seeking shock therapy to amend taxation and monetary policies.

Military - note

the Argentine military s primary responsibilities are territorial defense and protecting the country s sovereignty; other duties include border security, countering narcotics trafficking, and other internal missions, such as disaster response and infrastructure development; it also conducts support operations in Antarctica to promote an active presence in areas of national territory that are sparsely populated; the military participates in both bilateral and multinational training exercises and supports UN peacekeeping operations Argentina participates in the Tripartite Command, an interagency security mechanism created by Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to exchange information and combat transnational threats, including terrorism, in the Tri-Border Area; in addition, Argentina and Chile have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of infantry, command and control, air, naval, and logistics support elements; Argentina has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the Army and Navy were both created in 1810 during the Argentine War of Independence, while the Air Force was established in 1945; the military conducted coups d' tat in 1930, 1943, 1955, 1962, 1966, and 1976; the 1976 coup, aka the "National Reorganization Process," marked the beginning of the so-called "Dirty War," a period of state-sponsored terrorism that saw the deaths or disappearances of thousands of Argentinians; the defeat in the 1983 Falklands War led to the downfall of the military junta (2024)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic (Fuerzas Armadas de la Rep blica Argentina): Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino, EA), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica, ARA; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) Ministry of Security: Gendarmer a Nacional Argentina (National Gendarmerie), Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval) (2024) note: all federal police forces are under the Ministry of Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 75,000 active-duty personnel (46,000 Army; 16,000 Navy, including about 3,500 marines); 13,000 Air Force); estimated 20,000 Gendarmerie (2024)

Military deployments

325 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; in recent years, France and the US have been the leading suppliers of equipment; Argentina has an indigenous defense industry that produces air, land, and naval systems (2024)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription suspended in 1995; citizens can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2024) note: as of 2023, women comprised nearly 20% of the active duty military

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.3% (male 5,632,983/female 5,301,778) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 15,071,215/female 14,956,069) 65 years and over: 12.8% (2024 est.) (male 2,570,596/female 3,461,743)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 7.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

15.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 2.4% women married by age 18: 15.5% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.7% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

70.1% (2019/20)

Current health expenditure

10% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Argentina s population continues to grow but at a slower rate because of its steadily declining birth rate. Argentina s fertility decline began earlier than in the rest of Latin America, occurring most rapidly between the early 20 th century and the 1950s and then becoming more gradual in the 1990s. Life expectancy has been improving, most notably among the young and the poor. While the population under age 15 is shrinking, the youth cohort ages 15 24 is the largest in Argentina s history and will continue to bolster the working-age population. If this large working-age population is well-educated and gainfully employed, Argentina is likely to experience an economic boost and possibly higher per capita savings and investment. Although literacy and primary school enrollment are nearly universal, grade repetition is problematic and secondary school completion is low. Both of these issues vary widely by region and socioeconomic group. Only 24% of Argentinians complete tertiary education. With wages failing to keep pace with soaring inflation one of the highest in the world the poverty rate has climbed to over 4]0% in the first half of 2023. Argentina has been primarily a country of immigration for most of its history, welcoming European immigrants (often providing needed low-skilled labor) after its independence in the 19 th century and attracting especially large numbers from Spain and Italy. More than 7 million European immigrants are estimated to have arrived in Argentina between 1880 and 1930 (composing 30% of the total population by 1914), when it adopted a more restrictive immigration policy. European immigration also began to wane in the 1930s because of the global depression. The inflow rebounded temporarily following WWII and resumed its decline in the 1950s when Argentina s military dictators tightened immigration rules and European economies rebounded. Regional migration increased, however, supplying low-skilled workers escaping economic and political instability in their home countries. As of 2022, immigrants make up 3.1% of the population, with over half coming from Paraguay and Bolivia. Despite runaway inflation, hundreds of thousands immigrants arrive each year. The first waves of highly skilled Argentine emigrant workers headed mainly to the United States and Spain in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by economic decline and repressive military dictatorships. The 2008 European economic crisis drove the return migration of some Argentinean and other Latin American nationals, as well as the immigration of Europeans to South America, where Argentina was a key recipient.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 54.3 youth dependency ratio: 36 elderly dependency ratio: 18.2 potential support ratio: 5.5 (2021 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 99.8% of population rural: NA total: NA unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population rural: NA total: (2020 est.) NA

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

European (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Indigenous ancestry) 97.2%, Indigenous 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Quechua, Guarani, Mapudungun) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.8 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 82 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 98.9% female: 99.1% (2018)

Major urban areas - population

15.490 million BUENOS AIRES (capital), 1.612 million C rdoba, 1.594 million Rosario, 1.226 million Mendoza, 1.027 million San Miguel de Tucum n, 914,000 La Plata (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

45 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 33.3 years (2024 est.) male: 32.1 years female: 34.6 years

Nationality

noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine

Net migration rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28.3% (2016)

Physician density

4.06 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

total: 46,994,384 male: 23,274,794 female: 23,719,590 (2024 est.)

Population distribution

one-third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.79% (2024 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ 1.4%, other 1.2% (includes Muslim, Jewish), none 18.9% (includes agnostic and atheist), unspecified 0.3% (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: NA total: NA unimproved: rural: NA total: (2020 est.) NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 20 years (2020)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 24.5% (2020 est.) male: 29.4% (2020 est.) female: 19.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.15 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 92.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Space agency/agencies

Argentina National Space Activities Commission (Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, CONAE; formed in 1991); CONAE s predecessor was the National Commission for Space Research (Comisi n Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales, CNIE; formed in 1960) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Manuel Belgrano Space Center (Buenos Aires province): planned launch platform of the Tronador SLV (see Appendix S); Punta Indio Space Center (Buenos Aires province): test facility; Teofilo Tabanera Space Center (CETT; Cordoba Province): testing, mission control site (2024)

Space program overview

has a long history of involvement in the development of space-related capabilities, including rockets and satellites; develops, builds, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites, often in partnership with other countries; developing additional satellites with more advanced payloads; has a national space plan; contracts with commercial and other government space agencies for launches but has a domestic rocket program and is developing space launch vehicle (SLV) capabilities; cooperates with a broad range of space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the European Space Agency and its member states (particularly France, Italy), and the US; also has a commercial space industry, which includes efforts to design, build, and launch reusable small SLVs (2024) note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

Hizballah note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Illicit drugs

counterfeiting, drug trafficking, and other smuggling offenses in the Tri-Border area; some money laundering organizations in the TBA have may have links to the terrorist organization Hizballah; a large producer of chemical precursors

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 217,742 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)

Airports

756 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

LV

Heliports

144 (2024)

Merchant marine

total: 201 (2023) by type: container ship 1, bulk carrier 1 general cargo 8, oil tanker 33, other 158

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 107 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 18,081,937 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 311.57 million (2018) mt-km

Pipelines

29,930 km gas, 41 km liquid petroleum gas, 6,248 km oil, 3,631 km refined products (2013)

Ports

total ports: 37 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 10 very small: 24 ports with oil terminals: 19 key ports: Buenos Aires, Campana, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Puerto Belgrano, Puerto Ingeniero White, Puerto Madryn, Rosario, San Sebastian Bay, Santa Fe, Ushuaia, Zarate

Railways

total: 17,866 km (2018)

Roadways

total: 240,000 km paved: 81,355 km unpaved: 158,645 km (2017)

Waterways

11,000 km (2012)