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Argentina – Alberta
Relations
This map is a generalized illustration only and is not intended to be used for reference purposes. The representation of political boundaries does not
necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Alberta on international issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction.
PROFILE
DID YOU KNOW?
TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Capital: Buenos Aires
 Argentina, along with Brazil, Paraguay,
and Uruguay founded the MERCOSUR
free trade zone in 1991. Venezuela has
become the fifth member in December
2005.
 From 2006 to 2010, Alberta exports
to Argentina averaged $27.0 million
per year.
Population: 40.5 million (2010 est.)
Language: Spanish
Government: Federal Republic
Head of State and Government: President
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (Partido
Justicialista, Peronists) (since December 10,
2007)
Currency: $1 CDN = 4.44 Argentinean peso
(ARS) (May 2011)
GDP: $US 370.3 billion (2010)
GDP (PPP): $US 643.1 billion (2010
est.)
GDP Per Capita (PPP): $US 15,871
(2010 est.)
GDP growth rate: 9.2% (2010)
Inflation: 10.5% (2010)
Unemployment: 7.8% (2010)
Key Industry Sectors: Agriculture,
mining, food processing, motor vehicles,
consumer durables, textiles, chemicals,
printing, metallurgy, steel, tourism and
electricity.
 Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, is
often called “Paris of South America” for
its strong European culture, due to the
prevalence of people of Italian, Spanish
French, and German descent and their
cultural influence.
RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW
 Canada and Argentina share many
similarities including their resourcebased economies, immigrant populations
and federal systems of government.
 Argentina is involved in negotiations for
the Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA). Working together on the FTAA
and the Cairns group, Argentina and
Canada have developed an excellent
bilateral relationship.
 Due to an increase in oil and gas
equipment, Alberta exports to
Argentina reached $49 million in
2007, a 295% increase over the
previous year.
 Between 2006 and 2010, Alberta
imported goods worth $59.2 million
from Argentina. Alberta’s primary
imports were iron and steel pipes,
and wine. This figure does not
include goods sold in Alberta that
arrived via distribution hubs in other
provinces.
 After the 2001-2002 economic
crisis, the Argentine government
has introduced programs to allow
competition, providing tax and
financing incentives to exporters.
GDP has expanded by about 9% per
year since 2004.
 In 2003, Canada handed the
chairmanship of the Summit of the
Americas process to Argentina, who
hosted in Mar del Plata the Fourth
Summit of the Americas in November
2005.
Input was provided from the departments of: Advanced Education & Technology, Agriculture & Rural Development, Culture & Community Services,
Education, Energy and Human Services.
June 2011
ENERGY
AGRICULTURE
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
 ENSARA, Argentina’s state-owned
energy company, was established in
2004 as a result of the country’s
energy crisis that year. It is
responsible for the upstream
development of oil and shale gas.
 One of the world’s top five exporters of
grain and beef, Argentina is a
competitor of Alberta.
 Since 2006, Argentina has received
funding from the Government of
Alberta to undertake a variety of
projects that focused on the
advancement of the status and
rights of intellectually disabled
persons.
 Argentina is a net oil exporter, though
production has declined in recent
years. Argentina produced 794,470
barrels per day in 2009 and had 2.386
billion barrels of proven oil reserves.
 Argentina is the largest natural gas
producer in South America. In January
2008, the country had 16 trillion cubic
feet of proven natural gas reserves.
 Natural gas is relied on heavily in
Argentina. It comprises of nearly 70%
of fuel consumption in electricity
generation. Argentina’s electricity
consumption increased from 72.44
kWh in 2002 to 104.73 kWh in 2008.
 Petroleum consumption increased from
438,200 bbl/d in 2002 to 594,000
bbl/d in 2008.
 Argentina has a large potential in windpowered electricity generation. The
capacity factors in the provinces of
Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Neuquén,
Chabut and Santa Cruz is estimated to
range from 24% to 49%.
 In 2010, Argentina’s generation mix
was composed of 57% thermal, 38%
hydro and 3% nuclear.
 Calgary-based TransCanada owns a
30% interest in Gas Pacifico, a 540 km
natural gas pipeline from Lata,
Argentina to Concepción, Chile.
 Argentina, Canada, and 17 other
countries are members of the Cairns
Group of agricultural exporting nations
seeking world trade liberalization.
 In 2010, Alberta’s agri-food exports to
Argentina totaled $822,000, consisting
mostly of bovine semen ($696,000)
and seeds for sowing ($105,000).
EDUCATION
 The University of Alberta and the
University of Calgary have diverse
Academic and Student Exchange
Agreements and have signed
Memorandums of Understanding with
different Argentine universities.
 The University of Calgary has a student
exchange agreement with Universidad
del Salvador in Buenos Aires.
EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES
 Oil and gas equipment and services will
need to be upgraded to increase
operational efficiency and meet new
standards of international competition.
 As 25% of Argentina’s environmental
control goods and services come from
foreign suppliers, the chemical and
petrochemical industries are natural
candidates for environmental
equipment.
RECENT VISITS
 April 2007: Officials from Argentina
attended a Council of Americas
event in Calgary.
 December 2004: Alberta
Environment Minister represented
Alberta's interests at an
international climate change
meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
 September 2004: Energy official
from the government of Argentina
traveled to Alberta to discuss
energy issues and learn more about
Alberta’s energy industry.
DIPLOMATIC
REPRESENTATION
 Argentina’s Ambassador in Ottawa
is His Excellency Arturo Guillermo
Bothamley.
 Canada’s Ambassador to Argentina,
located in Buenos Aires, is Ms.
Gwyneth A. Kutz.
 Metal mining is growing in importance.
Total mining production increased by
an accumulated 253% between 2003
and 2007, which require mining
equipment and services.
For more information, contact:
Alberta Intergovernmental, International
and Aboriginal Relations
Tel: 780-427-6543 Fax: 780-427-0699
www.albertacanada.com