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Argentina
Country study and Presentation by
Antonio Valentine
Background Info
• In 1816, the United provinces of the “Rio de la Plata” declared their
independence from Spain. After Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia went their
separate ways, the remaining land mass became Argentina.
- The “Rio de la Plata” means “The River of Silver” formed by the combination of the Uruguay and
Paraná river extending 180 miles from the rivers confluence to the Atlantic ocean.
• The name Argentina is derived from the Latin word Argentum - meaning silver
• Government type: republican
• Capital: Buenos Aires
• Independence: july 9, 1816
• National holiday: Revolution day
Geography
• Southern south America, between Chile and
Uruguay
• 2,780,400 sq km. which, in comparison to the
world ranks 8th *
• Natural resources are:
- Fertile plains of the Pampas* - Ore, lead, Zinc
- Tin, Copper, Iron - Manganese, petroleum, and uranium
• Natural hazards include:
- Certain areas that are subjected to earthquakes, violent
winds, and heavy flooding
Geography (Cont’d)
• Some of Argentina's main environmental issues
are:
- Deforestation, soil degradation, desertification*, air pollution, and
water pollution.
• A couple environmental agreements are:
- climate change, marine dumping, desertification, ozone layer
protection, ship pollution, and The Law of the Sea*
• High’s and Low’s
- “Cerro Aconcagua”- The tallest mountains in the western
hemisphere.
- “Laguna Del Carbon” – The lowest point in the western
hemisphere.
Population
• Home to 40,913,584 Argentineans, in comparison
to the world these guys are ranked 31st
- But in comparison to America, Argentineans have a lot of
“catching up” to do, trailing the U.S by 266,298,539 people
• The average life expectancy is 76.56 ranking 66th
- male: 73.32
- female: 79.97
• Weird, but true:
- The avg. fertility rate is 2.35 children born/woman (rnk.
106th)
- The avg fertility rate in Niger is 7.75 children
born/woman (rnk. 1st)
Demographics
• Surprisingly, Argentina isn’t as diverse as one
would think
- White/ Spanish – 97%, other – 3%
• Religion:
- 92% roman catholic, 2% protestant, 2% Jewish, and 4%
other
• Languages:
- Spanish, Italian, German, English and French
• Literacy:
- 97.2%, Male – 97.2%, Female – 97.2%
Economy
• From riches to rags….literally
- Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries 100 years
ago. Despite persistent fiscal and current acct. deficits, high
inflation and mounting external debt. Argentina’s GDP to date
is 558 billion. (rnk.24th)…compared to the U.S with
14,250,000,000,000 (rnk. 2nd)
• The GDP per capita is 13,800 (rnk 8th)
- By sector
-agri: 8.5%
-industry: 32.2%
- services: 59.3%
Communications
• Main Telephone lines in use: 9.631 million
- Cellular phones in use: 46.509 million
• Radio Broadcast Stations
- AM: 260
- PM: (more than 1000, mostly unlicensed)
• TV broadcast hosts: 42
• Internet hosts: 4.906 million (rnk.16th)
• Internet Users: 11.212 million (rnk.28th)
Fun Facts
• 18–21 years of age for voluntary military
service (18-21 requires parental permission)*
• The world’s first animated feature films were
made and released in Argentina
• The official national sport of Argentina is
plato, which is played with a six handle ball on
a horseback*
UHHHH……Health Care?
• Health care is provided by employers, labor
union-sponsored plans, government insurance
plans, public hospitals and clinics, and private
insurance plans.
• Argentineans are also responsible for tons of
revolutionary breakthroughs in health, science
and medicine,
- credited with the worlds first ever coronary
bypass surgery, and creating the worlds first artificial
heart, implanting it in a human being for the first
time in 1969.
Isn’t this some bull?
• The President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner complained that the beef prices were
too high, and she blames the inflation on the
livestock producers saying that they are
profiteering. Sparking a war of words between
farmers, the consumers and the government.
• The feud is also sparked by allegations that the
president’s spouse is pulling a “Martha Stewart.”
insider trading, and nabbing two million in U.S
currency before the 2008 financial crisis
• The president also claims that the livestock
producers are holding back on sales to fatten up
their cattle thus creating a shortage of beef.
• bull
Funny Money
• Argentina seizes the central bank, president Fernandez
fired the head of the bank in Argentina on allegations
of stealing 6.6 billion in bank reserves.
• Fernandez, not quite an angel herself, confiscated $30
billion of private retirement accounts, leading the
people to not only distrust their banking system, but
distrust their president as well. Which isn't good for
her image, so Fernandez fired the head of the
statistical that calculates inflation, for failure to masks
the agencies attempts to rise prices.
• funny money
Leave my ship alone
• Tensions between Argentina and Britain rise as
Buenos Ares blocked a shipment of pipe
heading to the Falkland. Confiscated the
shipment because it was alleged that the UK is
illegally promoting the oil industry in the
Malvinas islands
• ship
Works Cited