Argentina

• mostly temperate;
• arid in southeast;
• subantarctic in southwest

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 Carbón (located between Puerto San Julián and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) -105 m

mean elevation:

595 m

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 Martín (shared with Chile) - 1,010 sq km;
• Lago Colhué 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;

• Río de la Plata/Paraná 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

• 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

• San Miguel de Tucumán 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,
  • Planchón-Peteroa,
  • San José,
  • Tromen,
  • Tupungatito,
  • and Viedma

• 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 Carbón is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere;
• shares Iguazú Falls, the world's largest waterfalls system, with Brazil

noun:

Argentine(s)

adjective:

Argentine

total:

34.6 years (2025 est.)

male:

32.1 years

female:

34.6 years

• 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

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.)

total:

7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

78.8 years (2024 est.)

male:

75.8 years

female:

82 years

urban:

100% of population (2022 est.)

urban:

0% of population (2022 est.)

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.)

total:

21.9% (2025 est.)

male:

26.9% (2025 est.)

female:

17.1% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

2.4% (2020)

women married by age 18:

15.5% (2020)

• deforestation;
• soil degradation (erosion, salinization);
• desertification;
• air pollution;
• water pollution

• mostly temperate;
• arid in southeast;
• subantarctic in southwest

urban population:

92.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

1,553.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

3,035.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

631 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

89.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

17.911 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

9.6% (2022 est.)

municipal:

5.85 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

27.93 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Argentine Republic

conventional short form:

Argentina

local long form:

República Argentina

local short form:

Argentina

etymology:

• the name is derived from one of the Spanish words for "silver," but the origin is unclear;
• it may have described the land next to the Rio de la Plata ("Silver River"), a major river that forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay;
• another possible source is the Spanish explorers in the 16th century mistakenly believing that the silver ornaments they bought from inhabitants came from a local source of silver

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;
• the full original name, Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires, was given only to the port;
• the city was founded separately from the port in 1536 and was named Ciudad de la Santissima Trinidad (City of the Most Holy Trinity);
• the shortened version of the port name eventually became the city name

• 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 Atlántico Sur (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

history:

several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853

amendment process:

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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

2 years

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

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

election/appointment process:

• 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)

most recent election date:

22 October 2023, with a runoff held 19 November 2023

election results:

• 2023: Javier Gerardo MILEI elected president in second round;
• percent vote in first round - Sergio Tomás 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 Tomás MASSA 44.3%

;

• 2019: Alberto Ángel FERNÁNDEZ elected president;
• percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERNÁNDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3%

expected date of next election:

October 2027

legislature name:

National Congress (Congreso de la nación)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)

number of seats:

257 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

partial renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

10/22/2023

parties elected and seats per party:

• Union for the Homeland (UP) (48);
• Freedom Advances (LLA) (28);
• Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (27);
• Other (25)

percentage of women in chamber:

42.4%

expected date of next election:

October 2025

chamber name:

Senate (Senado)

number of seats:

72 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

partial renewal

term in office:

6 years

most recent election date:

10/22/2023

parties elected and seats per party:

• Union for the Homeland (UP) (9);
• Freedom Advances (LLA) (6);
• Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (2);
• Front for the Renewal of Social Concord – Federal Innovation (2);
• Federal Renewal (2);
• For Santa Cruz (2);
• Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber:

45.8%

expected date of next election:

October 2025

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Alejandro (Alec) Carlos Francisco OXENFORD (since 11 June 2025)

chancery:

1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 238-6400

FAX:

[1] (202) 332-3171

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en

consulate(s) general:

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Peter LAMELAS (since 4 November 2025)

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:

[email protected]; https://ar.usembassy.gov/

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 that is known as the Sun of May

meaning:

• the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes Mountains;
• the sun commemorates the first mass demonstration in favor of independence on 25 May 1810, when the sun broke through the clouds;
• the sun is designed to look like Inti, the Incan god of the sun

title:

"Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)

lyrics/music:

Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA

history:

• adopted 1813;
• Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain;
• a 1900 presidential decree declared that only the first and last verses would be considered official, rather than the original nine verses

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);
• Iguazú National Park (n);
• Cueva de las Manos (c);
• Valdés Península (n);
• Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks (n);
• Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba (c);
• Quebrada de Humahuaca (c);
• Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)

• 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

agriculture:

6% (2024 est.)

industry:

24% (2024 est.)

services:

53.4% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

21.2% (2024 est.)

male:

19.8% (2024 est.)

female:

23% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

23.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.9% (2023 est.)

highest 10%:

31% (2023 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Number of operational nuclear reactors:

3 (2025)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction:

1 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors:

1.64GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production:

6.3% (2023 est.)

production:

869,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

2.534 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

300 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

1.936 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

799.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

807,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

749,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

2.483 billion barrels (2021 est.)

production:

43.69 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

46.028 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

2.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

5.225 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

396.464 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

total:

201 (2023)

by type:

container ship 1, bulk carrier 1 general cargo 8, oil tanker 33, other 158

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

• the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically produced and 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 (2025)

• Manuel Belgrano Space Center (Buenos Aires province);
• Punta Indio Space Center (Buenos Aires province);
• Teofilo Tabanera Space Center (CETT; Cordoba Province; testing/mission control) (2025)

• has a national space program and a history 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;
• 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 (2025)