República Argentina

It is situated in South America and therefore in the South hemisphere of the planet, its Capital is Buenos Aires.

Argentina has an extension of almost 3.8 million Km², of which 2.8 belong to the continent.  In its 3,800 kilometers of length, limits with Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Chile with a perimeter of borders of 9,376 kilometers. 
The maritime facade, on the Atlantic Ocean, reaches the 4,725 kilometers. 
The Argentine relief is of enormous contrast and offers immense oriental plains and the impressive mountain range of the Andes to the West, that possesses the highest summit of the Western hemisphere: the Aconcagua, of 6,959 meters.  This in all its traveled through from Jujuy to Tierra del Fuego, exhibits a marvelous variety of landscapes: since the desert altiplanos to the Northwest, with fractions, valleys and hills, to the forests, lakes and glaciers of the Patagonia.  To the North, a forest area connected with the Bermejo Rivers, Salado and Pilcomayo.  Between the rivers Paraná and Uruguay it is the Mesopotamia Argentina and is formed by low hillocks, estuaries and gaps.  In the middle of the sub tropic forest, breaks are produced and offer phenomena as the Iguazú Falls.  In the center, the region of the Pampas is the known and most extensive plain, of intense agricultural exploitation and cattle raiser. 
Toward the South, extend the sterile and stony Patagonian plateaus. 
The Atlantic seaboard is flanked by highly cliffs and in their steep contours postings of marine animals are found. 

Population:

The current population of Argentina surpasses the 38 million inhabitants.

Climate:

Argentina has a great climatic variety due to the latitudinal amplitude and its variety of relief’s: temperate and humid in the plain of the Pampas, cold and humid in the Western extreme of the Patagonia, sub tropic in the North part of the Mesopotamia and hot in the Northwest.  From November until March, the average temperature is of 23° C and, from June to September, of 12° C. 

Currency:
Peso (Reference: Usd 1.- approximate Argentine Peso $Ar 3,00)

Official Language:
Spanish

History:
The fort of Sancti Spiritu was the first Spanish settlement, installed in 1527 near the current city of Santa Fe. 
The cities of Santiago del Estero in 1553, Cordoba in 1573 and Buenos Aires in 1536 and 1580 were the bases of the colonial establishment, all was found subject to the authority of Spain, call the Government of the Río de la Plata.  From the crossbreeding and having as economic base the stockbreeding, a population arises that would turn out to be decisive in the exploit of the independence: the Gauchos.  During most of the colonial period, the Argentine territory depended on the Viceroyalty of Peru, until in 1776, began to form part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.  The city of Buenos Aires was appointed as its capital with the better idea to resist to eventual Portuguese attacks and besides to have an easier access to Spain through the navigation.
In 1780 a great native lifting with epicenter in the Cuzco was produced, directed by the Inca one Túpac Amaru II, who covered since the current Argentine territory to the current Colombian territory.  A part of the Patagonia and the pampas were under the control of different native towns:  Tehuelches and Mapuches in the Patagonia, Ranqueles in the plain of the pampas. 
The territories of the region “Chaqueña” remained inhabited by indigenous towns as the Tobas, Mocovíes, Pilagás and Wichís. 
In the years 1806 and 1807 they took place the English Invasions in both, Santiago de Liniers headed to the troops that expelled to the British forces with military battalions formed by numerous natives of Buenos Aires, of the Interior, native and even black slaves.  The popular will precipitated the dismissal of the Virrey of Sobremonte and chose as Virrey to Santiago of Liniers, become hero of the recon quest and the defense.  The main leaders of these militias were converted quickly in a new elite to be able in the city of Buenos Aires, entering as members of the city Hall (Cabildo), up till then formed exclusively by Spaniards.
The dismissal of a virrey by popular pressure was an unusual fact in the history of America and this fact as the rout of the British army; they gave a great prestige to Buenos Aires. 
In 1810 the town of Buenos Aires initiated the Revolution, that ousted and expelled to the Virrey, choosing in their place a governing body integrated mainly by natives that caused the War of the Independence of the Provinces you United of the Río de la Plata against the Spain Colonial from the 1810 to the 1824. 
July 9, 1816, in the city of San Miguel of Tucumán, a congress of Representatives of the provinces of the Northwest and Center-Western of the country and of Buenos Aires, along with some Representatives exiled of the High Peru, they proclaimed the Independence of the United Provinces in South America. 

Today: 
The Executive Power is conducted for a citizen with the title of President of the Nation Argentina, which is elected by direct vote in all the country, if in the first return, none of the political forces that were presented to have obtained more than the 45%, a second return is done and this is carried out between the two most voted options.  The hard Presidency four years and they can be reelected immediately by a mandate more.  All the Ministers are directed for a Leader of Departments, who is found in charge of the administration of the country and is a head before the Congress.  There are three completely definite powers, the Executive Power, the Legislative Power and the Judicial Power.   

Esmeralda 1077 – PB - Of.: 11 (1007) - Tel.: 54-011-4311-2558, Tel/Fax: 54-011-4311-2615
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires  - Argentina - E-Mail: marbitur@infovia.com.ar