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Argentina forms the eastern half of South America's long, tapering tail.
It's a big country - the eighth-largest in the world (with 0,6% of the
world's population).The population is estimated at
approximately 37.000.000 people.
Argentina is the second largest country
in South America in terms of land area (approx.1,000,000 sq. miles).
The country is bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Chile to the
west, and Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
It also shares the
offshore island territory of Tierra del Fuego with Chile, and continues to
dispute the ownership of the Islas Malvinas (the Falklands to the Brits),
which Great Britain invaded in the last century.
There are 5 distinct sections to
Argentina, the coast and beaches in the east, the snow-capped Andes
mountains to the west, humid jungles up north, Patagonia down south, and
the Pampas (fertile plains), in the center of the country. Argentina's 33
million inhabitants are of Spanish, German, Italian, and English decent.
In 1776
Spain created the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata,
spurring a population and wealth explosion in Buenos Aires. May 25, 1810,
celebrated as Revolution Day, is the date a rebel government replaced
Spanish administration. It took six more years to oust Spanish troops.
Following independence from Spain in
1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between
conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions.
After World War II, a long period of Peronist dictatorship took place.
Italy led Juan Peron to favor a state-run economy and worker rights. His
power base developed within the laboring class. The Peronista party still
rules. Inflation is currently under control but dictators continue to
alter the constitution to suit their personal ambitions. The Peronist era
was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
returned in 1983, and four free elections since then have underscored
Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.
The city of
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina
and contains almost a third of the country's people. This capital of 10
million inhabitants is one of the worlds cosmopolitan cities and the
center of culture and commerce in the southern cone of America. The city
reflects French, Italian and Spanish architecture styles at the turn of
the century. Old mansions can be seen next to high rise buildings. Of
particular interest are the famous Colon opera house, the Congress palace,
the government house, "Casa Rosada"; the "Cabildo" a municipal government
house during the colonial period, the Obelisk a symbol of Buenos Aires, as
well as the luxurious neoclassic and French Renaissance style of the
"Palacio San Martin" and Museo de Arte Decorativo. Other attractions
include "San Telmo's" flea market, "La Boca" a brightly painted
neighborhood, "La Recoleta" a fashionable area of the city and more than
one hundred and fifty art galleries and museums There are in Buenos Aires
numerous hotels, restaurants with a wide choice of cuisine, parks, golf
courses and soccer stadiums in the heart of the city. Florida pedestrian
street, shopping centers, cinemas and cafe-bar are bustling day and night.
Buenos Aires is the city were the Tango was born and raised and today
shares the excitement of the city night. From Buenos Aires one day trips
are possible to the "Tigre" at the Delta of Parana River, a
watersport and fishing center.
One of the major attractions in Argentina are the
Iguazu Falls.
Situated in the Parque Nacional Iguazú near Puerto Iguazú, and
bordering both Brazil and Paraguay) these spectacular falls lie just east
of the confluence of the Iguazu and Paraná rivers. At least 5000 cubic m
of water per second plunge the 70m into the abyss below
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