Argentina Facts

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The largest Spanish-speaking country in Latin America, the República Argentina has a population of almost 40 million inhabitants (as of July 2004), 97% of which are Caucasian, mostly Spanish or Italian.

Argentina is naturally rich in resources. Combine that with a highly literate population, just over 97% of the population over 15 years of age is literate, and Argentina has potential to be a world leader economically. However, a series of unfortunate economic problems over the last decade have prevented that from happening. In 2002, the Argentine peso’s fixed exchange rate to the US dollar was abandoned and the exchange rate plunged and inflation picked up for about six months until it leveled off in mid-2002. Focusing on exports, the economy began to recover in 2003 and slowly but steadily stabilized under previous President Nestor Kirchner. The unemployment rate in 2004 was 17.3%. By 2007 this figure had fallen to slightly under 9%. The wife of the former president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, was elected president in October 2007.

Main agriculture products are sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes,corn tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat and livestock. Argentina is famous for its quality beef.

Environmental problems include deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, and air and water pollution. However, Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets.

The intersection of the Argentine, Paraguayan and Brazilian borders is a hub for arms and drug trafficking, smuggling, money laundering and fundraising for extremist organizations. Argentina is also used as a portal for cocaine headed for Europe and the US from other South American countries. Domestic consumption of drugs in bigger cities is increasing