1996 Edition

Description

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

Location

34 00 S, 64 00 W -- Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

land area

2,736,690 sq km

total area

2,766,890 sq km

Climate

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Coastline

4,989 km

Environment

current issues

erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use

international agreements

party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

natural hazards

Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Geographic coordinates

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Geographic note

second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

International disputes

short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

Irrigated land

17,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

total

9,665 km

Land use

arable land

9%

forest and woodland

22%

meadows and pastures

52%

other

13%

permanent crops

4%

Location

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Terrain

rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

highest point

Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

lowest point

Salinas Chicas -40 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 28% (male 4,904,380; female 4,707,293) 15-64 years: 63% (male 10,851,004; female 10,834,593) 65 years and over: 9% (male 1,414,412; female 1,961,315) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

19.41 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.62 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white 85%, mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups 15%

Infant mortality rate

28.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.12 years (1996 est.)

male

68.37 years

total population

71.66 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

96.2%

male

96.2%

total population

96.2%

Nationality

adjective

Argentine

noun

Argentine(s)

Net migration rate

0.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

34,672,997 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.1% (1996 est.)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.62 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; 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 Atlantico Sur; Tucuman

note

the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica or Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands

Capital

Buenos Aires

Chamber of Deputies

one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms; elections last held 14 May 1995; (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (257 total) PJ 132, UCR 68, Frepaso 26, other 31

Constitution

1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Data code

AR

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Raul Enrique GRANILLO OCAMPO

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

telephone

[1] (202) 939-6400 through 6403

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989) was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held May 1999); results - Carlos Saul MENEM was reelected; Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF

FAX

[54] (1) 777-0197

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

Independence

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MTCR, NSG (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate

Legal system

mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Name of country

conventional long form

Argentine Republic

conventional short form

Argentina

local long form

Republica Argentina

local short form

Argentina

National holiday

Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Other political or pressure groups

Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor (CGT), Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization; Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces

Political parties and leaders

Justicialist Party (PJ), Carlos Saul MENEM, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR), Rodolfo TERRAGNO, moderately left-of-center party; Union of the Democratic Center (UCD), conservative party; Dignity and Independence Political Party (MODIN), Aldo RICO, right-wing party; Grand Front (Frente Grande), Carlos ALVAREZ, center-left coalition; Front for a Country in Solidarity (Frepaso, a four party coalition), leader Jose Octavio BORDON; several provincial parties

Senate

elections last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) PJ 38, others 34

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador James R. CHEEK

embassy

4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires

mailing address

Unit 4334, APO AA 34034

telephone

[54] (1) 777-4533, 4534

Agriculture

wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets; livestock

Budget

expenditures

$46.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.5 billion (1994 est.)

revenues

$48.46 billion

Currency

1 nuevo peso argentino = 100 centavos

Economic aid

$NA

Economic overview

Argentina, rich in natural resources, benefits also from a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Argentines have responded to the relative price stability by repatriating flight capital and investing in domestic industry. After registering impressive 7.4% growth in 1994, based largely on inflows of foreign capital and strong domestic consumption, the Argentine economy stumbled in 1995 as financial pressures fueled by the Mexican peso crisis and political squabbling within the MENEM administration undermined investor confidence and triggered capital outflows. By yearend, GDP had contracted 4.4%, unemployment reached 16%, and Buenos Aires struggled to meet fiscal targets. On the trade front, exports soared during the first half of 1995 - largely because of strong demand in Brazil and high commodity prices - while anemic domestic consumption lowered imports; the resulting yearend trade surplus was about $1.2 billion. However, because exports contribute only 7.5% to GDP, increased foreign sales had little impact on aggregate growth. High unemployment will continue to plague the MENEM administration for the next several years as provincial entities are readied for privatization and more public sector employees are laid off.

Electricity

capacity

17,330,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,610 kWh (1993)

production

54.8 billion kWh

Exchange rates

pesos per US$1 - 1.00000 (January 1996), 0.99975 (1995), 0.99901 (1994), 0.99895 (1993), 0.99064 (1992), 0.95355 (1991)

Exports

$20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, manufactures

partners

US 9%, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Netherlands

External debt

$90 billion (December 1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $278.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

6%

industry

31%

services

63% (1992 est.)

GDP per capita

$8,100 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-4.4%

Illicit drugs

increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US

Imports

$19.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products

partners

US 21%, Brazil, Germany, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands

Industrial production growth rate

-4.6% (1995 est.)

Industries

food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (1995 est.)

Labor force

10.9 million

by occupation

agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate

16% (1995 est.)

Branches

Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $4.7 billion, 1.5% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

8,707,014

males fit for military service

7,063,304

males reach military age (20) annually

310,107 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 171, FM 0, shortwave 13

Radios

22.3 million (1991 est.)

Telephone system

12,000 public telephones; extensive modern system but many families do not have telephones; despite extensive use of microwave radio relay, the telephone system frequently grounds out during rainstorms, even in Buenos Aires

domestic

microwave radio relay and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

2.7 million (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

231

Televisions

7.165 million (1991 est.) Defense

Airports

total

1,253

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

54

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

25

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

46

with paved runways over 3 047 m

5

with paved runways under 914 m

511

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

60

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

2

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

549 (1995 est.)

with unpaved runways over 3 047 m

1

Highways

paved

61,440 km

total

215,578 km

unpaved

154,138 km

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 11, chemical tanker 1, container 3, oil tanker 14, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

total

37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 303,448 GRT/458,864 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km

Ports

Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Railways

broad gauge

24,124 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified)

narrow gauge

11,021 km 1.000-m gauge (26 km electrified)

standard gauge

2,765 km 1.435-m gauge

total

37,910 km

Waterways

11,000 km navigable