LocationSoutheastern South America.
Area2,780,400 sq km (1,073,518 sq miles).
Population40.7 million (official estimate 2008).
Population Density14.6 per sq km.
CapitalBuenos Aires.
Population: 3 million (2006 estimate).
GovernmentFederal and Democratic Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1816.
LanguageSpanish is the official language. English is widely spoken with some French and German.
ReligionMore than 90% Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant with
small Muslim and Jewish communities.
TimeGMT - 3 (GMT - 2 from third Saturday in March to first Saturday in October).
Electricity220 volts AC, 60Hz. Plug fittings in older buildings are of the two-pin round type, but most new buildings use the v-shaped twin with earth ping. Travelers should bring a world travel adaptor.
Head of StatePresident Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner since 2007.
Recent HistoryCristina Fernandez de Kirchner succeeded her husband, Néstor Carlos Kirchner, becoming Argentina's first elected female president in October 2007, with a majority of 44%. Billed as her husband's top advisor during his four-year tenure, she came to power promising more of the same center-left populist policies that had served her husband so well. Soon however, the US claimed to have found evidence of ‘suitcase scandals' - where illegal money from Venezuela was allegedly couriered in to aid her election.
In early 2008, she took a hard line with the country's farmers, imposing export tax hikes that she hoped would be perceived as punishing wealthy landowners. But the whole agricultural sector (rich and poor) rebelled, blocking every major road in the country. This crippled Argentina's budget ‘road trip' tourist industry, and more seriously, food shortages were reported in major cities. Former Kirchner acolytes were then involved in violent actions against the protesters, bringing back horrific memories of former strong-arm governments. The tax increases were eventually overturned by a rebellious senate, and Cristina Kirchner's popularity has plummeted.
TelephoneCountry code: 54. Phone centers known as
locutorios can be found in most towns. Users are given their own phone booth and calls are added up and paid for at the end. Public pay phones are available in shops and restaurants and on some streets. These take 1 peso or 50 and 25 centavos coins. Most public telephones accept international phone cards.
Mobile TelephoneRoaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies, but phones must be tri-band. Coverage is good in most parts of the country, but may be lacking in remote and mountain areas.
InternetAvailable in most towns and cities in
locutorios (phone centers) and internet cafes. Many estancias and rural areas are cut off from both internet and telephone access. Internet and Wi-Fi access are increasingly found in upper range hotels.
MediaFollowing the return of democracy, freedom of the press was enshrined in the law, and newspapers, magazines, radio and television generally function free from government interference. However, individual journalists critical of the establishment are often bullied and ostracised by the powers that be, particularly in the provinces.
PostAirmail to Europe is slow and generally takes over a week, or even two. Surface mail to Europe takes on average 20 to 25 days but can take as long as 50 days, so it is advisable to send everything airmail. An express service offers guaranteed 24-hour delivery in Argentina, and one to five days worldwide. The main post office in Buenos Aires is located in Sarmiento 189.
Post office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat 0900-1300, with some regional variation.
Press• Argentina’s principal dailies include
Clarín,
La Nación, Crónica,
El Cronista Commercial,
Página 12,
Diario Popular and
La Prensa.
• The
Buenos Aires Herald is the leading English-language newspaper in Latin America.
• The Argentimes is an English-language newspaper for young people.
Radio• There are hundreds of radio stations in Argentina, many of them unlicensed.
• Some of the biggest stations are
Radio Nacional,
Radio America,
FM Palermo and
Radio Mitre.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.
2009 1 Jan New Year's Day.
24 Mar Truth and Justice Day.
2 Apr Veterans' Day (Malvinas).
10 Apr Good Friday.
1 May Labor Day.
25 May National Day (Anniversary of the 1810 Revolution).
15 Jun National Flag Day (Belgrano Day).
9 Jul National Independence Day.
17 Aug San Martín Day (Anniversary of the Death of General José de San Martín).
12 Oct Race Recognition Day.
8 Dec Immaculate Conception Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
2010 1 Jan New Year's Day.
24 Mar Truth and Justice Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
2 Apr Veterans' Day (Malvinas).
1 May Labor Day.
25 May National Day (Anniversary of the 1810 Revolution).
14 Jun National Flag Day (Belgrano Day).
9 Jul National Independence Day.
16 Aug San Martín Day (Anniversary of the Death of General José de San Martín).
11 Oct Race Recognition Day.
8 Dec Immaculate Conception Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
Contact Information:Embassy of the Argentine Republic in the UK65 Brook Street, London W1K 4AH, UK
Tel: (020) 7318 1300.
Website:
www.argentine-embassy-uk.org Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.
Argentine Consulate in the UK27 Three Kings Yard, London W1K 4DF, UK
Tel: (020) 7318 1340.
Website:
www.argentine-embassy-uk.org Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1300.
Embassy of the Argentine Republic in the USA1600 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 238 6401
or 6460 (visa section).
Website:
www.embassyofargentina.usArgentina Government Tourist Office in the USA12 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA
Tel: (212) 603 0443.
Website:
www.turismo.gov.ar
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