Argentina

Though it lacks the obvious indigenous attractions of Peru, Bolivia and Mexico, this beautiful country has always attracted visitors. Argentina has, arguably, the tastiest beef, the sexiest dance,

the best-looking people, some of the cutest penguins, the highest peak and the m

ost cosmopolitan city in South America. Add to that its vast plains and deserts, glistening lakes, thundering glaciers

and some of the greatest waterfalls

on Earth, and you have a destination with immense potential.

Description

The Europeans arrived here in the early 1500s. Buenos Aires was founded by the Spanish in 1580, and today this wonderful city of European architecture and culture is home to more than one-third of the country's population.

The Andes cover the western edge of Argentina, then give way to vast, almost treeless plains (Pampas) that blanket the central region and stretch to the Atlantic Ocean. Patagonia - to the south - is a legendary landscape of jagged mountains, thick forests, glaciers and lakes, and home to penguins, seals and whales.

It's a incredibly diverse land of beaches, waterfalls, rain forests and mountains, and it all ends at the town of Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost town on the planet.

Flag of Argentina

The national flag of Argentina dates from 1812. It is composed of three equal horizontal bands colored light blue, white and light blue. Its official proportions are 14:9, and its official size is 1.4 metres by 0.9 metres. In the centre band is an emblem known as "Sol de Mayo" (Sun of May), a golden rising sun.

Popular history says that Manuel Belgrano created the flag to identify his military troops from those of Spain. Belgrano is also credited with the sun emblem. However, there are other theories about the origin of the flag. One of the theories states that the flag had the colors swapped at first (that is, white-blue-white).

There are several folk stories about the colors of the flag. One story says that the blue symbolizes the Rio de la Plata (River Plate) and the white symbolizes silver (Argentina comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum). Another story states that they are the colors of the sky, with white for the clouds. Yet a third story states that the colors were chosen based on those of the House of Bourbon, and a fourth is that the colors are derived from the clothing of the Virgin Mary.

Coat of Arms of Argentina

The Coat of Arms of Argentina was established in its current form in 1944. At the top is the famous sun symbol of Argentina, that is also found on the Flag of Argentina. The sun symbolizes the rising of Argentina, and that is why it is positioned in the rising position.

In the center ellipse are two shaking hands that symbolize the unity of the various provinces of Argentina. The hands come together to hold a pike, which represents a willingness to defend the freedom that is symbolized by the cap on the top of the pike. The blue and white colors are symbols of the Argentine people.

Around the central ellipse are laurels that symbolize victory.

National Motto: En Unión y Libertad
(Spanish for "In Union and Liberty")

Facts and Figures

Official Name - Argentine Republic

Country Population - 36,993,000

Capital City - Buenos Aires (12.1 million)

Largest Cities - Buenos Aires, Cordoba, San Justo (La Matanza), Rosario, Moron

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

Latitude/Longitude - 34º S, 64º W

Official Currency - Argentine Peso (the latest conversion rates) here

Religions - Catholic (92%)

Land

Land Area - 2,736,690 sq km (1,056,636 sq miles), or about 1/3 the size of the U.S.

Land Divisions - 23 provinces, and 1 autonomous city

Population and Size of all land divisions and major cities here!

Highest Point - Aconcagua (6,960 meters) (22,834 ft), the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere