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In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata
declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and
Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina.
The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from
throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided
the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the
mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of
internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between
civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist
populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent
governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976.
Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland (Malvinas)
Islands by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most
formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to
violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents.
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