2024 Edition

Background

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. European immigrants heavily shaped the country's population and culture, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions. After World War II, former President Juan Domingo PERÓN -- the founder of the Peronist political movement -- introduced an era of populism, serving three non-consecutive terms in office until his death in 1974. Direct and indirect military interference in government throughout the PERÓN years led to a military junta taking power in 1976. In 1982, the junta failed in its bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force from the United Kingdom. Democracy was reinstated in 1983 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 successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by Néstor KIRCHNER (2003-07) and his spouse Cristina FERNÁNDEZ DE KIRCHNER (2007-15), who oversaw several years of strong economic growth (2003-11) followed by a gradual deterioration in the government’s fiscal situation and eventual economic stagnation and isolation. Argentina underwent a brief period of economic reform and international reintegration under Mauricio MACRI (2015-19), but a recession in 2018-19 and frustration with MACRI’s economic policies ushered in a new Peronist government in 2019 led by President Alberto FERNÁNDEZ and Vice President Cristina FERNÁNDEZ DE KIRCHNER. Argentina's high public debts, its pandemic-related inflationary pressures, and systemic monetary woes served as the catalyst for the 2023 elections, culminating with President Javier MILEI's electoral success. Argentina has since eliminated half of its government agencies and is seeking shock therapy to amend taxation and monetary policies.

Area

land

2,736,690 sq km

total

2,780,400 sq km

water

43,710 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Climate

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Coastline

4,989 km

Elevation

highest point

Cerro Aconcagua (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza; highest point in South America) 6,962 m

lowest point

Laguna del Carbón (located between Puerto San Julián and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) -105 m

mean elevation

595 m

Geographic coordinates

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Geography - note

note 1: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbón is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere; shares Iguazú Falls, the world's largest waterfalls system, with Brazilnote 2: southeast Bolivia and northwest Argentina seem to be the original development site for peanuts

Irrigated land

23,600 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bolivia 942 km; Brazil 1,263 km; Chile 6,691 km; Paraguay 2,531 km; Uruguay 541 km

total

11,968 km

Land use

agricultural land

53.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 13.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 39.6% (2018 est.)

forest

10.7% (2018 est.)

other

35.4% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Guaraní Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago Buenos Aires (shared with Chile) - 2,240 sq km; Lago Argentino - 1,410 sq km; Lago Viedma - 1,090 sq km; Lago San Martín (shared with Chile) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Colhué Huapi - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Chile) - 590 sq km; Lago Nahuel Huapi - 550 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Laguna Mar Chiquita - 1,850 sq km;

Major rivers (by length in km)

Río de la Plata/Paraná river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Paraguay, and Uruguay) - 4,880 km; Paraguay (shared with Brazil [s], and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Uruguay (shared with Brazil [s] and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)

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 hazards

San Miguel de Tucumán and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchón-Peteroa, San José, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

one-third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

23.3% (male 5,632,983/female 5,301,778)

15-64 years

63.9% (male 15,071,215/female 14,956,069)

65 years and over

12.8% (2024 est.) (male 2,570,596/female 3,461,743)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

15.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

2.4%

women married by age 18

15.5% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.7% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

70.1% (2019/20)

Current health expenditure

10% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Argentina’s population continues to grow but at a slower rate because of its steadily declining birth rate. Argentina’s fertility decline began earlier than in the rest of Latin America, occurring most rapidly between the early 20th century and the 1950s and then becoming more gradual in the 1990s.  Life expectancy has been improving, most notably among the young and the poor. While the population under age 15 is shrinking, the youth cohort – ages 15 – 24 – is the largest in Argentina’s history and will continue to bolster the working-age population. If this large working-age population is well-educated and gainfully employed, Argentina is likely to experience an economic boost and possibly higher per capita savings and investment. Although literacy and primary school enrollment are nearly universal, grade repetition is problematic and secondary school completion is low. Both of these issues vary widely by region and socioeconomic group. Only 24% of Argentinians complete tertiary education.  With wages failing to keep pace with soaring inflation – one of the highest in the world – the poverty rate has climbed to over 4]0% in the first half of 2023. Argentina has been primarily a country of immigration for most of its history, welcoming European immigrants (often providing needed low-skilled labor) after its independence in the 19th century and attracting especially large numbers from Spain and Italy. More than 7 million European immigrants are estimated to have arrived in Argentina between 1880 and 1930 (composing 30% of the total population by 1914), when it adopted a more restrictive immigration policy.  European immigration also began to wane in the 1930s because of the global depression.  The inflow rebounded temporarily following WWII and resumed its decline in the 1950s when Argentina’s military dictators tightened immigration rules and European economies rebounded. Regional migration increased, however, supplying low-skilled workers escaping economic and political instability in their home countries. As of 2022, immigrants make up 3.1% of the population, with over half coming from Paraguay and Bolivia.  Despite runaway inflation, hundreds of thousands immigrants arrive each year. The first waves of highly skilled Argentine emigrant workers headed mainly to the United States and Spain in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by economic decline and repressive military dictatorships. The 2008 European economic crisis drove the return migration of some Argentinean and other Latin American nationals, as well as the immigration of Europeans to South America, where Argentina was a key recipient. 

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

18.2

potential support ratio

5.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

54.3

youth dependency ratio

36

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: (2020 est.) NA

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

European (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Indigenous ancestry) 97.2%, Indigenous 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Quechua, Guarani, Mapudungun)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

82 years

male

75.8 years

total population

78.8 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.1% (2018)

male

98.9%

total population

99%

Major urban areas - population

15.490 million BUENOS AIRES (capital), 1.612 million Córdoba, 1.594 million Rosario, 1.226 million Mendoza, 1.027 million San Miguel de Tucumán, 914,000 La Plata (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

45 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

34.6 years

male

32.1 years

total

33.3 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Argentine

noun

Argentine(s)

Net migration rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28.3% (2016)

Physician density

4.06 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

23,719,590 (2024 est.)

male

23,274,794

total

46,994,384

Population distribution

one-third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.79% (2024 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ 1.4%, other 1.2% (includes Muslim, Jewish), none 18.9% (includes agnostic and atheist), unspecified 0.3% (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: (2020 est.) NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2020)

male

17 years

total

18 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

19.6% (2020 est.)

male

29.4% (2020 est.)

total

24.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.15 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

92.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city*; Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Corrientes, 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 (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman

note

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Capital

etymology

the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish and derives from the original designation of the settlement that would become the present-day city, "Santa Maria del Buen Aire" (Saint Mary of the Fair Winds)

geographic coordinates

34 36 S, 58 22 W

name

Buenos Aires

time difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

2 years

Constitution

amendments

a declaration of proposed amendments requires two-thirds majority vote by both houses of the National Congress followed by approval by an ad hoc, multi-member constitutional convention; amended several times, last significant amendment in 1994

history

several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853

Country name

conventional long form

Argentine Republic

conventional short form

Argentina

etymology

originally the area was referred to as Tierra Argentina, i.e., "Land beside the Silvery River" or "silvery land," which referred to the massive estuary in the east of the country, the Río de la Plata (River of Silver); over time the name shortened to simply Argentina or "silvery"

local long form

República Argentina

local short form

Argentina

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marc Robert STANLEY (since 24 January 2022)

email address and website

Buenosairespublicaffairs@state.govhttps://ar.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires

FAX

[54] (11) 5777-4240

mailing address

3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC  20521-3130

telephone

[54] (11) 5777-4533

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Gerardo WERTHEIN (since 17 June 2024)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

email address and website

eeeuu@mrecic.gov.arhttps://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en

FAX

[1] (202) 332-3171

telephone

[1] (202) 238-6400

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023)

election results

2023: Javier Gerardo MILEI elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Sergio Tomás MASSA (FR) 36.7%, Javier Gerardo MILEI (PL) 30%, Patricia BULLRICH 23.8% (JxC/PRO), Juan SCHIARETTI (PJ) 6.8%, Myriam BREGMAN (PTS) 2.7%; percent of vote in second round - Javier Gerardo MILEI 55.7%, Sergio Tomás MASSA 44.3%2019: Alberto Ángel FERNÁNDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERNÁNDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority vote (to win, a candidate must receive at least 45% of votes or 40% of votes and a 10-point lead over the second place candidate; if neither occurs, a second round is held ); the president serves a 4-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 22 October 2023 with a runoff held 19 November 2023 (next to be held in October 2027)

head of government

President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), white, and sky blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face (delineated in brown) known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CABEI, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of the court president, vice president, 2 judges, 1 vacancy)

judge selection and term of office

judges nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; ministers can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75; extensions beyond 75 require renomination by the president and approval by the Senate

subordinate courts

federal level appellate, district, and territorial courts; provincial level supreme, appellate, and first instance courts

Legal system

civil law system based on West European legal systems; note - in mid-2015, Argentina adopted a new civil code, replacing the old one in force since 1871

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Senate or Senado (72 seats; members directly elected from 24 provincial districts by closed-list proportional representation vote; 2 seats per district awarded to the party with the most votes and 1 seat per district to the party with the second highest votes; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)Chamber of Deputies or Cámara de Diputados (257 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - UP 12, LLA 8, JxC 2, other 2; composition - men 39, women 33, percentage women 45.8% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - UP 58, LLA 35, JxC 31, NHP  4, other 2; composition - men 148, women 109, percentage women 42.4%; total National Congress percentage women 43.2%

elections

Senate - last held on 22 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2025)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 22 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA

name

"Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)

note

note: adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Los Glaciares National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Iguazú National Park (n); Cueva de las Manos (c); Valdés Península (n); Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks (n); Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba (c); Quebrada de Humahuaca (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)

total World Heritage Sites

12 (7 cultural, 5 natural)

National holiday

Revolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810)

National symbol(s)

Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol); national colors: sky blue, white

Political parties

Avanza Libertad or ALCivic Coalition ARI or CC-ARIConsenso Federal (Federal Consensus) or CFFrente Cívico por Santiago (Civic Front for Santiago)Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores – Unidad (Workers' Left Front) or FIT-U (coalition of leftist parties in lower house; includes PTS, PO, and MST) Frente de la Concordia Misionero (Front for the Renewal of Social Concord) or FRCSFrente Renovador (Renewal Front) or FRGeneración por un Encuentro Nacional (Generation for a National Encounter) or GENHacemos por Córdoba (We do for Cordoba) or HCHacemos por Nuestro Pais (We Do For Our Country) or NHPJuntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) or JxC (includes CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR); note - primary opposition coalition since 2019Juntos Somos Río Negro (Together We Are Rio Negro) or JSRN  Partido Justicialista (Justicialist Party) or PJLa CámporaLa Libertad Avanza (The Liberty Advances) or LLAMovimiento Popular Neuquino (Neuquén People's Movement) or MPNMovimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores (Workers' Socialist Movement) or MST Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (Socialist Workers' Party) or PTSPartido Demócrata (Democratic Party) or PDNPartido Libertario (Libertarian Party) or PL; note - party is also a founding member of the coalition La Libertad AvanzaPartido Obrero (Workers' Party) or POPartido Socialista or PSPropuesta Republicana (Republican Proposal) or PROUnidad Federal (coalition of provencial parties in the lower house; includes FRCS and JSRN)Unión Cívica Radical (Radical Civic Union) or UCRUnión por la Patria (Union for the Homeland) or UP (formerly Frente de Todos (Everyone's Front) or FdT) (includes FR, La Cámpora, and PJ); note - ruling coalition since 2019; includes several national and provincial Peronist political partiesVamos con Vos (Let's Go with You) or VcV

Suffrage

18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age - optional for national elections

Agricultural products

maize, soybeans, wheat, sugarcane, milk, barley, sunflower seeds, beef, sorghum, chicken (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.9% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

23.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$138.622 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$113.553 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

CCC (2020)

Moody's rating

Ca (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

CCC+ (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$6.645 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$4.29 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$21.494 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$77.88 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

large diversified economy; financial risks from debt obligations, rapid inflation, and reduced investor appetites; resource-rich, export-led growth model; increasing trade relations with China; G20 and OAS leader; tendency to nationalize businesses and under-report inflation

Exchange rates

Currency

Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

48.148 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

70.539 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

94.991 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

130.617 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

296.258 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$87.486 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$103.002 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$83.359 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

12.9% (2023 est.)

government consumption

15.8% (2023 est.)

household consumption

67.2% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-14.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.1% (2023 est.)

industry

25.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

52.8% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$640.591 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

40.7 (2022 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.8% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2% (2022 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$72.392 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$97.558 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$92.574 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-0.35% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

26.5% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

25.7% (2017 est.)

note

note: data are derived from private estimates

Labor force

21.906 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

39.2% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

57.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.195 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.254 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.235 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

10.72% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.96% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-1.55% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$26,100 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$27,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$26,500 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.18% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.25% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$39.653 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$44.795 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$23.081 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.15% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

8.74% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

6.81% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.18% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

19.5% (2023 est.)

male

16.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

18% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

5.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

90.515 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

89.464 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

185.37 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

3.391 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

8,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

2.196 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

1.318 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

799.999 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

127.98 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

31 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

12.909 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

46.82 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

29.877 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

65.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

16.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

5.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

9.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

75.735 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

46.228 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

3.422 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

6.229 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

43.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

396.464 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

1.64GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

3 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

6.3% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

2.483 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

706,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

807,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

21 (2020 est.)

total

9,571,562 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

government owns a TV station and radio network; more than two dozen TV stations and hundreds of privately owned radio stations; high rate of cable TV subscription usage (2022)

Internet country code

.ar

Internet users

percent of population

87% (2021 est.)

total

39.15 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

roughly 15 per 100 fixed-line and 130 per 100 mobile-cellular; microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network (2021)

general assessment

Argentina’s ongoing problem with hyperinflation continues to distort the telecom market’s performance, which shows strong growth in revenue but only modest gains in subscriber numbers each year; the fixed broadband segment has penetration levels only slightly higher than the fixed-line teledensity; nearly a quarter of the country’s broadband connections are via DSL, although fiber is starting claim an increasing share of that market as networks expand across most of the main cities; mobile broadband continues to be the preferred platform for internet access, supported by high mobile penetration levels and nationwide LTE coverage; the first 5G service was launched in February 2021 using refarmed LTE frequencies; the anticipated 5G spectrum auctions should drive even stronger uptake in mobile broadband services; while the various fixed, mobile, and cable operators push to expand and enhance their services, the government is also making an active contribution towards boosting broadband connectivity around the country; its national connectivity plan ‘Plan Conectar’, launched in September 2020, provides funding for a range of programs to increase coverage; in August 2021, the telecom regulator announced the release funding to help operators accelerate the rollout of their broadband infrastructure and services (2021)

international

country code - 54; landing points for the UNISUR, Bicentenario, Atlantis-2, SAm-1, and SAC, Tannat, Malbec and ARBR submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US; satellite earth stations - 112 (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

7.615 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

132 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

60.236 million (2022 est.)

Airports

756 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

LV

Heliports

144 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, bulk carrier 1 general cargo 8, oil tanker 33, other 158

total

201 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

311.57 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

18,081,937 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

107

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Pipelines

29,930 km gas, 41 km liquid petroleum gas, 6,248 km oil, 3,631 km refined products (2013)

Ports

key ports

Buenos Aires, Campana, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Puerto Belgrano, Puerto Ingeniero White, Puerto Madryn, Rosario, San Sebastian Bay, Santa Fe, Ushuaia, Zarate

large

1

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

19

small

10

total ports

37 (2024)

very small

24

Railways

total

17,866 km (2018)

Roadways

paved

81,355 km

total

240,000 km

unpaved

158,645 km (2017)

Waterways

11,000 km (2012)

Military - note

the Argentine military’s primary responsibilities are territorial defense and protecting the country’s sovereignty; other duties include border security, countering narcotics trafficking, and other internal missions, such as disaster response and infrastructure development; it also conducts support operations in Antarctica to promote an active presence in areas of national territory that are sparsely populated; the military participates in both bilateral and multinational training exercises and supports UN peacekeeping operationsArgentina participates in the Tripartite Command, an interagency security mechanism created by Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to exchange information and combat transnational threats, including terrorism, in the Tri-Border Area; in addition, Argentina and Chile have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force (FPC), designed to be made available to the UN; the FPC is made up of infantry, command and control, air, naval, and logistics support elements; Argentina has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperationthe Army and Navy were both created in 1810 during the Argentine War of Independence, while the Air Force was established in 1945; the military conducted coups d'état in 1930, 1943, 1955, 1962, 1966, and 1976; the 1976 coup, aka the "National Reorganization Process," marked the beginning of the so-called "Dirty War," a period of state-sponsored terrorism that saw the deaths or disappearances of thousands of Argentinians; the defeat in the 1983 Falklands War led to the downfall of the military junta (2024)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic (Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina): Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino, EA), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica, ARA; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA)Ministry of Security: Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (National Gendarmerie), Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval) (2024)

note

note: all federal police forces are under the Ministry of Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 75,000 active-duty personnel (46,000 Army; 16,000 Navy, including about 3,500 marines); 13,000 Air Force); estimated 20,000 Gendarmerie (2024)

Military deployments

325 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; in recent years, France and the US have been the leading suppliers of equipment; Argentina has an indigenous defense industry that produces air, land, and naval systems (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription suspended in 1995; citizens can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2024)

note

note: as of 2023, women comprised nearly 20% of the active duty military

Illicit drugs

counterfeiting, drug trafficking, and other smuggling offenses in the Tri-Border area; some money laundering organizations in the TBA have may have links to the terrorist organization Hizballah; a large producer of chemical precursors

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

217,742 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)

Space agency/agencies

Argentina National Space Activities Commission (Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, CONAE; formed in 1991); CONAE’s predecessor was the National Commission for Space Research (Comisión Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales, CNIE; formed in 1960) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Manuel Belgrano Space Center (Buenos Aires province): planned launch platform of the Tronador SLV (see Appendix S); Punta Indio Space Center (Buenos Aires province): test facility; Teofilo Tabanera Space Center (CETT; Cordoba Province): testing, mission control site (2024)

Space program overview

has a long history of involvement in the development of space-related capabilities, including rockets and satellites; develops, builds, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites, often in partnership with other countries; developing additional satellites with more advanced payloads; has a national space plan; contracts with commercial and other government space agencies for launches but has a domestic rocket program and is developing space launch vehicle (SLV) capabilities; cooperates with a broad range of space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the European Space Agency and its member states (particularly France, Italy), and the US; also has a commercial space industry, which includes efforts to design, build, and launch reusable small SLVs (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

Hizballah

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

201.35 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

120.66 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

12.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Environment - current issues

environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation (erosion, salinization), desertification, air pollution, and water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land

53.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 13.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 39.6% (2018 est.)

forest

10.7% (2018 est.)

other

35.4% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Guaraní Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago Buenos Aires (shared with Chile) - 2,240 sq km; Lago Argentino - 1,410 sq km; Lago Viedma - 1,090 sq km; Lago San Martín (shared with Chile) - 1,010 sq km; Lago Colhué Huapi - 800 sq km; Lago Fagnano (shared with Chile) - 590 sq km; Lago Nahuel Huapi - 550 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Laguna Mar Chiquita - 1,850 sq km;

Major rivers (by length in km)

Río de la Plata/Paraná river mouth (shared with Brazil [s], Paraguay, and Uruguay) - 4,880 km; Paraguay (shared with Brazil [s], and Paraguay [m]) - 2,549 km; Uruguay (shared with Brazil [s] and Uruguay [m]) - 1,610 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Paraná (2,582,704 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.09% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

876.24 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

27.93 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

5.85 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

92.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

17,910,550 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1,074,633 tons (2010 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

6% (2010 est.)