Argentina

Argentina is the third most populous and second largest country (by area) in South America. The official national language is Spanish. To the west (beyond the Andes mountain range) is Chile. To the east, the country borders Uruguay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Population

~45 million

Time Zone

GMT-3

+2 hours of New York

Currency

Argentine Peso (ARS)

$1 USD ≈ $90 ARS*

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is Argentina's capital and most populous city. With a population of ~16 million, it is the second-most populous metropolitan area in South America (approximate to Los Angeles, California). The city is also one of the most ethnically diverse areas in Latin America. Between 1857 and 1950, Argentina experienced the second largest wave of immigration worldwide (second to only the United States) with ~7 million immigrants, mostly from Europe (especially Italy and Spain), settling primarily in the greater Buenos Aires area.

Cities & Towns (by Province)

Culture

Greeting

In Argentina, it is customary to give others a single kiss (beso) on the right cheek when meeting someone or saying hello or goodbye to a friend or acquaintance, regardless of gender. The kiss certainly shouldn't be wet – think of it more as a mock kiss as you touch cheeks. Throw in a light kissing sound, do something natural with your hands (no butt grabbing, please!) and voila, you'll be making friends in no time 🙂

Fútbol

Grafiti Diego Maradona by Cadaverexquisito

Fútbol (soccer) is the most popular sport in Argentina. The sport was introduced to the country in the mid-1800s by British immigrants. In 1891, a national league was established (the first such league to be established outside of the United Kingdom). Today, Argentina's Primera División is one of the world's most prestigious football leagues.

On the international stage, the men's national team has been extremely successful, winners of the FIFA World Cup 1978 and 1986 and runners-up in 1930, 1990 and 2014. The two most acclaimed Argentine fútbol players are: Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Maradona played in four FIFA World Cups, including the victorious 1986 World Cup, where he captained cup-winners Argentina and was awarded the tournament's Golden Ball (i.e. MVP) award. Maradona was recognized as FIFA's Player of the 20th Century, an award he shares with Brazil's Pelé.

Yerba mate en calabacín o "poro" by Edgar Claros Franetovic

Mate (pronounced MAH-teh) is an infused beverage extremely popular in Argentina. Dried leaves of the yerba mate plant (scientific name: ilex paraguariensis) are packed into a hollowed gourd, mixed with small amounts of hot (but not boiling!) water, and sipped through a bombilla (a straw with a built-in filter at the bottom end). The resulting caffeinated tea is bitter to taste, contains vitamins B and C and has a slightly higher antioxidant capacity than green tea. Sometimes sugar or honey is added to mate (mate dulce) and in some areas (especially tropical areas), it's common to prepare mate with very cold water. Mate is frequently shared. During a mate session, the same gourd and bombilla are shared by everyone drinking. A few things to know before your first mate session:

Tango

Tango is a style of partner dance extremely popular in Argentina. The origins of the dance can be traced back to the late-19th century and the working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay. Tango is accompanied by music, traditionally featuring guitar, violin, flute, piano, double bass, and/or bandoneón (an accordian-like instrument). By the early 20th century, dancers and musicians from the Río de la Plata area (Buenos Aires and Montevideo) spread the dance to Europe, where it exploded in popularity, first in Paris, then in London, Berlin, and other major urban areas.

Gauchito Gil

Gauchito Gil is a legendary Argentine folk hero, renowned for miracles in health, work and safe journeys. He is usually depicted holding a bola – a throwing device made of rope with weighted ends used to capture a target by entangling its legs. Shrines for Gauchito Gil are characterized by red flags and the offerings of visitors and are commonly found along Argentina's roads and highways.

Gauchito Antonio Gil was born sometime in the 1840s, somewhere in the province of Corrientes. As a teenager, the gaucho engaged in a love affair with a wealthy widow, Estrella Diaz Miraflores, earning Gil the hatred of Señora Miraflores’ brothers and the local police chief, who had been courting the widow. With his life in danger, Gil hit the road and enlisted to fight for Argentina against Paraguay in the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870). Sometime during his service, Gil deserted the military. He was caught and then sentenced to death.

Retrato del Presidente Juan Domingo Perón y su señora esposa María Eva Duarte de Perón by Numa Ayrinhac

Eva Perón (née María Eva Duarte & aka Evita) was born in 1919 in the small town of Los Toldos, approximately 300km from Buenos Aires). Eva was the fifth child of Juan Duarte, a wealthy rancher, and his mistress, Juana Ibarguren. When Eva was very young, her father abandoned Eva and her mother/siblings and returned to his "legitimate" wife and family. Subsequently, Eva grew up in extreme poverty.

At the age of 15, Eva moved to Buenos Aires with the dream of becoming an actress. By her late-teens, she was touring nationally with a theater company, working as a model, and featuring in small films. In her early-twenties, Eva landed a role in the popular daily radio drama Muy Bien. In 1943, Eva catapulted to national stardom, starring on a nationally broadcast radio series where she portrayed a number of famous female historical figures (including Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great).

In January 1944, Eva met Juan Perón (Argentina's Secretary of Labor and one of the republic's most powerful and popular politicians) at a fundraising gala for earthquake victims. The two immediately became lovers. In May 1944, it was announced that broadcast performers must organize themselves into a union, and that this union would be the only one permitted to operate in Argentina. Shortly after the union formed, Eva Duarte was elected its president.

As president of the union, Eva began a daily radio program which dramatized (in soap opera form) the accomplishments of Juan Perón. On October 9, 1945, Secretary of Labor Juan Perón was arrested – apparently in response to his growing popularity among the poor and working classes. As news of the arrest spread, massive crowds gathered outside La Casa Rosada, Argentina's executive mansion and demanded Juan Perón's release. Eva has often been credited with organizing this rally (and such version of events was popularized in the musical Evita (1976) and movie Evita (1996)).

Following his release, Juan Perón married Eva and the couple began campaigning for the presidency of the nation, which Juan Perón won (in a landslide). During her husband's campaign, Eva campaigned heavily, using her radio show to urge the poor and working classes to align themselves with Juan Perón's movement. She was exceptionally popular and the public began referring to her, affectionally, as Evita.

As first lady, Eva championed women's suffrage, culminating in female adults being given the right to vote in 1947. In 1948, she created the Eva Perón Foundation which built homes, hospitals, and schools and donated supplies (shoes, sewing machines, pots, etc.) to low-income communities. Some argue that the foundation was used as a means of funnelling money from the Argentine government to privately-owned bank accounts. Evita's other achievements include the creation of the Female Peronist Party (1949-1955), Argentina's first large female political party.

In 1951, after declaring her candidacy for vice-president (on her husband's reelection ticket), an extremely popular Eva Perón was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her health worsened and she withdrew from her husband's reelection ticket. In early 1952, Argentina’s legislature gave Evita the official title of “Spiritual Leader of the Nation.” In June 1952, a month before her death, Evita received a lobotomy (source: Yale University Professor Daniel E. Nijensohn).

Upon her death, all official government activities were suspended for two days and all Argentine flags were flown at half-mast for ten days. Her state-sponsored funeral was attended by millions. Following the funeral, Evita's embalmed body was on display for public viewing.

In 1955, Juan Perón was overthrown in a military coup. He hastily (and safely) fled the country. A military dictatorship took power and removed Evita's body from display: its whereabouts were a mystery for the next 16 years. From 1955 until 1971, the military government instituted a ban on Peronism: it became illegal to possess pictures, or even speak the names, of Juan or Eva Perón.

Eva Perón and her legacy have entered international popular culture as the subject of many books, plays, films and musicals. The most successful of these is the musical production Evita. The musical began in 1976 as a concept album (co-produced by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, starring Julie Covington). The album was adapted into a musical production, performed first in London's West End and then on Broadway. In 1996, a film version of the musical was released, featuring Madonna as Eva Perón, winning the Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy."

Religion

Almost 75% of Argentines identify as Roman Catholics. Since 2015, the position of Pope of the Catholic Church has been held by an Argentine: Pope Francis. Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Flores, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires. He is of Italian descent and worked briefly as a chemical technologist, then a nightclub bouncer, before beginning his religious studies. Pope Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas and the first non-European pope since Gregory III (from Syria), who reigned during the 8th century.

Navigating Argentina

Argentina is notorious for its expansive pampas and the vast Patagonian steppe. This means (relatively) flat and open roads – if you're cycling south (especially southeast), expect to cover above-average distances each day thanks to a prevailing tailwind. Rail transport is limited, but possible. There is a train that runs between Viedma and Bariloche (Tren Patagonico), but tickets cannot be purchased online. Most of the railways serve the Greater Buenos Aires area. Bus transit is popular and an assortment of companies offer service between Buenos Aires, Bariloche and Ushuaia.

Ruta 40

Ruta 40 (ruta cuarenta) is Argentina's longest highway and one of Earth’s premier adventure tourism routes (e.g. USA's Route 66, Canada's Trans-Canada Highway, and Australia’s Stuart Pass). The iconic highway stretches over 5,000 kilometers – the length of mainland Argentina – mostly running parallel to the Andes mountain range. The route crosses 11 provinces, 20 national parks, 18 major rivers, and 27 passes in the Andes.

Hitch-Biking

Generally, bicycles are permitted on trains and buses on a case-by-case basis (i.e. it will probably depend on the driver/conductor you encounter upon boarding). Smile, be friendly, and speak in Spanish– this will improve your chances of getting aboard with your bicycle. Furthermore, traveling at off-peak times and keeping your pack compact may also help tip the odds in your favor.

Hitchhiking (Dedo)

Hitching or dedo (thumb) is a popular form of travel throughout Argentina. Waiting time will likely increase the further south you get. It's a numbers game and Argentine Patagonia is one of the most remote places on earth. Always have a back-up plan.

History

Timeline

1516

Europeans Arrive

Juan Díaz de Solís is the first European to explore the Río de la Plata area. He is attacked by indigenous Charrúa or Guarani and eaten.

1776

Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata

Spanish Empire consolidates its territories in present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay into one viceroyalty. Its capital is in Buenos Aires.

1812

Independence?

José de San Martin leads the fight for independence against the Spanish Empire; the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata is created.

1853

Argentine Constitution

Argentina becomes a republic after enacting its third constitution (which is still in force today). Buenos Aires holds out and won't ratify till 1859. This document is still in force today; it was reformed in 1860, 1866, 1898, 1949, 1957 (mainly repealing the 1949 reform), and 1994 (the current text).

1884

Conquest of the Desert

Military campaign in Patagonia concludes. Indigenous resistance is crushed and European-immigrants begin widespread farming. Chubut and Río Negro become official Argentine territories.

1946

Perónism

Juan Perón is elected president; Eva Perón (Evita) becomes first lady. Populist agenda enacted; women receive the right to vote. Evita dies in 1952 and Juan Perón is deposed in a coup in 1955.

Early 1970s

Dirty War

Argentina's military junta hunts down and kills thousands of left-wing guerrillas, political dissidents, and socialists. Declassified top-secret document later reveal that U.S. Secretary of State/political puppeteer Henry Kissinger approves of the junta's actions.

1978

Beagle Conflict

Argentina and Chile prepare to wage war over the possession of Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands. Conflict is resolved through papal mediation and the Treaty of Peace & Friendship (1984).

>11,000 BC – 1500 AD

Indigenous Civilization

Indigenous peoples settle the area now known as Argentina (earliest dates are evidenced by the Piedra Museo archaeological site in Santa Cruz). Various groups emerge, with distinct languages, societies, and relations with each other.

1982

The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas)

Argentina invades and occupies the Falkland Islands (known as Las Malvinas in Argentina), a British territory. The next day, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (also British territories) are also occupied by Argentine forces. Britain responds by crushing Argentine forces in a 10-week conflict and reclaiming the islands.

Argentina's reason for the invasion? Establish rightful sovereignty over the islands, which are located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the east coast of Argentina. In the period leading up to the conflict, Argentina had experienced a devastating economic stagnation. Large-scale civil unrest against the governing military junta was spreading. The junta probably hoped to use the conflict to spark patriotism and divert public attention from the regime's ongoing human rights violations–see Dirty War (above)–and chronic economic problems.

The Argentine invasion was dealt with swiftly. A few days after the invasion, the British government dispatched a naval task force which initiated an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended on June 14, 1982, with Argentina's surrender and the return of the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders died during the hostilities.

The defeat heavily discredited the military junta regime. Subsequently, under strong public pressure, the junta lifted their bans on political parties. In October 1983, the junta was replaced with a democratic government. In 1989, diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina were restored; however, no change in either country’s position regarding the sovereignty of the territories has ever been made explicit.

The memory of this conflict burns brightly in the minds of many Argentineans. In southern Argentina, signs emblazoned with the words “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (the Malvinas belong to Argentina) are prominent in government buildings, on roadside billboards and on the windows and walls of businesses. In 1994, Argentina’s claim to the territories was added to its constitution. In 2013, Falkland Islanders took part in a referendum, voting by 1,513 to 3 to remain a British overseas territory. In June 2014, before a friendly match against Slovenia, Argentina’s national football team displayed a banner supporting their country’s claims to the Falkland Islands. As a result, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Argentine Football Association. Also in 2014, the crew of BBC's Top Gear (feat. Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond) were pelted with stones while in Tolhuin because of the provocative license plate of Clarkson's Porsche, which read: H982 FKL.

1983

Democracy!

Military junta loses support following Falklands defeat and democracy is restored. Argentines head to the polls and elect Raúl Alfonsín as president.

1986

FIFA World Cup

Diego Maradona leads Argentina to its second world cup title, defeating West Germany 3-2 in the final. Their quarterfinal victory vs. England gains notoriety for Maradona's "hand of god."

2007

From Kirchner to Kirchner

Peronist Cristina Fernández de Kirchner succeeds her husband, Néstor Kirchner, as president. Amnesty for Dirty War crimes have been repealed and the country's crippling debt has been restructured.

2013

Pope Francis

Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires is elected as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. He is the first pope from the Americas and chooses the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

Argentine Patagonia

Bounded to the west by the Andes mountain range and the east by the Atlantic Ocean, Argentine Patagonia is comprised mostly of vast desert and semi-arid scrubland. The Colorado and Barrancas rivers, which run from the Andes to the Atlantic, are commonly considered the area's northern limit. The provinces comprising Argentine Patagonia are (from north to south): Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego.

Tehuelche

Tehuelche (also known as Aónikenk) are the indigenous inhabitants of mainland Argentine Patagonia. As nomadic hunter-gatherers, they physically possessed very little, covering vast distances in seasonal cycles as they followed game. Their main prey was guanacos, rheas, fish and shellfish. Relatively, Tehuelche are larger than Europeans; Spanish explorers described them as giants (sparking the legend of the patagones). With the exception of a few sporadic coastal settlements and missions, the Spanish never really colonized the Tehuelche lands. The Tehuelche, along with the territories of Chubut and Santa Cruz, were annexed by Argentina during its Conquest of the Desert.It is estimated that the surviving descendants of these indigenous people number less than 30,000.

Selk'nam

Selk'nam and Haush are two of the indigenous groups that inhabited Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and Isla Navarino prior to European colonization. Despite the frigid temperatures, the Selk'nam and Hausch wore very little clothing. The sheep-farming boom and a short-lived gold rush in the late-19th century proved devastating for these indigenous people. Company-owned (estancias) spread throughout Tierra del Fuego devastating local guanaco and rhea populations. Occasionally, Selk'nam or Hausch would kill and eat sheep. In response, the companies that controlled the estancias began compensating sheep farmers or other militia (often former gold prospectors) a bounty for each Selk'nam or Hausch. Kills were traditionally confirmed upon presentation of a pair of hands or ears. Later (when Selk’nam were spotted living without ears) a complete skull was required in order to collect a bounty. Bounty hunters were rewarded more handsomely for the death of a woman than a man. Two Christian missions were eventually established to provide housing and food for the indigenous people, but it was too little, too late. By the early twentieth century, only a few hundred Selk'nam remained. The last ethnic Selk’nam died in 1974.

Wildlife

The guanaco, the puma (aka the cougar/mountain lion) and the Patagonian fox are habitual on the plains and steppe. Characteristic birds include the (flightless) Darwin's rhea, the Magellanic penguin, the southern-crested caracara, the austral parakeet, the Chilean flamingo, and, with the largest wingspan of any bird on earth, the Andean condor. Notable marine life includes the southern-right whale.

*As of April 30, 2021. View current exchange rate here.