Argentina Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Buenos Aires

Population

45,418,098 (2025 est.)

Area

2,780,400 sq km

Location

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

🧭 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.

🗺️ Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references

South America

Area — total

2,780,400 sq km

Area — land

2,736,690 sq km

Area — water

43,710 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries — total

11,968 km

Land boundaries — border countries

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

Coastline

4,989 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — contiguous zone

24 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Maritime claims — continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

Mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain

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

Elevation — highest point

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

Elevation — lowest point

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

Elevation — mean elevation

595 m

Natural resources

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

Land use — agricultural land

42.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 14.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 27.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

17.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

40.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

13,910 sq km (2018)

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

Major lakes (area 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 km note: [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)

Major aquifers

Guaraní Aquifer System

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

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

Geography - note

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 Brazil

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

45,418,098 (2025 est.)

Population — male

22,535,980

Population — female

22,882,118

Nationality — noun

Argentine(s)

Nationality — adjective

Argentine

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.)

Languages — Languages

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

Languages — 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.

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.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

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

Age structure — 15-64 years

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

Age structure — 65 years and over

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

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

49.9 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

30.3 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

19.6 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

5.1 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

34.6 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

32.1 years

Median age — female

34.6 years

Population growth rate

0.26% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

10.47 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

Urbanization — urban population

92.5% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

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

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)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

33 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

78.8 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

75.8 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

82 years

Total fertility rate

1.43 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.69 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: (2020 est.) NA

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.7% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

5.11 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

3.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28.3% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

7.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

3.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

21.9% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

26.9% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

17.1% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

49.7% (2020 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

2.4% (2020)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

15.5% (2020)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

14% national budget (2023 est.)

Literacy — total population

99.1% (2020 est.)

Literacy — male

99.1% (2020 est.)

Literacy — female

99.2% (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

19 years (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

17 years (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

21 years (2022 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Deforestation; soil degradation (erosion, salinization); desertification; air pollution; water pollution

International environmental 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

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Climate

Mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Land use — agricultural land

42.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 14.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 27.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

17.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

40.4% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

92.5% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

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

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

198.141 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

5.022 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

102.998 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from consumed natural gas

90.122 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

12 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions — energy

1,553.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

3,035.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

631 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

89.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

17.911 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

9.6% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

5.85 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

27.93 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

876.24 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Argentine Republic

Country name — conventional short form

Argentina

Country name — local long form

República Argentina

Country name — local short form

Argentina

Country name — etymology

The name is derived from one of the Spanish words for "silver," but the origin is unclear; it may have described the land next to the Rio de la Plata ("Silver River"), a major river that forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay; another possible source is the Spanish explorers in the 16th century mistakenly believing that the silver ornaments they bought from inhabitants came from a local source of silver

Government type

Presidential republic

Capital — name

Buenos Aires

Capital — geographic coordinates

34 36 S, 58 22 W

Capital — time difference

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

Capital — etymology

The name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish; the full original name, Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires, was given only to the port; the city was founded separately from the port in 1536 and was named Ciudad de la Santissima Trinidad (City of the Most Holy Trinity); the shortened version of the port name eventually became the city name

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 Atlántico Sur (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman

Legal system

Civil law system based on Western European legal systems

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853

Constitution — amendment process

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

International law organization participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

Yes

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

Yes

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

Yes

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

2 years

Suffrage

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

Executive branch — chief of state

President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023)

Executive branch — head of government

President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023)

Executive branch — cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

Executive branch — election/appointment process

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)

Executive branch — most recent election date

22 October 2023, with a runoff held 19 November 2023

Executive branch — 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%

Executive branch — expected date of next election

October 2027

Legislative branch — legislature name

National Congress (Congreso de la nación)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

257 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Proportional representation

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Partial renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

10/22/2023

Legislative branch - lower chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Union for the Homeland (UP) (48); Freedom Advances (LLA) (28); Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (27); Other (25)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

42.4%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

October 2025

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Senate (Senado)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

72 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — electoral system

Proportional representation

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Partial renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

6 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

10/22/2023

Legislative branch - upper chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Union for the Homeland (UP) (9); Freedom Advances (LLA) (6); Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (2); Front for the Renewal of Social Concord – Federal Innovation (2); Federal Renewal (2); For Santa Cruz (2); Other (1)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

45.8%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

October 2025

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

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

Judicial branch — 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

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

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

Political parties

Avanza Libertad or AL Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI Consenso Federal (Federal Consensus) or CF Frente 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 FRCS Frente Renovador (Renewal Front) or FR Generación por un Encuentro Nacional (Generation for a National Encounter) or GEN Hacemos por Córdoba (We do for Cordoba) or HC Hacemos por Nuestro Pais (We Do For Our Country) or NHP Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) or JxC (includes CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR); note - primary opposition coalition since 2019 Juntos Somos Río Negro (Together We Are Rio Negro) or JSRN Partido Justicialista (Justicialist Party) or PJ La Cámpora La Libertad Avanza (The Liberty Advances) or LLA Movimiento Popular Neuquino (Neuquén People's Movement) or MPN Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores (Workers' Socialist Movement) or MST Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (Socialist Workers' Party) or PTS Partido Demócrata (Democratic Party) or PDN Partido Libertario (Libertarian Party) or PL; note - party is also a founding member of the coalition La Libertad Avanza Partido Obrero (Workers' Party) or PO Partido Socialista or PS Propuesta Republicana (Republican Proposal) or PRO Unidad Federal (coalition of provencial parties in the lower house; includes FRCS and JSRN) Unión Cívica Radical (Radical Civic Union) or UCR Unión 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 parties Vamos con Vos (Let's Go with You) or VcV

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Alejandro (Alec) Carlos Francisco OXENFORD (since 11 June 2025)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 238-6400

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 332-3171

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Eeeuu@mrecic.gov.ar https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s) general

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

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Peter LAMELAS (since 4 November 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC 20521-3130

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[54] (11) 5777-4533

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[54] (11) 5777-4240

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

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

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

Independence

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday

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

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 that is known as the Sun of May meaning: the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes Mountains; the sun commemorates the first mass demonstration in favor of independence on 25 May 1810, when the sun broke through the clouds; the sun is designed to look like Inti, the Incan god of the sun

National symbol(s)

Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol)

National color(s)

Sky blue, white

National anthem(s) — title

"Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain; a 1900 presidential decree declared that only the first and last verses would be considered official, rather than the original nine verses

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

12 (7 cultural, 5 natural)

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)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.213 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.234 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.255 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

-1.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

-1.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$26,500 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$27,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$27,600 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$633.267 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

73.1% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

47.1% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

40.5% (2020 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

24% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

53.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

68.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

15% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

15.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

-0.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

15.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-12.8% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Maize, soybeans, sugarcane, wheat, milk, sunflower seeds, barley, beef, potatoes, chicken (2023)

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

-7.2% (2024 est.)

Labor force

22.286 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

7.9% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

6.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

6.9% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

21.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

19.8% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

23% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

41.7% (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

42.4 (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on food

23.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on alcohol and tobacco

1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

1.9% (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

31% (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$115.69 billion (2023 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$139.037 billion (2023 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2016

55% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

10% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

$6.285 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$20.956 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$4.055 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$96.899 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$82.947 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$102.928 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

Brazil 18%, USA 9%, Chile 8%, China 8%, India 4% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Soybean meal, corn, trucks, soybean oil, crude petroleum (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$79.999 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$92.3 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$97.399 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

Brazil 23%, China 20%, USA 12%, Paraguay 5%, Germany 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Soybeans, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$29.56 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$23.081 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$44.795 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$74.362 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

914.695 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

296.258 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

130.617 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

94.991 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

70.539 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity — installed generating capacity

47.631 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

114.667 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — exports

31 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

11.393 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

27.027 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

61.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — nuclear

6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — wind

11% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

16.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy — Number of operational nuclear reactors

3 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

1.64GW (2025 est.)

Nuclear energy — Percent of total electricity production

6.3% (2023 est.)

Coal — production

869,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

2.534 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

300 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

1.936 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — proven reserves

799.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

807,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

749,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

2.483 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

43.69 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

46.028 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — exports

2.344 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — imports

5.225 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

396.464 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

78.496 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

6.42 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

64.1 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

140 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

One of South America's biggest media markets; dozens of TV networks, hundreds of radio stations, and more than 150 daily newspapers (2023)

Internet country code

.ar

Internet users — percent of population

89% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

11.5 million (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

LV

Airports

764 (2025)

Heliports

148 (2025)

Railways — total

17,866 km (2018)

Merchant marine — total

201 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

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

Ports — total ports

37 (2024)

Ports — large

1

Ports — medium

2

Ports — small

10

Ports — very small

24

Ports — ports with oil terminals

19

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

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

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) (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 75,000 active-duty Armed Forces (45,000 Army; 15,000 Navy, including about 3,500 marines; 15,000 Air Force) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically produced and 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 (2025)

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 (2025)

Military deployments

230 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (2025)

Military - note

The Argentine military’s primary responsibilities are territorial defense and protecting the country’s sovereignty; duties also include border security, countering narcotics trafficking, and other internal missions, such as disaster response and infrastructure development; it conducts support operations and has bases in Antarctica to promote an active presence in areas of national territory that are sparsely populated; the military also participates in both bilateral and multinational training exercises and supports UN peacekeeping operations Argentina participates in the Tripartite Command, an interagency security mechanism created by Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to exchange information and combat transnational threats, such as crime and terrorism, in the Tri-Border Area; in addition, Argentina and Chile have a joint peacekeeping force known as the Combined Southern Cross Peacekeeping Force, designed to be made available to the UN; 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 cooperation the 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 1982 Falklands War led to the downfall of the military junta (2025)

🛰️ Space⬆️ Top

Space agency/agencies

Argentina National Space Activities Commission (Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, CONAE; formed in 1991) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Manuel Belgrano Space Center (Buenos Aires province); Punta Indio Space Center (Buenos Aires province); Teofilo Tabanera Space Center (CETT; Cordoba Province; testing/mission control) (2025)

Space program overview

Has a national space program and a history 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; 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 (2025)

Key space-program milestones

1961-1967 - launched first rocket (Alfa Centauro) and was first country in Latin America to send an animal into space 1997 - first domestically built communications satellite (Nahuel-1A) launched on European satellite launch vehicle (SLV) 2007 - launch of first sub-orbital test rocket for domestic SLV (Tronador) project 2018 - first domestically built, synthetic-aperture-radar remote sensing satellite (SAOCOM 1A) launched by US 2020-2021 - worked with Mexico to create the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration 2025 - continued development of two-stage Tronador SLV

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

Hizballah

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

9,175 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

74 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — stateless persons

34 (2024 est.)