Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay.
Land Area: 2,766,890 sq km (1,072,158 sq miles)
Coastline: 4,989 km (3,101 miles)
Highest Point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,690 m (21,943 ft.)
Lowest Point: Laguna del Carbon 105 m ( 354 ft.)
Notable Landmarks: Take a peek...

Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation, external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.8 percent, as both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed exchange rate with the U. S. dollar. The economic situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a "zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was floated in February; the exchange rate plunged and inflation picked up rapidly, but by mid-2002 the economy had stabilized, even though at a lower level. Strong demand for the peso compelled the Central Bank to intervene in foreign exchange markets to curb its appreciation in 2003. Led by record exports, the economy began to recover with output up 8 percent in 2003, unemployment falling, and inflation reduced to under 4 percent at year's end.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $518.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $13,100 (2005 est.)
Number of Workers: 15.34 million (2005 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 11.6% (2005 est.)
Industries: Food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy and steel.
Currency: Argentine peso

Type of Government: Republic
Head of State: President Nestor Kirchner (since 25 May 2003)
Head of Government: President Nestor Kirchner (since 25 May 2003)
Capital City: Buenos Aires
Legal Age to Vote: 18
Flag Design: Three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May.
Official Language: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French.
Religions: Roman Catholic 92 percent (less than 20 percent practicing), Protestant two percent, Jewish, four percent; other, 4 percent.

Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civil and military factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983. Numerous elections since then have underscored Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.