Argentina Travel

Argentina receives 60 percent of all the tourist arrivals in the South American continent. European visitors nowhere make up no more than 11 per cent of their tourists. Argentina is a highly exciting destination for outdoor enthusiasts. World-class fly-fishing, horseriding, trekking and rock climbing options abound, as do opportunities for white-water rafting, skiing, ice-climbing, and even - for those with sufficient stamina and preparations, expeditions onto the Southern Patagonian Icecap.

The Chile-Argentina border follows the crest of the mountain chain, which gradually decreases in height from over 6600 m in the north to 2-3500 m in southern Chile. The scenery is spectacular. The 'Lake District' that straddles the border south of Valdivia is a mixture of semi-dormant volcanoes, forests, glaciers, snowcapped mountains and lakes. Several ski resorts have been developed, mainly on the east facing slopes of the Andes, but also some on the Chilean side. The season runs from May to September.

Argentina's oldest and most attractive colonial cities (e.g. Cordoba, Tucuman and Salta) in the northern section attracts visitors. There are many sandy stretches on the nearby Atlantic coastline and the climate has moderate rainfall all year and maximum temperatures in summer reach the high 20s°C. This makes them suitable for beach resort developments.

You'll see South America's highest peaks, rising to almost 7000m and perpetually blanketed in virgin snow the painted northern Andean deserts, high and dry, with colonial cities and lanky cactus dotting the undulating landscape; the Patagonian Lake District, with blue green shimmering lakes stretching out between lush mountain forests; astounding southern glaciers actively calving huge slivers of ice that smash into lakes below legendary Iguazu Falls, a massive stream of 70m high cataracts extending as far as your eye can see and wildlife ranging from strange guanacos, rheas and capybaras to the more familiar flamingos, whales and penguins.

People: More than 80 percent of population of Argentina is of European origin. The major indigenous groups ( thought to make up less than 2% of Argentina's population) are the Quechua of the northwest and the Mapuche of Patagonia, and smaller groups of Guarani, Matacos, Tobas and Wichi inhabit other northern pockets. Around 15% of the country's population is mestizo, or of mixed indigenous and European ancestry; most mestizo reside up north.

You'll see South America's highest peaks, rising to almost 7000m and perpetually blanketed in virgin snow the painted northern Andean deserts, high and dry, with colonial cities and lanky cactus dotting the undulating landscape; the Patagonian Lake District, with blue green shimmering lakes stretching out between lush mountain forests; astounding southern glaciers actively calving huge slivers of ice that smash into lakes below legendary Iguazu Falls, a massive stream of 70m high cataracts extending as far as your eye can see and wildlife ranging from strange guanacos, rheas and capybaras to the more familiar flamingos, whales and penguins. And then there's Patagonia, instilling a romantic tingle and wanderlust to those who dream of someday visiting this vast and bleak outback land, ringed to the west with some of the world's most impressive mountain formations while extending all the way south toward Ushuaia and the edge of the world.

Argentina, in its early independence period, had to struggle for national identity. In colonial times Argentina rested on the fringe of the Spanish empire in Latin America. Along the Andean flanks in the west and northwest were the most developed areas, and commerce was directed through Lima.

Today, Argentina is one of the most developed nations in Latin America. Its per capita GNP rivals that of the rich world. Its population is both literate (99 percent) and urban (85 percent), and population growth is a moderate 1.3 percent. The nation's million people are European and have a developed sense of national unity. Political strike now rampant, however, over the direction of the nation's future. Buenos Aires and the Pampas form the country's heartland and are by far the nations most important area. Greater Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires and its satellite cities) has a population of 3 million people, making it one of the largest urbanized areas in the world. The other principal cities of the Pampas are Rosario (10,00,000), La Plata (570,000), Santa Fe (370,000), and Mar del Plata (500,000). Buenos Aires is the heart of the nation.

Most of Argentina's manufacturing and service activities are in Buenos Aires; some 45 percent of the nation's industrial labor force is located there and about 50 percent of all those engaged in tertiary activities. From 1946 to 1955, when Juan Peron ruled the country, the government regulated and redirected the national economy toward manufacturing under a broad policy of creating national self sufficiency. Buenos Aires' Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini ('Ezeiza') is Argentina's main international airport. Aeroparque Jorge Newbery ('Aeroparque') is the capital's domestic airport. Many other cities have international airports, but serve mostly domestic destinations.