Argentina-Facts

General Facts

Population: 40 million       
Language: Spanish           
GDP: $573 billion
Currency: Peso                
Capital: Buenos Aires
Time: ART – Argentina Time
Religion: 70-90% of population is Roman Catholic

Reasons to visit

If you are contemplating a visit to a completely different and diverse country, you might want to consider Argentina. The country is a beautiful place to visit, and the temperate climate will make your stay abroad warm and comfortable. Here are little known facts that may intrigue you, or else give you a better understanding of this place.
-Argentina literally means "land of silver" or "silvery land" in latin.
- Argentina has a brilliant literacy rate of about 97.6%. This position Argentina equal to 58th in the whole world.
- They were one of the foremost countries to have radio broadcasting. The first relay was made on the 27th of August, 1920. Barely 20 people had a receiver at the time!
-They are the leading producers of wines ever since the 16th century and has approximately 1800 wineries currently.
- It has one of the highest movie watching rates in the world.
- Argentina has been the place where some of the oldest and largest fossils of dinosaurs have been unearthed.
- They are the 3rd biggest producer of beef in the world.
-The tango is both a dance and a type of music which has spread from the port area of Buenos Aires to many countries in the rest of the world.

Who lives there

As a result of a huge influx of Europeans in the post-war period, Caucasians became a very dominant ethnic group in Argentina, which comes to be about 86 % of total population. While on a study abroad program or volunteering program you will feel as if you were in Europe, with so much European flavor brought directly by the immigrants who came over in 20th century. Additional 8% are mestizo, and Arabs with East Asians add up to 4% to complete major ethnic groups that are present in the country. About 90%  of Argentinean people live in the cities, Buenos Aires being the focal point.

A lesson in geography

Argentina is a country that occupies the south and south-east of South America. It is the  second largest country in South America, and ranks as the eighth largest in the world.
The surface of the Argentina can be divided into two parts: elevated (southeast) and plain (north-west). The western boundary runs along the chain of the Andes. It is home to the legendary gaucho also known as local cowboys.

North-east of the country is very warm and humid between the rivers Paraná and Uruguay. The south of the continent is famous for being the land of sheep breeding. The southern part of Patagonia is characterized as being a dry and cold climate. There are many rivers in Argentina; the most famous is Parana, the second largest river in South America.

What sort of clothes to pack

While studying abroad in Argentina one can expect to have a beautiful weather year around, however it might get a little cold in the southern part of the country during winter. Argentina is located in three climatic zones: tropical, subtropical and temperate. Average temperatures range from +24°C in the north to +5°C in the south. This means for the most part, it is warm.

If you are traveling to the north east, the climate is subtropical, humid, and winters are mild. In the south, it is much colder and it rains for most of the year so have an umbrella on hand. In Buenos Aires, the summer months are very hot, and most people immediately after Christmas take time off from work. In January and February, the city becomes deserted. In winter, for the Europeans, the weather is very pleasant, the temperature decreases, but only slightly.

On the whole, you should bring lightweight clothes that can be layered. Depending on which area you will be staying, a sweater or even a coat is appropriate if you are going during the colder months. Keep in mind dress will be more formal in the city of Buenos Aires, which means a jacket and tie or a cocktail dress may be required at some of the finer restaurants. In the countryside, casual dress is more appropriate. No matter what you bring, your abroad experience will be memorable.