Argentina

At A glance

Capital City: Buenos Aires

Land size: 2,736,690 sq km

Population: 26,141,369 (2022 est.)

Official language: Spanish

Currency: Argentine pesos ($ / ARS)

UNESCO properties and sites:

• Los Glaciares National Park
• Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis
• Iguazú National Park
• Cueva de las Manos
• Valdés Península
• Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks
• Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba
• Quebrada de Humahuaca
• Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System

Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/argentina/


Argentina offers a tapestry of experiences that will leave you awe-inspired. Discover the bustling streets of Buenos Aires, where tango music fills the air and historic neighborhoods exude charm. Immerse yourself in the warmth and hospitality of the Argentine people, savoring traditional asados (barbecues) and sharing stories with the locals.
Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a culture lover, or a food and wine connoisseur, Argentina offers experiences to suit every traveler's desires.

Argentina's love for horses is deeply ingrained in its culture, and experiencing the country on horseback allows you to forge a deep connection with the land and its people. Explore the breathtaking beauty of Patagonia on horseback, where towering mountains, vast glaciers, and pristine lakes create a stunning backdrop. Canter through the endless grasslands of the Pampas, feeling the wind in your hair as you embrace the gaucho way of life. Ride across the rugged terrain of the Andes, crossing high mountain passes and taking in panoramic views that will leave you breathless. Discover hidden valleys, remote estancias, and ancient indigenous trails as you venture into lesser-explored regions.

 

Brief History

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up 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, an era of populism and direct and indirect military interference was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 and has persisted despite numerous challenges.
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 FERNANDEZ.

Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/argentina/

 

Cultural Insights

Football (soccer in the United States) and tango (which encompasses more than just the dance itself) are probably the two strongest symbols of a common national identity.

Argentines are very fond of beef and pastas. Most restaurants offer a wide assortment of meat dishes and pastas.

Both men and women greet each other by kissing on the cheek. In very formal encounters, men and women shake hands.

Source: https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Argentina.html

 

Transportation

By Air
Argentina's main international airport is Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini (EZE), located 32km (20 miles) to the west of Buenos Aires.

By Road
Buenos Aires’s bus station (Estación Terminal de Omnibus de Retiro) is located near Retiro Station. South America is served by numerous companies offering comfortable, and at times luxurious, bus services to other major cities, often overnight.

Source: https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/article/getting-buenos-aires
https://www.frommers.com/destinations/argentina/planning-a-trip/getting-there

 

Money

ATMs are widely available. Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and major shops and restaurants. Photo ID may be required.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/argentina

 

Health

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travel to some parts of the country.

Dengue fever can occur throughout the year. You should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Asthma, sinus and bronchial problems can be aggravated by the polluted atmosphere in the major cities.

If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 107 or 911 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.
Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.

Medical facilities are good, but can be expensive. Public hospitals tend to be crowded. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition and you regularly take prescribed medication, carry enough medication to cover the duration of your stay and a letter from your doctor describing the medical condition. You can find most medication in pharmacies in large cities, but medicine for complex treatment may be unavailable in smaller towns. You will need a prescription from a local doctor to get prescribed medication. All medication in pharmacies, whether prescribed or not, is stored behind the counter and must be requested.
If traveling with prescription medication, check with the Argentine Ministry of Health to ensure the medication is legal in Argentina.  Always, carry your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/argentina
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Argentina.html

 

Electricity

Argentina operates on a 220V supply voltage and uses type I plugs.

The Type I plug has two flat pins in a V-shape as well as a grounding pin. A version of the plug, which only has the two flat pins, exists as well.

Source: https://www.iec.ch/world-plugs

 

Communication

Time zone in Argentina: Argentina Time (GMT-3)

International country code – 54

Nearly a quarter of the country’s broadband connections are via DSL, although fiber is starting claim an increasing share of that market as networks expand across most of the main cities.
The first 5G service was launched in February 2021 using reframed LTE frequencies.
The government is also making an active contribution towards boosting broadband connectivity around the country; its national connectivity plan ‘Plan Conectar’, launched in September 2020, provides funding for a range of programs to increase coverage.

Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/argentina/


Phrasebook


Phrasebook

English	Spanish
Hello!	Hola
Goodbye	Adiós
Good morning	Buenos días
Good evening	Buenos tardes
Good night	Buenas noches
Please	Por favor
Thank you	Gracias
Yes	Sí
No	No

Source: https://www.linguahouse.com/phrasebook/english-spanish/basic-words-and-phrases/basic-words-and-phrases

 

Entry Requirements

If you are visiting Argentina, your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required.
You can find out whether you need a visa to travel to Argentina by visiting https://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesible/indexdnm.php?visas

Source: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/south-america/argentina/passport-visa/

 

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires
Av. Colombia 4300
C1425GMN Buenos Aires
Argentina
Telephone: (54-11) 5777-4533

Canada Embassy in Buenos Aires
Tagle 2828,
C1425EEH Buenos Aires
Argentina
Telephone: (54-11) 4808-1086

Source: for USA https://www.usembassy.gov/
For Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates

 

UNESCO Sites

Los Glaciares National Park
The Los Glaciares National Park is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with rugged, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes, including Lake Argentino, which is 160 km long. At its farthest end, three glaciers meet to dump their effluvia into the milky grey glacial water, launching massive igloo icebergs into the lake with thunderous splashes.

Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis
The ruins of San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María la Mayor in Argentina, lie at the heart of a tropical forest. They are the impressive remains of Jesuit missions built in the land of the Guaranis during the 17th and 18th centuries. Each is characterized by a specific layout and a different state of conservation.

Iguazú National Park
The semicircular waterfall at the heart of this site is some 80 m high and 2,700 m in diameter and is situated on a basaltic line spanning the border between Argentina and Brazil. Made up of many cascades producing vast sprays of water, it is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. The surrounding subtropical rainforest has over 2,000 species of vascular plants and is home to the typical wildlife of the region: tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, jaguars and caymans.

Cueva de las Manos
The Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas, contains an exceptional assemblage of cave art, executed between 13,000 and 9,500 years ago. It takes its name (Cave of the Hands) from the stenciled outlines of human hands in the cave, but there are also many depictions of animals, such as guanacos (Lama guanicoe ), still commonly found in the region, as well as hunting scenes. The people responsible for the paintings may have been the ancestors of the historic hunter-gatherer communities of Patagonia found by European settlers in the 19th century.

Valdés Península
This is a site of global significance for the conservation of marine mammals. It is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whale as well as important breeding populations of southern elephant seals and southern sea lions. The orcas in this area have developed a unique hunting strategy to adapt to local coastal conditions.

Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks
These two contiguous parks, extending over 275,300 ha in the desert region on the western border of the Sierra Pampeanas of central Argentina, contain the most complete continental fossil record known from the Triassic Period (245-208 million years ago). Six geological formations in the parks contain fossils of a wide range of ancestors of mammals, dinosaurs and plants revealing the evolution of vertebrates and the nature of palaeo-environments in the Triassic Period.

Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba
The Jesuit Block in Córdoba, heart of the former Jesuit Province of Paraguay, contains the core buildings of the Jesuit system: the university, the church and residence of the Society of Jesus, and the college. Along with the five estancias, or farming estates, they contain religious and secular buildings, which illustrate the unique religious, social, and economic experiment carried out in the world for a period of over 150 years in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Quebrada de Humahuaca
Quebrada de Humahuaca follows the line of a major cultural route, the Camino Inca, along the spectacular valley of the Rio Grande, from its source in the cold high desert plateau of the High Andean lands to its confluence with the Rio Leone some 150 km to the south. The valley shows substantial evidence of its use as a major trade route over the past 10,000 years. It features visible traces of prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities, of the Inca Empire (15th to 16th centuries) and of the fight for independence in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System
This site is an extensive Inca communication, trade and defense network of roads covering 30,000 km. Constructed by the Incas over several centuries and partly based on pre-Inca infrastructure, this extraordinary network through one of the world’s most extreme geographical terrains linked the snow-capped peaks of the Andes – at an altitude of more than 6,000 m – to the coast, running through hot rainforests, fertile valleys and absolute deserts. It reached its maximum expansion in the 15th century, when it spread across the length and breadth of the Andes.
The Qhapac Ñan, Andean Road System includes 273 component sites spread over more than 6,000 km that were selected to highlight the social, political, architectural and engineering achievements of the network, along with its associated infrastructure for trade, accommodation and storage, as well as sites of religious significance.

Source: https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ar