Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil.  It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires.  It is the eighth-largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish speaking nations.  Argentina's continental area is between the Andes mountain range in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east.  It borders Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west and south.

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, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided 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 conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions.  After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976.  Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands by force, 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 an the successive resignations of several presidents.

Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base.  Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight.  A recognized middle-power, Argentina is Latin America's third-largest economy, fifth highest nominal GDP per capita and the highest in purchasing power terms.  Argentina is a founding member of the United Nations, Mercosur, the Union of South American Nations, the OEI, the World Bank Group and the World Trade Organization, and is one of the G-15 and G-20 major economies.