The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

disputes: short section of the boundary with Uruguay

       is in dispute; short section of the boundary with Chile is

       indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas

       Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South

       Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

      Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in

       southwest

      Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to

       rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western

       border

       lowest point: Salinas Chicas −40 m

       highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

      Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin,

       copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

      Land use:

       arable land: 9%

       permanent crops: 4%

       meadows and pastures: 52%

       forest and woodland: 22%

       other: 13%

      Irrigated land: 17,600 sq km (1989 est.)

      Environment:

       current issues: erosion results from inadequate flood controls and

       improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation;

       desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major

       cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due

       to increased pesticide and fertilizer use

       natural hazards: Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to

       earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the

       Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

       international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental

       Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered

       Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the

       Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship

       Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification,

       Marine Life Conservation

      Geographic note: second-largest country in South America (after

       Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South

       Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle

       Channel, Drake Passage)

      People———

      Population: 34,672,997 (July 1996 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 28% (male 4,904,380; female 4,707,293)

       15–64 years: 63% (male 10,851,004; female 10,834,593)

       65 years and over: 9% (male 1,414,412; female 1,961,315) (July 1996

       est.)

      Population growth rate: 1.1% (1996 est.)

      Birth rate: 19.41 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Death rate: 8.62 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Net migration rate: 0.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

       all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.66 years male: 68.37 years female: 75.12 years (1996 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 2.62 children born/woman (1996 est.)

      Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine

      Ethnic divisions: white 85%, mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite

       groups 15%

      Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20%

       practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%

      Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

      Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

       total population: 96.2%

       male: 96.2%

       female: 96.2%

      Government—————

      Name of country:

       conventional long form: Argentine Republic

       conventional short form: Argentina

       local long form: Republica Argentina

       local short form: Argentina

      Data code: AR

      Type of government: republic

      Capital: Buenos Aires

      Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular -

       provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos

       Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito

       Federal*; Entre Rios; Formosa; Jujuy; La Pampa; La Rioja; Mendoza;

       Misiones; Neuquen; Rio Negro; Salta; San Juan; San Luis; Santa Cruz;

       Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas

       del Atlantico Sur; Tucuman

       note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica or

       Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands

      Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)

      National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

      Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994

      Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state and head of government: President Carlos Saul MENEM

       (since 8 July 1989) was elected for a four-year term by universal

       suffrage; election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held May 1999);

       results - Carlos Saul MENEM was reelected; Vice President Carlos

       RUCKAUF

       cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president

      Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

       Senate: elections last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA);

       results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) PJ 38,

       others 34

       Chamber of Deputies: one-half of the members elected every two years

       to four-year terms; elections last held 14 May 1995; (next to be

       held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (257

       total) PJ 132, UCR 68, Frepaso 26, other 31

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme

       Court judges are appointed by the