The country of gauchos,
beef and tango, but for most travelers it is the country's natural
wonders that are the primary attraction. They range from the
northern deserts to the southern Andes and from the Iguazú
Falls to the magnificent desolation of Patagonia. Argentina
offers an incredible variety of all possible climates and sceneries:
tropical jungles, frozen Antarctica, vast deserts and snow-covered
mountains. On top of this the capital Buenos Aires - a fabulous
city renowned for its sophistication or derided for its neo-European
culture - also known as the Paris of the South.
Geography
Only 34 million people
live in this country which covers an extension of over 2.7 million
square km. (1 million sq. Miles) - more than eleven times larger
than the U.K., five time larger than France, four times the
size of Texas- spanning from the sub-Antarctic tundra in the
south to the subtropical jungles in the north east and the towering
desertic Andean peaks and plateaus in the north west. It is
the eighth largest country in the world but comprises less than
0.6% of its total population.
Although temperate
climate is predominant, Argentina offers a wide variety of climes
: The barrier of the Andes, with a mean altitude of 4,000 mts.
(12,000 ft.), infringes deeply on the northwestern provinces,
defining the border with Bolivia and northern Chile. This arid
northwestern plateau drops sharply towards the east, giving
way to the Chaco flatlands. The scrub forests, flood plains
and subtropical swamps of the Chaco region create another boundary
to the north, with Paraguay. Northern Argentina is at the same
distance from the Equator as the Bahamas.
Located in the southern part of South America and thus in the
southern hemisphere, Argentina has an area of almost 3.5 million
square kilometres, of which 2.7 are on the continent and the
remainder in the Antarctic. Its length of 3.800 Km goes from
latitude 22º to 55º. Its frontier with Uruguay, Brazil,
Paraguay, Bolivia and Chile has a perimeter of 9.376 Km. The
coast on the Atlantic Ocean is 4.725 Km long.
The fundamental characteristic
of Argentina is the enormous contrast between the immense eastern
plains and the imposing mountain range of the Andes to the west.
This is the frontier with Chile and it has the highest peak
in the Western hemisphere: the Aconcagua, 6.959 metres high.
In its passage from Jujuy to Tierra del Fuego the range presents
marvellous contrasts, the plateaux of the Northwest, the lake
region, the forests and the glaciers of the Patagonian Andes.
Between the Paraná and Uruguay, the Mesopotamia of
Argentina (the provinces of Entre Ríos, Corrientes
and Misiones) is formed by low hills where pools and marshlands
show the ancient courses of these great rivers. Such spectacular
phenomena as the Iguazú Falls make this region a tourist
attraction..
La Pampa, in the centre of Argentina, is the largest and
best known area of plains. It has a large amount of agriculture
and livestock and includes the provinces of Buenos Aires,
La Pampa, the south of Santa Fe and the southeast of Córdoba.
On the Pampa's eastern rim, by the River Plate, is Buenos
Aires, Argentina's capital. Twelve million people, over one
third of the argentine population cluster in the Greater Buenos
Aires metropolitan area, the economic core of the nation.
The area of Córdoba is famous for its Sierra mountain
range and offers spectacular views and small mountain villages
all around the city of Córdoba.
Towards the south, from the Andes to the sea, are the isolated
and stony plateaus of Patagonia, swept by the wind during
most of the year. The Atlantic coast, lined with high cliffs,
forms massive indentations like the Valdés Peninsula,
with its spectacular and unique colonies of marine animals
such as whales, seals and a variety of birds..
The southern tip of Argentina lies close to the Antartic
and is characterized by icy glaciers and a harsh climate.
However the isolation of Southern Patagonia has a strong appeal
on tourists from all over the world.
Population
The current population
of Argentina is estimated to be about 36 million of which almost
half live in the Federal Capital and the province of Buenos
Aires. These figures give us a population density of 13 inhabitants
per square kilometer. 95% of Argentineans are white and principally
descendants of Italians and Spaniards. With the massive European
immigration the white and Indian half castes became slowly diluted
until today these people only amount to 4.5% of the population.
The pure indigenous population, the Mapuches, Collas, Tobas,
Matacos and Chiriguanos, amount to 0.5% of the population. In
fact, the overwhelming feature of Argentina's largely immigrant
population is the degree to which the cultural traits of Europe
have remained intact during their transposition to the so-called
New World. For such reasons, Argentina is one Latin American
country in which Europeans, North Americans and Anglophones
can feel at ease and travel relatively inconspicuously. An interest
in soccer and some nimble foot skills may be all you need to
feel like a local.
Language
Spanish is the official
language of the Argentine Republic.
Religion
There is complete religious
freedom in Argentina although the official religion is Roman
Catholic. There are also other religions such as Protestant,
Jewish, Moslem, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.
Currency
The official Argentine
currency is the Peso which used to be pegged to the US Dollar
at a rate of 1:1. However Argentina devaluated its Peso recently
and eliminated the pegging to the Dollar, which made Argentina
a cheap country to visit overnight. Please check Currency
Converter
Government
and Constitution
The country is a representative
federal and democratic republic with Buenos Aires as the Federal
Capital and 23 provinces. There are three authorities: the executive,
the legislative and the judicial. The first is exercised by
the President of the Nation, elected for a term of four years.
He has ample powers, including the power of approving or vetoing
decisions by Congress. The National Congress has two chambers.
The Chamber of Deputies has 254 directly elected members. The
Senate has 72 members elected by provincial jurisdictions, three
per province and three for the Federal Capital. The provinces
and the city of Buenos Aires are autonomous and elect their
own officials, the Governors and the Chief of Government are
the ultimate authorities.
For many people, the
word Gaucho means orphan and not without reason as its origins
come from two civilizations (the European and the Indian). Possibly
the first gauchos were people who broke their ties with the
past and went to the loneliness of the great Pampa were there
was water and grass for the cows introduced by the European
colonists to graze.
Only one hour from Buenos Aires the traveller will be able to
learn about the tasks in the Argentinean countryside, the life
of the gaucho and his incredible skill with the "boleadoras"
(three stones tied together with a rope which, when thrown,
tangle with the legs of the cows and immobilize them), the knife,
the lasso and the use of the correct techniques for salting
the best meat in the world.
Dressed with baggy knee length trousers, sombrero or beret,
handkerchief round the neck, spurs and a sharp knife hanging
from his belt (which on holidays is changed for a hanging money
belt for silver coins) they skilfully ride through the ranches
and the prairies. By the light of a campfire and with a delicious
Asado they sing their songs.
Estancias
Estancias are the
typical Argentine cattle ranches where the Gaucho is at home
and the Asado is held as a ritual.
Here the typical Argentinean farming tasks continue to be carried
out: herding and branding of cattle, horse breaking, branding.
The visitor takes part in the typical roast (Asado) and has
a large choice of sports and recreation (horse riding, polo,
golf, hunting, fishing and nature observation).
Many people come here to get away from the city of Buenos
Aires and spend a weekend relaxing in the countryside. Most
estancias offer all the amenities of a hotel while maintaining
the atmosphere of rustic country life. If you want to experience
Argentina pure this will be the right place for you to spend
a weekend at. Watching the Gauchos using their skills on a
working ranch and enjoying beautiful sunsets over the Pampas
while participating in the famous Asado will leave you with
many unforgettable memories.
Tango
Tango is probably the
most sensual and erotic dance ever. It has its origin in the
19th century when it was originally danced in the poor Barrios
of Buenos Aires. Rather than just a dance Tango represents much
more than that. In an almost dramatic piece of theater love,
hate, fear and desire are expressed through sensual movements
and passion. At the beginning it was surprisingly danced by
pairs of men to the music of the flute, the violin and the guitar,
the first of which was subsequently replaced by the "bandoneón"
(a type of accordion) which gave it its distinctive flavor.
With the addition of the nostalgia and melancholy contributed
by immigrants, the tango developed to give forth such musicians
as Astor Piazzolla and Aníbal Troilo.
Tango has just been discovered by the younger generation
in Europe and United States. These days Tango is gaining an
enormous popularity worldwide and many have been caught by
the Tango fever. Classes and concerts are increasingly offered
everywhere from San Francisco to Moscow.
The last decade has
seen a world-wide explosion of interest in the most unlikely
places. In London you can tango every night of the week; in
tiny towns in Holland, Germany, even Norway and Finland (where
it has been declared as national music and dance) , tango aficionados
gather together night after night. Japan has its own tango sub-culture.
The birth of tango took place towards mid-19th century, with
the formation of dwelling conglomerates around the young city
of Buenos Aires. Those who lived there, peasants from inland,
European immigrants and some disadvantaged porteños
(born in Buenos Aires) made up a new social class. Perhaps
as a way of identifying themselves as a group and of feeling
they belonged in their new home, they began to create cultural
expressions derived from this mixture.
This was the start of tango, characterized by its extremely
closed codes, which were only accessible to the working classes.
Due to this impossibility
of understanding by other audiences, the diffusion of tango
was difficult and was basically approached through dance, which
was earlier than tango itself in its most characteristic musical
format (let alone sung tango, which arrived much later). It
is clear that tango culture, understood as some particular usages
and customs, is earlier than tango as an artistic expression.
Salon dances involving a man and a woman embracing were the
precedent for tango, which was refined until it became what
has long been known as tango. Somebody said: -Tango is something
else than a soft wave turned into music, it is the deepest dance
in the world -, and he who spoke these words was not Argentine.
The truth is that it must be acknowledged that it represents
the last step in the universal dance evolution as regards dances
of mixed couples.
What started with dance was eventually coming of age in the
expert hands of great men, who, inspired in the popular melting
pot, captured the richest part of the Buenos Aires culture in
their compositions. Themes always refer to the ordinary man
and his problems, the city and memories. Thus, tango becomes
a portrayal of Buenos Aires and its people. For this reason,
undoubtedly, since the best of the Buenos Aires culture is carried
in each song, tango gained ground abroad.
Buenos Aires offers
a wide variety of Argentine specialities, with the best barbecues,
and is an open window for both nearby and remote cuisine. You
can find a number of Spanish and Italian restaurants as well
as Arabian, Basque, Brazilian, Chilean, Chinese, English, German,
Greek, Indian, Japanese, Jewish, Mexican, Scandinavian, Swiss,
Thai, vegetarian restaurants and fast food, with shows and,
of course, many pizzerias. There is also Caribbean, Hungarian,
Peruvian, Polish and Russian cuisine. There are a great number
of grill restaurants in the city where you can eat the world's
best meat and there are restaurants of all nationalities. The
"carritos" are well-known and typical restaurants
located in Costanera Norte (Riverside Road), along Río
de la Plata (River Plate).
Probably
the most famous Argentine dish is the Parrillada, a mixed grill
plate of different meats and sausages (chorizos). It is served
to the table on a hot mini-grill with some pieces of glowing
charcoal in order to keep the meat hot and juicy. The meat is
cooked on a bed-frame-sized grill which is called Parilla. The
key to getting the meat just perfect is to leave the coal burning
until there is a thin, white layer of ash and then placing the
meat on the roast. The Argentine cook will take time to let
the meat cook and will only occasionally dare to touch it with
his typical meat knife that can be as long as a machete
The Argentinean
Asado (Roast) is the most famous open-air BBQ spectacle. This
is the basic food in the region of the Pampa because of the
large number of cattle, the variety of grasses and the improvement
in the breed. Important to mention here is the quality of Argentine
meat. Cattle in Argentina grazes on Pampas grass only without
any additives in their feed such as hormones. This gives the
meat a unique taste that is hard to explain unless you have
tried it yourself. Argentina is one of the biggest meat producers
in the world. Formerly, the cows were roasted whole in a ceremony
which could last up to forty hours. The asado con cuero (roasted
with the hide) continues and is done by cutting up a calf and
burying it in a trench in which a fire has been burning for
several hours. The part covered with the hide is placed face
down and is then covered with a layer of zinc on which the coals
are placed and kept burning for several more hours. Other methods
are roasting on a cross (spit roast) or on a grill which is
typical of the country or on a barbecue which is more city style.
By whatever method, the secret of a good roast is in the butchering
of the meat and the care of the fire.
The method of cutting the meat
gives the Argentinean roast its excellent qualities. The cuts
are asado de tira (crosscut ribs) or whole ribs, vacío,
cuadril and matambre which are cuts between the ribs and the
haunches, and the achuras - tripes, sweet-breads, criadilla,
udder. The achuras, blood pudding, Argentinean sausages - chorizos
- are normally served as a starter. The meat is eaten alone
or dressed with sauces such as the chimichurri (consists of
olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar and different herbs).
International gastronomy. German
cuisine in Villa General Belgrano (Córdoba), Friuli
sausages and cheeses in the farming community of Caroya (Córdoba),
pizzas and pasta imported by Italian immigrants and Spanish
specialities such as rice and octopus. Fish and shellfish
in the restaurants near to the fishing port of Mar del Plata
and other Atlantic holiday resort.
Desserts. Alfajores from Córdoba
and Mar del Plata, biscuits filled with dulce de leche (sweetened
milk) and covered with vanilla or chocolate.
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