Brief information
Tourists will be very surprised by the diversity of Argentina. This South American country has vast steppes – the pampas, as well as lunar landscapes and tropical forests, stunning glaciers and subantarctic nature, the famous Iguazu Falls, historical monuments, rich history, diverse traditions and distinct cultures, ski resorts and excellent beaches, some of which are considered the best in all of South America. Do not forget about the metropolis of Buenos Aires, Argentine football and Argentine tango – there are a lot of all this in Argentina!
Geography of Argentina
Argentina is located in the southern part of South America. Argentina borders Chile to the west and south, Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, and Uruguay and Brazil to the northeast. In the east, the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of this state, including the islands, is 2,766,890 square meters. km., and the total length of the state border is 9,665 km.
In the center and east of Argentina there are fertile lowlands called the pampas, in the west – the Andes mountain range, in the northwest – the volcanic plateau of Puna, in the north – the Gran Chaco plain. The highest local peak is Mount Aconcagua, whose height reaches 6,962 meters.
The main Argentine rivers are Parana (4,880 km), Pilcomayo (1,100 km), Paraguay (2,621), Colorado (1,000 km) and Rio Negro (550 km).
Capital
According to simplyyellowpages.com, Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina. The population of this city is now more than 3 million people. The Spaniards founded Buenos Aires in 1536.
Official language of Argentina
The official language is Spanish.
Religion
More than 92% of the inhabitants are Christians (of which 70-90% consider themselves Catholics).
State structure of Argentina
According to diseaseslearning.com, Argentina is a constitutional republic headed by a President who is elected for 4 years. Executive power belongs to the President, Vice President and the Cabinet of Ministers, consisting of 15 ministers with a chairman.
The bicameral Argentine Parliament is called the National Congress, it consists of the Senate (72 senators) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 deputies).
The main political parties are the Front for Victory, the Civic Coalition, the Socialist Party and the Civic Radical Union.
Administratively, the country is divided into 23 provinces and one federal district, centered on Buenos Aires.
Climate and weather
The climate is temperate, arid in the southeast, and subantarctic in the southwest (Patagonia). The climate in the pampas, despite their vastness, is uniform. Precipitation is highest in the west and least in the east of the country. In Buenos Aires, the average annual air temperature is +16C, and the average annual rainfall is 94 cm.
The warmest month in Argentina is January, while the coldest months are June and July. In Buenos Aires, you can relax all year round, because. there are mild winters (May-September) and hot summers (November-March).
Iguazu Falls can also be visited year-round, although during the summer months (November-March) it can be especially hot and humid.
The best time to visit lakes in the mountains is from November to March, when the weather there is similar to the climate in Northern Europe. You can travel in Central Argentina all year round – there is a good continental climate.
Ocean off the coast of Argentina
In the east, the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The total length of the coastline is 4,989 km. Winds from the Atlantic Ocean have a very noticeable effect on the Argentinean climate.
Rivers and lakes
The rivers Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay form the main river system in this country. Near Buenos Aires, the Paraná and Uruguay rivers join each other to form the Rio de la Plata estuary. On the Iguazu River, which is a tributary of the Parana, are the famous Iguazu Falls.
Other large Argentine rivers are the Pilcomayo (1,100 km), the Colorado (1,000 km) and the Rio Negro (550 km).
In the Nahuel Huapi National Park, in northern Patagonia, there is the most beautiful Argentine lake – Nahuel Huapi.
Culture of Argentina
The culture of Argentina was greatly influenced by immigrants from Europe. Not only Spaniards, Portuguese, British, Scandinavians, Italians, but also Ukrainians went to this South American country en masse. Therefore, one can only imagine the diverse nature of Argentine culture.
Every year in January, February and March, festivals and holidays are held almost without interruption – the Tango Festival in Buenos Aires, the Luis Palau Festival in Mendoza, the Feriagro Argentina Festival, Holy Week in Salta. Therefore, we recommend that tourists choose these months if they want to visit Argentina.
Argentina is the birthplace of the tango dance. Despite the fact that now tango belongs to the “ballroom” dances, for Argentines it is still a folk dance.
Cuisine of Argentina
Argentine cuisine has been influenced by the culinary traditions of the local Indians, Spaniards, Italians, and even the French. The Italians, for example, brought various pastas and pizzas to the Argentine cuisine, and the French – pastries. Be prepared for the fact that the Argentinean pizza will have a lot of toppings (this is the local specificity). In some parts of Argentina, there are even German and Welsh dishes, because. immigrants from Germany and Wales settled compactly there. Most of all, this country is famous for its fried beef dishes (in Patagonia, however, dishes from goat and lamb meat predominate).
Argentine beef steaks are delicious on their own, but the locals add olive oil and spices to them, which makes this dish fantastic.
In addition to steaks, in Argentina, we recommend tourists to try “asados” or “parillas” (grilled beef), “Locro” (pork stewed with white beans and corn), “Carbonado” (beef with fresh vegetables, apples and peaches), Cazuela Gaucho (chicken with pumpkin), Humitas (corn pies), empanadas, Tamales (corn tortillas with meat).
The most popular local dessert is “Dulce de Leche”, which can be attributed to a kind of condensed milk.
Traditional non-alcoholic drinks are fruit juices, milkshakes, coffee, and of course the “Paraguayan tea” mate (an invigorating drink made from holly leaves), which is drunk hot or cold.
Traditional alcoholic drinks are wine (Argentina is one of the five largest wine producers in the world), whiskey, gin and beer.
Sights of Argentina
Argentina offers tourists a huge number of must-see attractions. True, even a small part of them cannot be seen in one trip – there is simply not enough time for everything.
On the Iguazu River, near the border with Brazil and Paraguay, are the famous Iguazu Falls. There are 275 waterfalls in this area, the most grandiose of them is the Iguazu Falls, whose width reaches 4 kilometers. More than 1 million tourists visit these waterfalls every year.
Many tourists visit South Patagonia to see the Perito Moreno glacier, whose area reaches 250 square meters. km. Scientists claim that this glacier contains one of the largest reserves of drinking water in the world. The Perito Moreno Glacier is a short drive from the city of El Calafate, and about a three hour flight from Buenos Aires.
We also recommend paying attention to the Argentine reserves, parks and botanical gardens. These are, first of all, the national parks of Iguazu, Los Menhiras, Los Cadones and the botanical garden near the city of Puerto Iguazu.
Cities and resorts
The largest cities are Cordoba, Rosario, Mendoza, La Plata, Tucuman, Mar del Plata, Santa Fe, and Buenos Aires.
About 400 kilometers from Buenos Aires is the beach resort of Mar del Plata, considered by many to be the best beach resort in all of South America.
Other popular Argentinean beach resorts are Tigre, Pinamar (dense pine forests grow in its vicinity), Miramar. We also recommend paying attention to the resort town of Las Grutas in the province of Rio Negro in Patagonia. This resort is very popular with Argentines.
Couples for a beach holiday often choose Entre Rios, which is not a noisy resort, but in its vicinity there are hot springs, forests and lakes.
In the south, in Patagonia, at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level, is the most famous Argentine ski resort, Bariloche. There are 70 kilometers of slopes for skiers of various qualifications (these slopes serve 20 lifts). Other popular Argentinean ski resorts are Chapelco, Cavaju, Castor, La Jolla, Penitentes and Bayo.
In general, the skiing season in Argentina lasts from May to September.
Souvenirs/Shopping
Most often, from a trip to Argentina, tourists bring leather goods (belts, purses, wallets, bags), Espadrilles summer cloth slippers, various football souvenirs, Latin American condensed milk Dulce de Leche, calabash with bombilla (a jug with a tube for making mate ), wine.
Office Hours
Banks:
Mon-Fri: 09:00/10:00 -15:00
Shops:
Mon-Sat: 09:00/10:00 – 18:00/21:00
Visa
Ukrainians need to apply for a visa to visit Argentina.
Currency of Argentina
The Argentine peso is the official currency in Argentina. Its international designation is ARS. One peso = 100 centavos. Most hotels, restaurants, shops and bars accept credit cards. As for traveler’s checks, very few Argentine shops accept them for payment.
Customs restrictions
Foreign currency can be imported and exported without restrictions. Cash amounts over $10,000 must be declared.
A permit is required to import firearms and ammunition. You can not import drugs, explosives, knives, sausages, ham, milk and dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, trees, plants, counterfeit money and goods, pornographic materials. A veterinary certificate is required for the importation of dogs and cats.
In order to take out antiques and art, you need to get permission from the Argentine authorities.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Embassy of Argentina in Ukraine:
Address: Kiev. st. Fedorova 12
Correspondence address: 01901, Kiev-901, Post office 217
Т: (044) 238-69-22
El. Email: [email protected]
Embassy of Ukraine in Argentina:
Argentina, Buenos Aires, Belgrano “R”, c. Conde, 1763
T: 4552-0657
Email. Email: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
100 – Fire brigade
101 – Police
107 – Ambulance
Time
Behind Kyiv for 5 hours. Those. if, for example, in Kyiv 13:00, then in Buenos Aires – 08:00.
Tips
Tourists usually leave 10% of the bill for “tea”. Porters are given $.50 -.75 cents per bag.
The medicine
Doctors recommend that tourists get vaccinated against typhoid, malaria, rabies and hepatitis A before traveling to Argentina.
Security
Violent crimes in Argentina against foreigners are rare, but petty theft is quite common. Buenos Aires has become a safer city in recent years than it used to be. At the same time, in small Argentinean cities it is even safer than in Buenos Aires. However, in tourist areas there are enough thieves who “hunt” careless tourists.
Never leave your luggage unattended, keep valuables in the hotel safe, keep a close eye on your belongings in street cafes, carry a photocopy of your passport with the date of entry into the country.
