ARGENTINA
LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY
Lying in the southern part of the continent of South America, Argentina is the second largest country of the continent. Almost all of South America is occupied by Argentina. Its bordering nations include Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile and on its eastern border it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean. It has a total area of 2,766,890 sq. km. Along with U.K Argentina lays claim to the Falkland Islands and additionally to South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and part of Antarctica as well. Due to its location in the Southern and Western Hemisphere, its land and culture are greatly diverse in nature.
CLIMATE
Argentina enjoys all the four major climate types- warm, moderate, arid and cold. As the country lies to the south of the equator, its seasons coincide with that of Australia and are the reverse of the continents of Europe, North America and most of Asia. The warmer months are between November and March and these are ideal for visiting the country. Between December and February, the country experiences a hot summer season and its advisable to avoid touring there during that time.
LANGUAGE
The Republic of Argentina uses Spanish as its official language. Spanish was brought to Argentina by its Spanish conquerors. Successive immigrations have resulted in various parts of the country having dialectic differences, which serve to enrich its culture. The other languages that are spoken in Argentina are- Araucanian Language (spoken in Pampas and Patagonian areas), Guaraní Language (spoken in Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia) and Quechua Language (spoken in Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia).
CURRENCY
The monetary unit of the Republic of Argentina is Peso. The Argentinean Peso is divided into 100 centavos.
ECONOMY
The economy of Argentina, even though primarily is based on agriculture, in the recent years, the service and industrial sectors have seen a considerable growth. Argentina is famous as the cattle country and Argentinean cattle have for long been the finest in the world. Its chief exports include wheat, corn, flax, oats, beef, mutton, hides and wool. The world’s produce of tannin and linseed comes largely from Argentina. The key manufacturing industry is food processing. During the late 90’s and early 2000’s the economy of Argentina underwent both recession and inflation but due to the government’s efforts, including privatization, since 2003 the country is seeing an upward trend in its economy.
CAPITAL
Argentina’s third largest city and capital is Buenos Aires. It is located in the eastern part of the country and in its neighborhood lies, Uruguay. Buenos Aires is not only the country’s major port but also its industrial and cultural center as well. The city is a tourist’s delight with its numerous museums, art galleries, theatres, commercial shopping outlets, malls, active night life, adventure activities. Luxurious and budget hotels can be easily found according to one’s preference.
CULTURE AND CUSTOMS
While visiting any country it is important to be acquainted with its culture and customs in order to respect its traditions and to understand and enjoy its heritage and way of life. Amongst Latin American societies, Argentina is the most dynamic.
People on the whole are friendly and gracious in Argentina. They like to dress well and will expect you to be dressed well and follow the general codes of hygiene. At your host’s place wait to be asked where you should be seated, since there may be a seating plan in place. Making toasts at meals are a common feature in Argentinean homes.
Since most of the Argentineans are of European origin, their food, music, art and culture shows marked European influences.
HOLIDAYING IN ARGENTINA
Tourist attractions
It seems that Argentina is one of God’s favorite countries because he has endowed it with a large number of splendid natural wonders. In addition to that the country has a rich history which has left indelible impressions on its culture and architecture which can be any tourist’s delight.
When you are in Buenos Aires, San Telmo will allure you with its many cafes, antique shops, tango clubs and Sunday flea markets.
Visit Cementerio de la Recoleta, in Recoleta district, where the elite of the country are buried. The museum of fine arts, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, is worth a visit there.
Visit the many splendorous natural wonders of Argentina like Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, Valdes Peninsula, Lanín Volcano, Lake Argentino, the Andes, Iguazú Falls and the Pampas.
And if you travel to Tierra del Fuego, you will know that you have reached ‘the end of the earth’ or the gateway to the Antarctic.
Fun things to do
For the adventure seeking tourist, there is almost every adventure activity in the book that he can look forward to enjoying:
Skiing- You would have to be in the country between the months of June and September if you want to ski there. Rest assured, the country has some wonderful skiing slopes in the world.
Golfing- Buenos Aires, Patagonia, Iguazu or the Northern Andes area, all these have great golf courses for the avid golfer. Having vast tracts of green lands, Argentina is a fast developing golf haven.
Trekking and hiking- The Argentinean topography has abundant mountain terrains which are ideal for trekking and hiking.
Water sports and white-water rafting- Argentina is graced with some of the world’s amazing rivers and water sports of all kinds are available there.
GETTING AROUND
Traveling by air
Aerolíneas Argentinas is the country’s domestic service with its main hubs in Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Bariloche. The other domestic air service is Southern Winds, serving destinations like Mendoza, Ushuaia, Mar del Plata, Salta and Iguazu. The vastness of Argentina makes air travel both comfortable and time saving but the foreign tourist has to pay twice or even up to thrice the normal fare and additionally frequent delays make air travel frustrating.
Traveling by train
It is not much fun to travel by train in Argentina because the railways have been neglected by the government for too long and for the meanwhile trains are slow and infrequent in Argentina.
Traveling by road
Bus travel is the most convenient in Argentina. Efficient and extensive bus service is in place that links all major towns and cities of the country. If you want to sleep on the bus journey, you might want to try Argentina’s bed buses called cama. The conditions of the road are generally quite good.
Hiring cars for travel
Most of the major cities have cars for hire but you need to be over 21 years of age to be able to rent one. Out of Buenos Aires and main tourist destinations operate the international car hire companies.
WHERE TO STAY IN ARGENTINA
Staying in hotels
From the most luxurious of hotels in the capital city of Buenos Aires and all major cities, to the distinct country types of hotels, one can find hotels of all ranges and styles to stay in. But one must be pre-warned that the 5 star hotels may not necessarily have the international standards.
Bed and Breakfast
In most of the towns and cities beds and breakfasts are available if you are looking for small family hotels. Although you will have a maid service included in the price but laundry may have to see you shelling out extra. But one thing is assured in these bed and breakfast places, you will get great touristy advise and can make use of the information got there to help you plan your holiday better.
There are a number of other staying options which are very affordable like youth hostels, self catering and camping. However, a very interesting accommodation option is the farm stay. These places sometimes surprise you with the luxury they offer, which may include swimming pools and horse riding. Additionally it’s a wonderful opportunity to experience the Argentinean country life in these farm estates.
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