Argentina research

In a continuation of preparing for my trip to Brazil and Argentina, the following notes were taken from the 2012 World Book Encylopedia.

Argentina is the second lartgest country in area in South America (Brazil claiming the largest) and is the eigth largest country in the world. The Andes Mountains can be found along the western border. Patagonia, "a bare windswept plateau" can be found in the southern region while the Pampas, the "fertile, grassy plain, lies near the center". (page 646)

There are 23 provinces and Buenos Ares Federal District.  Buenos Aires is not only the capital city, but is also the "largest city, the main port, and the cneter of business, culture, and trade."

Most Argentines have Italiain or Spanish ancestry while the indigenous groups now represent "only  a small portion of the population."  Nearly all Argentines speak Spanish and are Roman Catholic.

Argentina declared their independence in 1816 from Spain.

Beef, corn, soybeans, when and farm processing/manufacturing are important commodities.  They also tap enough petroleum to meet their own needs.  Meat and grain exports brought wealth to the country and by "the late 1920's, Argentina had become one of the richest nations in the world...but economic decline, political instability, social conflict, and violence hapmpered Argentina's progress for the last half of the 1900's."

Government
A democratic republic with independent executive, legislative, and judicial brances.  They have a President, Vice-President (which serve 4 year terms, no more than 2 terms in a row) and a Cabinet appointed by the President. There is a 72-member Senate (3 from each Province who serve 6 year terms) and a 257-member Chamber of Deputies (elected in part every two years for a four year term).

(All of the above from page 646)

Each province has an elected governor.  Citizens 18 and up are "required to vote and may go to prison if they fail to do so."  The President appoints the judges for the Supreme Court of Justice (page 647)

People
About 1/3 of Argentines live in Buenos Aires and its suburbs.

The indigenous population "is small compared to that of other Latin American countries".  The main indigenous languages spoken there toda are Guarani, Quechua, and Tehuelche.

Argentina has one of the largest Jewish populations in the Americas.

Because of the large Italian heritage of many of its residents, many Argentines understand Italian "even if they do not speak it fluently. Argentina's urban population has become increasingly familiar with English, and Entglish and French are part of the high school curriculum."

(above section taken from page 648)

Suburban slums and shantytowns are present.  Many Argentine cities resemble Spanish ones with a main square or "plaza" around which the rest of the city was built.

Large, wealthy ranches called "estancias" can be found in rural Argentina. So too can the poor farmers living in adobe (mud packed) huts.  "Guachos" or cowboys in the 1800's caught wild cattle and horses.  Many were "mestizos" or people of mixed European and Indian ancestry. This "romantic figure...became part of Argentine folklore...and now work chiefly as ranch hands on estancias."

Clothing is vaired.  In the urban areas, trends follow those of Paris and other Western capitals.  Ponchos and other traditional gaucho clothing can be found.  In northwestern Argentina, "clothing sometimes resembles that of Bolivian and Peruvian Indians" (ie derby hats and ponchos).

Food and Drink
Quality beef is no surprise.  "Asado" (barbecue or roast) is perhaps "the most typical Argentine method of cooking meat..roasted on an open-air grill called a "parilla" or on large spits over a fire."

Empanadas, or filled pastries, are a traditional appetizer or snack.  Italian influences are also abundant in forms or ice cream, pasta and pizza.

A common dessert: "dulce de leche" (milky caramel) and "alfajores" (two cookies with a filling like dulce de leche).

Dinner is "late" compared to US traditions.  Typically, breakfast is served until 10 am, lunch between noon and 2:30 pm and dinner after 9 pm.  It is not uncommon to see young children at dinner at midnight.

La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, and San Juan are "notable wine-growing regions".  Malbec is unique Argentine red wine.

Mate is a popular tea "made from the leaves and shoots of themate or yerba mate plant.  "People gather and pass a gourd filled with mate around the table, each person sipping through a metal straw.  The sharing of mate is an expression of friendship."

Recreation
Soccer is the most popular sport in Argentina.  Also popular are basketball, rugby, horse racing and auto-racing.

June 9th is their National Independence Day. Another holiday is May 25 which recognizes the anniversary of teh 1810 revolution "when citizens of Buenos Aires set up an independent government."

Education
most Argentines 15 and older can read and write. Free public elemenary and high school education is provided. There are also private tuition based schools.  All children aged 5-14 must attend school.

There are approximately 80 Universities (about half are public).

(Above section comes from page 650)

There are a number of public and private technical and vocational schools.

Religion
More than 90% are Roman Catholic however, fewer than 20% of urban Catholics regularly practice their religion. "In some provinces, such local customs as "spiritualism" (a belief in the ability of the living to communicate with the dead) and honoring the dead have become intertwined with Catholic beliefs.

Argentina also has "a small population" of Protestants, jews and Muslims.

Arts
The Colon Theater in Buenos Aires is home to the National Ballet, National Opera, and the National Symphony.  There are also several professional theatres.

Tango is the national music and dance of Argentina.  It combines African and European influences.  It originated in the late 1800's in the Buenos Aires region. "Initially considered a low-class art form, tango eventually spread to such fashionable cities as Paris and New York City, where it gained popularity and refinement."  Sometimes the tango is accompanied by as few as two musicians and other times by an entire orchestra.  The most common instruments used are a piano, a violin, and a "bandoneon" (a kind of orchestral accordian).  "Lyrics are typically sad and nostalgic".  And "tango nuevo" included influences of classical and jazz music.

(the above section came from page 651)

"Guachesca Poetry..describes guacho life and satirizes politics of the time"

Land
Antarctica is only about 600 miles from the southern most tip of Argentina, while the northern most tip is "nearly tropical". (above from page 652)

Economy
Service Industries like government service, financial and insurance services, retail trade, tourism and transportation account fro about 1/2 of Argentina's GDP and employ about 2/3 of the country's labor force.

"International tourism has gained importance since the early 2000's."

(above section is from page 654)

In 1991, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uraguy created a trade association known as Mercosur (Southern Common Market) which "seek to integrate their economies and form one commone South American market." Since 1991 other countries have become members.

"Dozens of television stations broadcast in Argentina.  A majority are privately owned.  There are hundreds of radio stations, including private, national, provincial, municapl, and university stations."

There are many internet cafes and cable satelite tvs are common.  More than 150 newspapers are published in Argentina.

Two major indigenous groups were the Diaguita and the Guarani who resisted colonization until 1580 when the Spanish secured Buenos Aires. "Mestizos" are individuals of Spanish and indigenous anscestry.

(above section from page 655)

In 1776 the Spanish created the Viceroyalty of La Plata which included present day Argentina, Paraguay, Uraguay as well as parts of Bolivia, Brazil, and Chile. Buenos Aires became the capital of the viceroyalty.

In 1806 and 1807 Buenos Aires residents defended their city (without help from Spain) and prevented a British overtaking. This success "increased their confidence in gaining freedom from the mother country." So during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe when the Spanish were fighting the French,  Buenos Aires "made a move torward indenpendence." On July 9th, 1816 they officially declared their independence calling themselves the "United Provinces of the Rio de le Plata"or simply "United Provinces of La Plata".

In 1826 Argentina's national assembly named a President who then resigned in 1827. (Preceeding section from page 656)  Then it was under a dictatorship from 1829 to 1852.  A series of unrest continued with governmental and Provincial dealings. In 1860 the country of Argentina was named (coming from the Latin word for silver).In 1826 President Mitre was elected and "Argentina entered a prosperous and stable period that lasted nearly 70 years...Between 1880 and 1930, Argentina ranked as one of the world's weathiest nations." There were reform movements during the late 1800's and early 1900's, miltary dictatorships started during the 1930's with a coup.  "The Supreme Court declared the coup lawful, clearning the way for military regismes to rule the country on and off for the next 50 years."

Juan Domingo Peron was elected President in 1946. "he helped the working class by promoting union growth and workers' rights legislation."  He suspended freedom of press and of speech. "His second wife, Eva duate de Peron, played a key role in developing support for her husband.  Known popularly as Evita, she worked to strengthen the voice of Argentine women and the poor until her death in 1952."  During his second term he "lost support" of the Roman Catholic Church (from page 627) when he started "limiting its authority".  There were "large debts, high inflation, and stagnant productivity" as well as revolts.  He eventually resigned and went into exile.  Military leaders once again took control until Peron returned and was elected president in 1973.  When he died in 1974 his wife took over becoming the first woman president in the Western Hempisphere.

More civil unrest continued with the "dirty war" brought forth a "paramilitary death squad, unopposed by the state, silenced critics and opponents of the regime."  It is estimated that 30,000 people were imprisoned, tortured, and executed without trials becoming known as "deaparecidos" (the disappeared).The late 1990's still had some rebellions but also some economic growth unfortunately, "poverty rose, standards for education and health fell, and the unemployment rate neared 20 percent."  Financial crises in other countries in the late 1990's didn't help. (Preceeding section from page 258) Then came the "worst economic crisis in Argentine history" in 2001 resulting in bank rushes, violent demonstrations, and the loss of faith in "democratic institutions".  There was yet another presidential resignation followed by a two week stretch that say two acting presidents and one interim president in office.  A new president took office in 2003 and in 2004 the Argentine economy had "showed some signs of recovery". In 2007 another wife took the presidency and in 2010 Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage.

(above section from page 659)