Argentina
Argentina ranks #6 globally in university enrollment. At 107.8, it outperforms most of the world. Think you know what else Argentina excels at?
Argentina is a country in South America with a population of 45.42M and an area of 2,780,400 km². Life expectancy is 77.4 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
University Enrollment Rate
107.8%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Land Area
2.74MTotal land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
Human Development Index
0.86The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Internet Users (%)
89.7%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Life Expectancy
77.4 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
💰Inflation Rate
219.9%How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
🌱Electricity Access (%)
100.0%The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
🌍Land Boundaries Length
12.0KTotal land boundary length from CIA World Factbook.
🚀University Enrollment Rate
107.8%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
👥Land Area
2.74MTotal land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #1 in inflation rate (lower is better)
Inflation Rate: 219.9%
How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
World Bank 2023Ranks #6 globally in electricity access (%)
Electricity Access (%): 100.0%
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
World Bank 2023Ranks #7 globally in land boundaries length
Land Boundaries Length: 12.0K
Total land boundary length from CIA World Factbook.
Ranks #6 globally in university enrollment rate
University Enrollment Rate: 107.8%
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
World Bank 2023Ranks #8 globally in land area
Land Area: 2.74M
Total land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Argentina Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Argentina
In 1816, the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. European immigrants heavily shaped the country's population and culture, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions.
After World War II, former President Juan Domingo PERÓN -- the founder of the Peronist political movement -- introduced an era of populism, serving three non-consecutive terms in office until his death in 1974. Direct and indirect military interference in government throughout the PERÓN years led to a military junta taking power in 1976. In 1982, the junta failed in its bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force from the United Kingdom. Democracy was reinstated in 1983 and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by Néstor KIRCHNER (2003-07) and his spouse Cristina FERNÁNDEZ DE KIRCHNER (2007-15), who oversaw several years of strong economic growth (2003-11) followed by a gradual deterioration in the government’s fiscal situation and eventual economic stagnation and isolation. Argentina underwent a brief period of economic reform and international reintegration under Mauricio MACRI (2015-19), but a recession in 2018-19 and frustration with MACRI’s economic policies ushered in a new Peronist government in 2019 led by President Alberto FERNÁNDEZ and Vice President Cristina FERNÁNDEZ DE KIRCHNER. Argentina's high public debts, its pandemic-related inflationary pressures, and systemic monetary woes served as the catalyst for the 2023 elections, culminating with President Javier MILEI's electoral success. Argentina has since eliminated half of its government agencies and is seeking shock therapy to amend taxation and monetary policies.
- Location
- Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay
- 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
- Natural Resources
- fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- San Miguel de Tucumán and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchón-Peteroa, San José, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma
- Size Comparison
- slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
- Languages
- Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Quechua, Guarani, Mapudungun)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ 1.4%, other 1.2% (includes Muslim, Jewish), none 18.9% (includes agnostic and atheist), unspecified 0.3% (2019 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- European (mostly Spanish and Italian descent) and Mestizo (mixed European and Indigenous ancestry) 97.2%, Indigenous 2.4%, African descent 0.4% (2010 est.)
- Major Cities
- 15.490 million BUENOS AIRES (capital), 1.612 million Córdoba, 1.594 million Rosario, 1.226 million Mendoza, 1.027 million San Miguel de Tucumán, 914,000 La Plata (2023)
- Government Type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Capital Coordinates
- 34 36 S, 58 22 W
- Capital Timezone
- UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Argentine Republic
- Name Origin
- the name is derived from one of the Spanish words for "silver," but the origin is unclear; it may have described the land next to the Rio de la Plata ("Silver River"), a major river that forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay; another possible source is the Spanish explorers in the 16th century mistakenly believing that the silver ornaments they bought from inhabitants came from a local source of silver
- Independence
- 9 July 1816 (from Spain)
- National Symbols
- Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol)
- National Anthem
- "Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 12 (7 cultural, 5 natural)
- Overview
- large diversified economy; financial risks from debt obligations, rapid inflation, and reduced investor appetites; resource-rich, export-led growth model; increasing trade relations with China; G20 and OAS leader; tendency to nationalize businesses and under-report inflation
- Industries
- food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
- Agricultural Products
- maize, soybeans, sugarcane, wheat, milk, sunflower seeds, barley, beef, potatoes, chicken (2023)
- Export Partners
- Brazil 18%, USA 9%, Chile 8%, China 8%, India 4% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- soybean meal, corn, trucks, soybean oil, crude petroleum (2023)
- Import Partners
- Brazil 23%, China 20%, USA 12%, Paraguay 5%, Germany 4% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- soybeans, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, natural gas, cars (2023)
- Military Forces
- Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic (Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina): Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino, EA), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica, ARA; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) Ministry of Security: Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (National Gendarmerie), Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval) (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription suspended in 1995; citizens can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 61.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); nuclear: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 11% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 16.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- one of South America's biggest media markets; dozens of TV networks, hundreds of radio stations, and more than 150 daily newspapers (2023)
- Space Program
- has a national space program and a history in the development of space-related capabilities, including rockets and satellites; develops, builds, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites, often in partnership with other countries; developing additional satellites with more advanced payloads; contracts with commercial and other government space agencies for launches, but has a domestic rocket program and is developing space launch vehicle (SLV) capabilities; cooperates with a broad range of space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, the European Space Agency and its member states (particularly France, Italy), and the US; also has a commercial space industry (2025)
Deep Dive
69 of 88 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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Falkland IslandsShare a Fact
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Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Frequently Asked Questions about Argentina
Argentina has a population of 45.42M, ranking #35 globally by population.
Argentina is located in South America. It has an area of 2,780,400 km².
Life expectancy in Argentina is 77.4 years, ranking #77 globally.
Argentina's GDP per capita (PPP) is 30.4K, ranking #78 globally.
Argentina ranks particularly high in University Enrollment Rate (#6), Land Area (#8), Population (#35).
Argentina has an HDI of 0.865, ranking #47 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Argentina has a population density of 16.6 people per km², ranking #193 globally.
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