ARGENTINA

ARGENTINA

GEOGRAPHY

Argetina Border

 Second in South America only to Brazil in size and population, Argentina is a plain, rising from the Atlantic to the Chilean border and the towering Andes peaks. Aconcagua (22,834 ft, 6,960 m) is the highest peak in the world outside Asia. Argentina is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay on the north, and by Uruguay and Brazil on the east. The northern area is the swampy and partly wooded Gran Chaco, bordering Bolivia and Paraguay. South of that are the rolling, fertile Pampas, which are rich in agriculture and sheep- and cattle-grazing and support most of the population. Further south is Patagonia, a region of cool, arid steppes with some wooded and fertile sections.Argentina , is a federal republic located in southeastern South America. Covering most of the Southern Cone, it is bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast,Uruguay and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Chile to the west and the Drake Passage to the south.  Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world, the second largest in Latin Americaand the largest Spanish-speaking nation. Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
SIGHTS
Argentina is a large country in South America famous for its tango, the pampas and beef consumption. Less well known is the fact that the highest peak in the Americas, Aconcagua, lies on its western border and that the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, is located on its lower shore.
Perhaps the most obvious reason to visit Argentina is Buenos Aires, one of the most fascinating of all Latin American capitals. It’s an immensely enjoyable place just to wander about, watch soccer, go shopping or simply soaking up the unique atmosphere. Outside the capital, the vastness of the land and the varied wildlife inhabiting it are the real tourist attractions in Argentina.

Perito Moreno

The Perito Moreno Glacier is an enormous glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in Argentina due to its size and accessibility. It is less than two hours by bus from El Calafate while viewing platforms and trails make the visit and the observation easy and pleasant. Boat tours are also a popular way of seeing the Perito Moreno Glacier and many other glaciers and places in the National Park Los Glaciares.

One of the great tourist destinations of the world, Iguaçu Falls is situated on the border between Brazil and Argentina. Most visitors reach the falls from the Argentine side through the city of Puerto Iguazú. A train brings visitors directly to the entrance of Devil’s Throat, which at a height of 82 meter (269 ft) is the most impressive of the 275 falls that make up the Iguazu Falls.

Igazu Falls

There are few places on the Earth that are as isolated and beautiful as Patagonia.  It is one of the best kept secrets of Argentina and the world.  Hosting the self proclaimed “southern most city in the world”, Ushuaia is the gateway to Antarctica (Ushuaia is also a place where you can find cheap last minute cruises to Antarctica).
One can spend countless hours hiking, driving, and site seeing without running into other annoying tourists (I think you know you what I’m talking about).  One can also enjoy the numerous lakes and meadowlands that identify this area as one of the unique ecosystems of the world.
Because of the isolation its best to plan for a picnic, be advised however, uninvited guests (penguins) may arrive and plunder your sandwiches.

MUSIC

The music of Argentina is known mostly for the tango, which developed in Buenos Aires and surrounding areas, as well as Montevideo, Uruguay.Folk, pop and classical music are also popular, and Argentine artists like Mercedes Sosa and Atahualpa Yupanqui contributed greatly to the development of the nueva canción. Argentine rock has also led to a defiant rock scene in Argentina.

Dramer Tito

Traditional Folk music characteristic of the indigenous populations of the Andes is still prominent in Argentina. It is particularly identifiable by the soft sound of wind, percussion and string instruments. The most common place to hear this type of music today is in thenorthwestern regions of the country, where the largest concentration of indigenous inhabitants live.
In bars and clubs throughout the country and especially in the key Argentine cities you will come across Popular Music, some of which will come from Spain and other parts of Latin America and a lot which comes from Britain and the United States. Rock and pop are especially common but recent years have also seen a big wave of electro dj's spinning out dance tunes on their decks in all the big clubs, especially in Buenos Aires.
These influences can also be seen in the popular music that is produced in Argentina, for example, Argentine rock bands started emerging in the mid 1960's influenced principally by British rock. As the style grew in popularity, Argentine bands began to mix in local sounds and latin rhythms in order to create an original sound, distinct to Argentine rock.

SPORTS

Sport is an important part of the cultural and social life in Argentina. Argentina has a busy sporting calendar with major events in football, polo and rugby taking place throughout the year. Argentina is a vast country whose dramatic mountain landscapes and long coastline lends itself to outdoor sports. Popular activities include canoeing, cycling, diving, hiking, rock climbing and mountaineering, skiing, surfing, windsurfing.

Did you know?
	That Argentina won both Basket and football gold medal in Athens 2004.

 

asketball, Volleyball and rugby are very important sports as well. The country got the 2ND place in the last basketball world cup and the 1st place in the last Olympic Games in Athens, aften beating the Dream Team in semifinals and Italy in the final. While the national team reached the final again in Basketball World Cup 2006.

Traditions

The culture of Argentina is as varied as the country's geography and is composed of a mix of ethnic groups. Modern Argentine culture has been largely influenced by European immigration, although there are lesser elements of Amerindian and African influences.

European influences permeate Argentina's art, architecture, literature and lifestyle. With an excellent university level education, the citizens of Argentina have quite modern and refined tastes and customs. Argentine arts and sciences have achieved international renown among many audiences. Probably the best known manifestation of Argentine popular culture is the Argentine Tango, a dance and music which has captured the hearts of romantics world-wide. Museums, cinemas, and galleries are abundant in all the large urban centers, as well as traditional establishments such as literary bars, or bars offering live music of a variety of genres. 

ARGENTINA TRADITIONAL

              FOOD.                

Beef is extremely popular in Argentina and the country has the second highest consumption in the world. Cuts of beef differ from those produced in other countries and are known as:

• Baby bife - approximately 500g of steak
• Bife de lomo - fillet
• Bife de costilla - T-bone steak
• Bife de chorizo/bife angosto - strip loin steaks; the bife de chorizo is a larger cut
• Cuadril - rump steak Beef is often served with chimichurri sauce, made from garlic, parsley, vinegar and red pepper flakes. 

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina

http://www.infoplease.com/country/argentina.html

http://wikitravel.org/en/Argentina

http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-argentina/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/argentina/sights

http://wanderingtrader.com/argentina/top-5-argentina-tourist-attractions/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Argentina

http://acad.depauw.edu/mkfinney_web/teaching/com227/culturalportfolios/argentina/Cultural%20Traditions.htm

http://argentina.angloinfo.com/lifestyle/food-and-drink/argentinian-dishes/

http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/exploresouthamericanfood/tp/Argentinian-Food.htm

http://www.food24.com/News-and-Guides/Guides/Typical-food-of-Argentina-20100603

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Argentina

http://www.whatargentina.com/music-argentina.html

http://argentina.angloinfo.com/lifestyle/sports-and-leisure/

http://www.argentour.com/en/argentina/sport_in_argentina.php

http://www.moving2argentina.net/facts-and-stats/culture.html