Argentina — A Nation Of Spectacular Natural Wonders
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The official name of Argentina is the Argentine Republic. The name Argentina comes from the Latin word for silver ‘Argentum’. By land area, Argentina is the 2nd largest country in South America and the 8th largest country in the world. The capital city of Argentina is Buenos Aires.
It encompasses immense plains, deserts, tundra, and forests, as well as tall mountains, rivers, and thousands of miles of ocean shoreline. Argentina also claims a portion of Antarctica, as well as several islands in the South Atlantic, including the British-ruled Falkland Islands.
Argentina has vast natural resources in energy and agriculture, with extraordinary fertile lands and has great potential for renewable energy. It is a leading food producer with large-scale agricultural and livestock industries. In addition, the country has significant opportunities in some manufacturing subsectors and innovative services in high tech industries.
History
First explored in 1516 by Juan Diaz de Solis, Argentina developed slowly under Spanish colonial rule. Buenos Aires was settled in 1580; the cattle industry was thriving as early as 1600. Invading British forces were expelled in 1806—1807, and after Napoleon conquered Spain (1808), the Argentinians set up their own government in 1810. On July 9, 1816, independence was formally declared.
As it had in World War I, Argentina proclaimed neutrality at the outbreak of World War II, but in the closing phase declared war on the Axis powers on March 27, 1945. Juan D. Peron, an army colonel, emerged as the strongman of the postwar era, winning the presidential elections of 1946 and 1951. Peron’s political strength was reinforced by his second wife — Eva Duarte de Peron (Evita) — and her popularity with the working classes. Although she never held a government post, Evita acted as de facto minister of health and labor, establishing a national charitable organization, and awarding generous wage increases to the unions, who responded with political support for Peron. Opposition to Peron’s increasing authoritarianism led to a coup by the armed forces…
