Overview
The Argentine Republic is a country in South America, bordered by Chile to the west and south, Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, and Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast.
Trips to Argentina:
Aconcagua Adventure
Argentina Highlights
Argentina – Bike & Wine
Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands. It is the largest country in the world among Spanish-speaking nations. Argentina was sparsely populated until the period of European colonization. Settlements were established by the Viceroyalty of Peru. Viceroyalty of Peru was established by Spain encompassing all of its holdings in South America. The Spanish established Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata and Buenos Aires became a flourishing port. The overthrow of the Spanish king and criticism of monarchic authorities was the catalyst to the Spanish American wars of independence across the continent, a revolution of independence between patriots and royalists. Jose de San Martin made the Crossing of the Andes, securing the independence of Chile. The fight went to the royalist stronghold of Lima. San Martin’s military campaigns complemented those of Simon Bolivar in Gran Colombia and led to the independence victory. Since colonial times, huge territories were under the control of indigenous peoples. All governments since then attempted in some way to stay in good terms, kill them, or push them to farther frontiers. Juan Peron became highly popular among workers with improved wages and working conditions. His wife Eva Peron was highly popular and played a central role in social assistance to the most vulnerable sectors of society. Guerilla warfare began after a military coup. Peron who was exiled in Spain came back to be president. Military coups brought power back to the Junta and killed thousands of guerillas, free elections happened in 1983. Nestor Kirchner helped end economic crisis in modern Argentina and later advocated his wife Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to become president.
Argentina has six main regions; The Pampas, fertile lowlands, The Mesopotamia, lowland enclosed by rivers, Gran Chaco, between Mesopotamia and the Andes, Cuyo, the east side of the Andes (optimal area for large scale growth of grape vines), Argentine Northwest, and The Patagonia, a large plateau to the south (with species of penguins and orca whales). The highest point above sea level in is in Mendoza at Cerro Aconcagua 6959m (22,831ft), the highest point in the Southern and Western Hemisphere.