South AmericaArgentina
Discover Argentina - from Buenos Aires tango halls to Patagonian glaciers, the land of Messi, Maradona, malbec, and the world's best steak.
Where Is Argentina?
Argentina is a country in South America. Its capital is Buenos Aires.
- Capital Buenos Aires
- Population 45.9M
- Area 2,780,400 km²
Argentina is a country of extremes. It stretches from the subtropical north to the glaciers of Patagonia, from the Andes peaks along the Chilean border to the Atlantic coast. It's the eighth largest country in the world and the second largest in South America, but what it's really known for is tango, steak, wine, football, and a level of passion for all four that borders on the religious. Buenos Aires is one of the great cities of the world - a sprawling, chaotic, beautiful mess of European architecture, all-night culture, and some of the best food on the planet.
Argentina has given the world Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Jorge Luis Borges, Che Guevara, and Pope Francis. The country has won the FIFA World Cup three times (1978, 1986, 2022) and the entire nation essentially stops functioning during major matches. The wine region of Mendoza produces world-class Malbec at the foot of the Andes. Patagonia's glaciers, including the spectacular Perito Moreno, are some of the last advancing glaciers on Earth. Ushuaia, at the southern tip, bills itself as the southernmost city in the world - the literal end of the road before Antarctica. Argentines eat dinner at 10 PM, consider dulce de leche a food group, and will argue about football until the sun comes up.
At a glance
Largest cities in Argentina
Buenos Aires
Córdoba
Rosario
Mendoza
Ushuaia
Bariloche
Famous people from Argentina
Lionel Messi
SportWidely considered the greatest football player of all time, led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title
Diego Maradona
SportLegendary footballer who won the 1986 World Cup with the Hand of God and Goal of the Century
Jorge Luis Borges
LiteratureOne of the most influential writers of the 20th century, master of magical realism and short fiction
Pope Francis
OtherFirst Pope from the Americas, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires
Che Guevara
PoliticsRevolutionary icon born in Rosario, whose face became one of the most recognizable images in the world
Eva Perón
PoliticsFirst Lady who became a beloved icon of the working class, immortalized in the musical Evita
Traditional cuisine of Argentina
- Asado
- The sacred Argentine barbecue ritual - beef ribs, chorizo, morcilla, and offal slow-grilled over wood coals for hours
- Empanadas
- Stuffed pastries with fillings varying by region - beef in Buenos Aires, goat in the north, onion in Mendoza
- Dulce de Leche
- Caramelized milk spread that Argentines put on absolutely everything - toast, ice cream, cakes, and alfajores
- Milanesa
- Breaded and fried meat cutlet, often topped with ham and cheese (a la napolitana), Argentina's comfort food
- Mate
- Bitter herbal tea sipped from a gourd through a metal straw, shared socially - Argentina's national drink and daily ritual
- Alfajores
- Sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche and coated in chocolate or meringue
Nature and landmarks in Argentina
- Perito Moreno GlacierGlacier
- One of the few advancing glaciers in the world, a 250 km² wall of ice in Los Glaciares National Park
- Iguazú FallsWaterfall
- 275 individual waterfalls spanning nearly 3 km, shared with Brazil - more dramatic than Niagara
- AconcaguaMountain
- The highest peak in the Americas at 6,961 meters, in the Andes near Mendoza
- PatagoniaNational Park
- Vast wilderness of glaciers, mountains, and steppe stretching across southern Argentina
- Tierra del FuegoNational Park
- The Land of Fire at the bottom of South America, subantarctic forests and the Beagle Channel
- Valdés PeninsulaCoast
- UNESCO site where southern right whales, elephant seals, and orcas gather along the Patagonian coast
Sports in Argentina
- Football
- Three-time World Cup winners (1978, 1986, 2022), produced Messi, Maradona, and Di Stéfano
- Rugby
- The Pumas are a top-tier international team, competing in the Rugby Championship
- Polo
- Argentina dominates world polo with the highest-rated players and the Argentine Open, polo's most prestigious tournament
- Basketball
- Won Olympic gold in 2004 with Manu Ginóbili, one of the strongest basketball nations outside the NBA
- Tennis
- Produced Grand Slam champions Guillermo Vilas, Juan Martín del Potro, and Davis Cup success
Did you know?
Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup three times, and the 2022 victory triggered the largest celebration in the country's history
Buenos Aires has more bookstores per capita than any other city in the world
Argentines eat more beef per capita than almost any other country - about 50 kg per person per year
The widest avenue in the world is Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires, with up to 7 lanes in each direction
Argentina is the birthplace of tango, which originated in the working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires in the 1880s
Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and the departure point for most Antarctic expeditions
Argentina named itself - the name comes from the Latin argentum (silver), based on legends of silver mountains
Read more about Argentina
Can you find Argentina on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Argentina and its neighbours without a second thought.
