Short facts about the geography of Argentina
| Location: |
Southern South America, bordering the
South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
34 00 S, 64 00
W |
| Map
references: |
South
America |
| Area: |
total: 2,766,890 sq km
land: 2,736,690 sq
km
water: 30,200 sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly less than three-tenths the
size of the US |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 9,665 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224
km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579
km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of
the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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 |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula
Valdes)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960
m |
| Natural
resources: |
fertile plains of the Pampas, lead,
zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum,
uranium |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures:
52%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 19% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
17,000 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas
in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can
strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding |
| Environment
- current issues: |
environmental problems (urban and
rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as soil degradation,
desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
note:
Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas
targets |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not
ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation |
| Geography -
note: |
second-largest country in South America
(after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic
and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake
Passage) | Source: World Factbook |
