The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires. Because of its European architecture, museums, theaters, sidewalk cafes and wide boulevards Buenos Aires is called the "Paris of Latin America."
Officially Argentina is Roman Catholic but religious expression is not restricted. Other faiths are Greek Orthodox, Protestant, Russian Orthodox, Judaism, Islam and others.
Public education from elementary through university is free and is considered excellent. The literacy rate is high with education being required through the age of 18. Private schools, with tuition costs, are also available.
According to the U.S. Department of State the 54.7 % of the people work in services, 35.8% in industry and commerce and 9.5% is agriculture. Nearly half of the people live around or within Buenos Aires.
Argentina spans 1,073,518 square miles, extending 24 degrees north to 55 degrees and 58minutes south. To the northeast are rain forests, and along its east coast the Pampas plain runs down to Buenos Aires. On Argentina's western side is the Andes mountain range. To the south around Patagonia is high desert. At the tip of Argentina is the Strait Magellan which separates Argentina from Antarctica. South of the tip is the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, which is partly owned by Chile.
Argentine climate is mainly temperate with winter during the months of June and July. The north is subtropical while the south is arid and sub-Antarctic. The capital of Buenos Aires has an average temperature of forty to sixty degrees Fahrenheit with light rain.
In the 1500s the Spanish settled in what is now Argentina. Three hundred years later on May 25, 1810 the first National Government Assembly of Argentina was constituted. Six years later on July 9th Buenos Aires formally declared independence from Spain. May 25th is now "Revolution Day."
The Argentine Peso is the official currency. The paper denominations of the peso are listed as follows: one hundred, fifty, twenty, ten, five and two. The "one" peso is minted as a coin. Denominations that make up pesos are minted as one, five, ten, twenty-five and fifty centavo coins.
In the cities U.S. dollars are often accepted, as well as credit cards. Traveler's checks are not always widely accepted beyond Buenos Aires.
