The Argentine Republic (short form: Argentina) is located in the lower portion of South America,
south of the Tropic of Capricorn and east of the Andes mountain range. It is
the second largest country in South America, after Brazil.
It has an area of 2,789,403 square kilometers, and borders the South Atlantic Ocean on the east and Chile on the west. It shares an eastern border with Uruguay.
Argentina was given its name by 16th century European explorers who hoped to find silver deposits in the country.
Argentina won its independence from Spain on July 9, 1816. The government has a president, who is both the chief of state and the head of the government. There is a bicameral legislature (the National Congress) and a Cabinet appointed by the President. President and vice-president are elected by popular vote every four years. There are 23 provinces. The capital of the country is Buenos Aires.
The population is estimated at 40,301,927 (July 2007 est.), of whom the majority speak Spanish and are 97 percent Caucasian, the majority of Spanish and Italian ancestry, and 3 percent mestizo (mixed Caucasian and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-Caucasian groups. Most are officially Roman Catholic (92 percent), though less than 20 percent of those are practicing. Other religions are Protestant (2 percent), Jewish (2 percent), and other 4 percent.
The official language is Spanish; other languages spoken are English, Italian, German, and French.
The monetary unit is the new Peso.
Argentina is known for the tango, a ballroom dance form which originated in Buenos Aires in the 19th century, becoming popular in Europe and the United States in the 1920's.
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