The Probert Encyclopaedia of Places of the World

ARGENTINA

Argentina or the Argentine Republic (formerly known as the United Provinces of La Plata) is a republic in South America. It has a total area of 2,766,890 km2. The climate is mostly temperate; arid in the south-east; sub-antarctic in the south-west. The terrain comprises the rich plains of the Pampas in the northern half, the flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in the south and the rugged Andes mountains along the western border. Natural resources are the fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, crude oil and uranium The religion is 90% nominally Roman Catholic (with less than 20% practising), 2% Protestant, 2% Jewish and 6% other The official language is Spanish with English, Italian, German and French also spoken.

Argentina comprises four great natural divisions: (1) the Andine region, containing the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, Eioja, Oatamarca, Tucuman, Salta, and Jujuy; (2) the Pampas, containing the provinces of Santiago, Santa Fe, Cordova, San Luis, and Buenos Ayres; with the territories Formosa, Pampa, and Chaco; (3) the Argentine Mesopotamia, between the rivers Parana and Uruguay, containing the provinces of Entre Rios and Corrientes, and the territory Misiones; (4) Patagonia, including the eastern half of Tierra del Fuego.

As of 1900 most of the vast country of Argentina was very thinly inhabited, some parts of it then still being very little known. The native Indians were never very numerous, and gave little trouble to the European settlers. The European element is strong in the republic, more than half the population being Europeans or of pure European descent. Large numbers of immigrants arrived during the 19th century from Southern Europe, the Italians having the preponderance among those of foreign birth. The typical inhabitants of the pampas were traditionally the Gauchos, a race of half-breed cattle-rearers and horse-breakers; they were almost continually on horseback, galloping over the plains, collecting their herds and droves, taming wild horses, or catching and slaughtering cattle. In such occupations they required a marvellous dexterity in the use of the lasso and bolas.

The river La Plata was discovered in 1512 by the Spanish navigator Juan Diaz de Solis, and the La Plata territory had been brought into the possession of Spain by the end of the sixteenth century. In 1810 the territory cast off the Spanish rule, and in 1816 the independence of the United States of the Rio de la Plata was formally declared, but it was long before a settled government was established. The constitution dates from 1853, being subsequently modified.
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