Argentina is the second largest country in area in South America. It covers nearly 3,800,000 square km, or 29 % of
the area of Europe; it stretches 3,460 km from N to S and 1,580 km from E to W. Argentina claims international frontiers that
stretch across 25,728 km. Most are on the Atlantic ocean, but on the west Argentina is bounded by Chile across the Andes mountains. The
Argentine Andes rise to a height of 6,959 m at Aconcagua, the heights elevation in the Americas, but much of Argentina is low lying and flat. Argentina's weather
ranges from subtropical in the northeast, to temperate in the central region, to arid and semiarid and cold in the south and along the mountains.
Geographers usually recognize seven main physical areas: the Northwest, the North
and Northeast, Cuyo, Central, the Pampas, and Patagonia. But as tourist areas, we also
recognize Buenos Aires City.
Due to its great extension, Argentina offers a countless
amount of different landscapes. There is a huge
contrast between the vast eastern plains and the
outstanding Andes mountain range in the west,
with the highest peak of the western hemisphere:
the Aconcagua, with 6,959 meters.
Along its extension from Jujuy to Tierra del Fuego,
the mountain range displays a wonderful diversity
of landscapes: from the deserted northeastern high
plateaus, with valleys, ravines and colorful hills,
to the Patagonia region with its lakes, forests and
To the north, the Chaco is a wooded area connected
to the Bermejo, Salado and Pilcomayo Rivers.
Bracketed by the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers, the
Argentine Mesopotamia (Provinces of Entre Ríos,
Corrientes and Misiones) is composed of low hills,
small lakes, and marshes which indicate the ancient
course of these big rivers. In some areas, inside the
sub-tropical jungle, there are fractures which give
rise to incredible phenomena such as the Iguazú
In the center of Argentina, the Pampa region is the
widest and best know plain. It is an agricultural
and livestock raising area and comprises the Province
of Buenos Aires, the northeastern part of the
Province of La Pampa, Southern Córdoba and
Santa Fe. To the south, the landscape is interrupted
by the Tandil and La Ventana hills and to the west
by the Córdoba hills.
From the Andes to the sea, the vast extension of
sterile and rocky Patagonian plateaus is lashed
by strong winds most of the year. The Atlantic
coastline, bordered by high cliffs, portrays winding
shapes, such as the Valdés Peninsula, having a great
variety of sea animals.
Argentina is divided into 24 jurisdictions: 23 provinces
and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires,
which serves the seat of the National Government.