Argentina Sights, UNESCO, Climate and Geography
According to COUNTRYAAH, Argentina or as we should officially say the Argentine Republic is a large country in South America that has officially existed since 1816. Argentina is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world and the largest country in South America. The explorer Amerigo Vespucci was the first European to sail past this area. Before this time there were some local peoples such as the Guaraní and the Diaguita. Soon after the discovery of South America, the Spaniards founded a colony here on the site of the current capital. After a few years of war, the Spaniards were expelled from the country and Argentina was created in 1816. In the years that followed there were still some wars with neighboring countries, but the newly formed Argentina remained virtually unchanged.
In 1944, the president Juan Perón came to power and would remain president here for eleven years. This president was best known worldwide for his wife Eva Perron who was affectionately known throughout the country as Evita. Eva Perron personally ensured that women had the right to vote in Argentina. In the Netherlands, Argentina is best known as the homeland of our Queen Maxima. However, this falls short of the country. Argentina is the country of the tango, the gauchos and the Pampas. Due to the vastness of the country, there are major differences between the different parts of the country. For example, the northern part of the country is covered with tropical rainforest and there is eternal snow on the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains.
Sights
There are many thousands of sights in Argentina, each more beautiful and special than the other, but there is only one real attraction in the country, the Tango. This national dance of Argentina is everywhere. Of course Argentina has more to offer than just the Tango. Just think of the many national parks that can be found in the country. the most famous are Iguazú National Park, Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, Ischigualasto and Talampaya Natural Parks, and Los Glaciares National Park. The world-famous Cataratas del Iguaçu waterfalls can be found in the Iguazú National Park. The most famous museums in the country are the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo Historico Nacional and Museo Evita in Buenos Aires. There are also several museums in the other cities in Argentina, but these are less known. If you are traveling through Argentina, you should not miss the peninsula of Väldes. Many thousands of seals, sea lions and elephant seals live on this peninsula and in certain parts of the year orcas and whales can be found here. There are even penguins along the east coast. The cities of Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Al Calafate, Mendoza, Ushuaia, Mar del Plata, Salta and Cordoba are the most popular destinations in Argentina.
UNESCO
In Argentina there are a total of nine inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Four of them fall under the World Heritage nature and the others fall under the World Heritage culture. The first registration in Argentina took place in 1981. This was the Los Glaciares National Park. In 1983 the Jesuit missions of Guaraní followed. These are a total of five complexes, all of which were built in the first half of the eighteenth century. Some of these complexes are partly located in neighboring Brazil. A year later, the Iguazú National Park was added. The Cataratas del Iguaçu can be found in this national park. The Brazilian part of this park is known as Iguaçu. National Park
It was not until fifteen years later that the following entries were added to the list. First the archaeological site of Cueva de las Manos near Río Pinturas and second the peninsula Valdés. Later on, the Jesuit Quarter and Estancias of Córdoba, the natural parks of Ischigualasto and Talampaya followed. Finally, in 2003, the Quebrada de Humahuaca valley was added. This beautiful valley has been an important trade route for many thousands of years. The valley follows the flow of the Rio Grande.
Climate
There is a great diversity in climate types in Argentina. Most of the country has a desert or steppe climate, but there are also Mediterranean climates, maritime climates, tropical climates and even the high mountain climate. This causes large temperature differences in Argentina. The eastern part of Argentina has a mainly warm or temperate maritime climate that is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Due to this influence, extremes will not soon occur in this part of Argentina. The tropical climate occurs in the northern part of the country. The amount of precipitation determines in which tropical climate type there is per part. The average temperature here is around thirty degrees Celsius. The northernmost tip of Argentina at the waterfalls of Iguaçu has a tropical rainforest climate. This part of Argentina has high humidity figures. The extreme southern part of the country has a cool maritime climate and a tundra climate. For a tundra climate, the average temperature in one month must be below minus degrees Celsius. The high mountain climate occurs on the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains. In these parts of the country, almost all precipitation will consist of snow. Partly because of this, this part of the country is very popular with winter sports enthusiasts. The central part of Argentina has a combination of desert and steppe climate. For both climate types, there is very little precipitation throughout the year. In Argentina there is a hair dryer wind which is called Zonda here. This very dry wind often causes nuisance as it often brings a lot of dust. Because Argentina is located in the southern hemisphere, the seasons here are the opposite as with us.
Geography
The Geography of Argentina is as diverse as the country’s climate, partly due to the vastness of the country. The highest point in the country, Mount Aconcagua is 6,962 meters high and can be found in the Andes Mountains. This mountain range largely forms the border with Chile in the west. The country borders Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil to the north and Uruguay to the northeast. The border with Paraguay is largely formed by the river Paraguay, the border with Uruguay is formed entirely by the river Uruguay. The longest river in the country is the Paraná. The eastern part of Argentina lies for the most part on the Atlantic Ocean. Argentina claims the United Kingdom Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The country has also claimed part of Antarctica. The southern part of Argentina is better known as Patagonia. The southern part of Chile also belongs to this area. Patagonia occupies a large part of Argentina, but there are fewer people in this part of the country than in the capital. The average population density here is two persons per square kilometer. The northeastern part of Argentina consists mainly of grassland. This part of the country is also known as the Pampa. The Pampa is the most fertile part of Argentina.
The largest city in the country is the capital Buenos Aires, which is home to more than three million people. The metropolitan area of this city is the second largest in South America.
Travel advice
There are no special travel advices for a trip to Argentina. However, it is wise to avoid the poor areas in the major cities as they are considered unsafe for tourists. large demonstrations are regularly held in the capital Buenos Aires. You can do this as a tourist, but it is best to avoid this also for large gatherings. The local police and the army are known for violently dispersing them. As in any major city in the world, the larger cities of Argentina are home to thieves and pickpockets. Be especially wary in busy shopping streets, public transport and squares
If you take a taxi make sure you have enough small denominations with you as the taxi drivers in Argentina are known for giving you counterfeit change.
Travel documents
All travelers to Argentina must be in possession of a valid passport that is valid for at least six months on the date of departure from the country. You do not need a visa to visit Argentina. However, if you want to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you must apply for a visa at the Argentine embassy in the Netherlands.
On the plane you will receive an entry card that you must complete at the customs office. You will receive a copy of this that you must hand in at customs when you leave the country.
Info table
Capital city | Buenos Aires |
Phone (country code) | 54 |
Internet domain | .ar |
Language(s) (official) | Spanish |
Language(s) (colloquial) | Spanish, Guarani and Quechua |
Religion(s) | Roman Catholic |
Time zone(s) | UTC-3 |
Time difference summer | In Argentina it is 5 hours earlier than in the Netherlands |
Time difference winter | In Argentina it is 4 hours earlier than in the Netherlands |
Daylight Saving Time Control | no |
Currencies | Argentine peso |