s: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m:
1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military American Samoa

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Argentina

Introduction

Argentina

Background: Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina
experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives
and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World
War II, a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in
subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power
in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then
have underscored Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.

Geography Argentina

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
between Chile and Uruguay

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km,
Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Coastline: 4,989 km

Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: mostly
temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling
plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on
Peninsula Valdes) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m

Natural resources: fertile plains of the Pampas, lead, zinc, tin,
copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 15,610 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes
subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike
the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Environment - current issues: environmental problems (urban and rural)
typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil
degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water polluti