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Location, area and frontiers
Located in South America, in the southern hemisphere, Argentina has an area of almost 3.8 million square kilometers, 2.8 on the
continent. This is comprised of approximately 54% plains (grasslands and savannahs), 23% plateaus, and the other 23% mountains. The remainder is in
the Antarctic. It is 3,800km long and is located between latitude 22° and 55°. It has international borders with Uruguay (580km), Brazil (1261km), Paraguay (1880km), Bolivia (832km) and
Chile (5308km), with a total perimeter of 9,861km, while the territory bordered by the Atlantic Ocean is 4,989km long.
The sizes and capital cities of the individual regions can be found on our regions page.
Geography
The main characteristic of Argentina's physical geography is the spectacular contrast between the immense eastern plains and the impressive Andes mountain range to the west,
which also result in such a wide variety of landscapes.
The Andes also form the border with Chile and boasts the highest peak in the Western hemisphere (the highest mountain in the world outside the Himalayas):
the 6,959m high Aconcagua.
From Jujuy in the extreme North to Tierra del Fuego at the Southern tip, the Andes present marvelous contrasts: the Northwest plateaus, the lake region and
the forests and glaciers in Patagonia.
To the north, Chaco is a forested area linked to rivers Bermejo, Salado and Pilcomayo.
Between the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, the Argentine Mesopotamia (provinces of Entre Ríos, Corrientes and Misiones) is formed by low hills, where
pools and marshlands still show the ancient courses of these great rivers. In some places within the subtropical rain forest, there are fissures
which provide such spectacular phenomena as the Iguazú Falls.
The Pampas, in the center of Argentina, is the largest and best-known area of plains. This area, which is mainly devoted to agricultural and livestock activities,
includes the province of Buenos Aires, the northeast of La Pampa, the south of Córdoba and south of Santa Fe. To the south, the plains
give way to small hills in Tandil and de la Ventana, and to the west, to the Córdoba hills.
Towards the south, from the Andes to the sea, there appear the sterile and stony plateaus of Patagonia, swept by the wind during most of the year.
The long Atlantic coast, lined with high cliffs, forms massive indentations like the Peninsula Valdés, with its spectacular and unique colonies of sealife.
Image galleries : | Fauna | Flora |
The Lake District | Buenos Aires |
Recoleta Cemetery | Mountains |
Beaches | Pampas |