Argentina Overview
Argentine research institutions enjoy an excellent reputation in Germany. The two countries have been cooperating for half a century under an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation (WTZ). The cooperation focuses on the use of natural resources, marine and polar research, and climate research.
Today the German-Argentinian University Center (DAHZ) supports the establishment of bi-national master’s and doctoral courses. The DAHZ is funded by the BMBF together with the Argentine partner ministry. Argentina is the most important partner country in Latin America for the Max Planck Society (MPG). Both MPG and Helmholtz Association (HGF) institutions are present on site and work closely with Argentinian partners, as are numerous other research institutions in Germany.
Population / geography
| Country name | República ArgentinaArgentine Republic
Short form: Argentina / Argentina |
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
| Land area | 2.78 million km²(raises territorial claims to 1.23 million km² Antarctica) |
| Population | 45.479 million(Estimate July 2020) |
| Life expectancy | Men: 74.7 yearsWomen: 81.1 years
(2020 estimate) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 24.02%15-64 years: 63.86%
65 years and older: 12.13% (2020 estimate) |
| Growth of population | 0.86%(2020 estimate) |
| Population groups | 97% of European descent (mainly from Italy and Spain) due to immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. Centuryapprox. 2% indigenous descent
approx. 2 million people of German origin (2010 estimate) |
| Religions | Catholics 92%Protestants 2%
Jews 2% Other 4% |
| National holiday | May 25 (1810)”Fatherland Day” / Revolution Day (overthrow of the Spanish viceroy) |
| Time zone | CET – 4 (UTC – 3) |
| Currency | 1 Argentine peso ARS / 100 centavosCurrent exchange rate at OANDA.com – Currency converter (see links below) |
| Prefix | +54 |
Sources: Countryaah.com
Politics / Administration
| Country name | República ArgentinaArgentine Republic |
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
| Form of government | Federal Republic / Presidential Democracy |
| Head of state | President Alberto Fernándezsince December 10, 2019 |
| Foreign Minister | Ing.Felipe Carlos Solá(Minister for Foreign Relations, International Trade and Culture)
since December 2019 |
| Minister of Education | Dr. Nicolás Alfredo TrottaIn December 2019, the education and science departments, which had been merged in September 2018, were separated again. |
| Minister for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation | Dr. Roberto Carlos Salvarezzasince December 2019 |
| Houses of Parliament | Bicameral parliamentCongreso de la Nación Argentina /
Argentine National Congress Cámara de Diputados de la Nación / Chamber of Deputies (257 seats / legislative period: 4 years) Senado de la Nación / Senate (72 seats. Legislative period: 6 years) |
| Ruling party | Coalition Frente do Todos with the Partido Justicialista (Peronists), since the elections on October 27, 2019: 36 out of 72 seats in the Senate, 120 out of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies |
| Other parties represented in parliament | Largest political groups: Juntos por el Cambio coalition with the Unión Cívica Radical / UCR (Radical Civic Union) and the Unión PRO (Republican proposal), Consenso Federal |
| Administrative structure | 23 provinces (provincias, singular – provincia) and one autonomous city (Ciudad autónoma de Buenos Aires) |
| Independence | July 9, 1816 by Spain |
State building
The constitution based on the North American model dates from 1853 and was last reformed in 1994 (Pact of Olivos). It is characterized by the strong position of the president, who is also head of government. The President and Vice President are directly elected every four years. According to the Argentine constitution, direct re-election is only possible once.
According to Article 20 of the Argentine Constitution, all foreigners enjoy the same civil rights as Argentine nationals. As a result, foreigners are given the same rights to trade, trade and occupy, and to buy and sell property. These principles can also be found in the currently valid Foreign Investment Act, which expressly provides for equality in the treatment of foreign and Argentine capital.
The Congress consists of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both chambers are involved in the legislative process. Half of the members of the Chamber of Deputies – currently 257 – are directly elected every two years for four years. The Senate has 72 senators who have also been directly elected by the people for six years since 2001 – three from each province and three from the city of Buenos Aires. A third of the Senate is renewed every two years.
Each province has its own constitution and elects its governors, members of parliament, and judges without intervention by the federal government.
Regional and multilateral cooperation
The relations with the neighbors in the region, especially with Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, but also with the countries of the “Bolivarian Alliance for America” (ALBA), as well as questions of regional cooperation – especially in Mercosur and UNASUR – belong to the foreign policy Argentina’s priorities.
Argentina is a member of the Organization of American States (OAS) as well as of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which was founded in December 2011 and of which all 33 American states except the USA and Canada are members.
Argentina belongs to the G20 and is an active member of the United Nations.
Economic information
You can find important economic data on Argentina in the “Economic data compact” series by Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). This is updated twice a year in May and November. The following indicators are included, among others: Residents, population density, currency, exchange rate, gross domestic product, GDP per resident, GDP growth, inflation rate, average wage, unemployment, budget balance, foreign trade, most important import and export goods, most important trading partners, foreign direct investments, country creditworthiness, foreign exchange reserves, Foreign trade with the EU and Germany, most important German import and export goods.
The agriculture plays in Argentina traditionally a key role for economic development: about 60 percent of total exports are generated in the agriculture and food industry. In purely mathematical terms, Argentina can feed around 400 million people (source: Foreign Office, May 8, 2019).
