Econimic Stability

2. * The Argentine Republic, or Argentina, is a sparsely
populated country on the continent of South
America, with a population of 40.6 million. It is the
8th largest country in the world, with an area of 2.8
million sq km which covers most of the southern
half of South America. Due to its length of almost
4000km, the country is one of climatic extremes,
ranging from the rainforest-covered tropics of the
north, to the sub-Antarctic conditions in the south.

3. * Argentina is a country of abundant natural
resources, is a member of the G-15 and G-20
major economies and has one of the strongest
economies in Latin America
* Yet Argentina has had a tumultuous economic
history, with a recent economic collapse in
2001 that many of the population are still
trying to recover from.
*

4. * A century ago, Argentina was one of the richest
countries in the world, thanks largely to its
natural resources. However, political and
economic turmoil have dogged the nation over
the last 100 years, making it difficult for the
country to retain its place as an economic
super power.
*

5. *Among the mineral resources present in the
country, the most important include lead, zinc, tin,
copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
and lithium.
*As a recognized ‘middle power’ with a ‘very high’
human development index rating, Argentina has a
stable government and has secure mining policies
and legislation in place. A recent development is
the law passed in 2010, which forbids mining in and
around the large glaciers in the south of the
country, which is a forward-thinking move towards
sustainability. A tax on the export of copper, gold
and silver is also in place.

6. *The majority of mining in Argentina is open pit
mining, with only two underground mines currently
open. This is partly due to the lack of contractible
drilling companies in Argentina.
*In addition to traditional mining products, Argentina
produces more biofuel than any other country and is
ranked 3rd in the world as an exporter of biofuel.

7. * In 2010, according to the USGS, 16% of the
country’s economy was accounted for by the
mining sector.

8. * The major industrial mineral produced in
Argentina is Lithium. The lithium is found in
solutions, or brines, that are extracted via
aquifers. It is estimated that Argentina
contains more than 80% of the world’s reserves
of lithium brine just in the Puna Plateau in the
northwest.
*

9. * These brines are also rich in boron and
potassium. Lithium is extremely important in
the car manufacturing industry and due to this
there has been a large increase in lithium
exploration in the country. In 2010, Argentina
was estimated to be the 4th highest producer of
lithium in the world.
*

10. * Important metals found in Argentina are copper,
gold, silver, and zinc. The region of Argentina
adjacent to the Andes is possibly one of the most
metal-rich areas in the world.
* 3 of the 4 most important mining projects in
Argentina are involved in the mining of copper, gold
and silver. The Bajo de la Alumbrera mine, owned
by Minera Alumbrera S.A., produces copper and
gold. The mine produced approximately 25million
metric tons of copper ore in 2010.
*

11. *Agriculture

12. * Agriculture is one of the bases of Argentina's
economy.
* Argentine agriculture is relatively capital
intensive, today providing about 7% of all
employment, and even during its period of
dominance around 1900, accounting for no
more than a third of all labor.
*

13. * One fourth of Argentine exports of about US$86
billion in 2011 were composed of unprocessed
agricultural primary goods, mainly soybeans,
wheat and maize. A further one third were
composed of processed agricultural products,
such as animal feed, flour and vegetable oils.
*

14. * On the international front, Argentina enjoys
good relations with most of the countries in the
region, particularly Brazil and Venezuela. The
country also has a leading role in advocating
the region's policy stance, as it represents
Latin America at the G-20, jointly with Mexico
and Brazil.
*

15. * Argentina has a strong tradition in advancing
public education and health. Currently 6% of
the GDP is invested in education and culture,
and 9.5% of the GDP is invested in health
services.
*

16. * in recent years, the country has experienced a
record growth of its national industry, in
particular automobile, textile and power. The
main commodities exported are wheat, soy
pellets and meal, soybeans, crude oil, gasoline,
and meat. The opening up of China's markets
has been a boost to support exports.
*

17. * Currently, 7.7% of the territory is under
protected areas. There are 36 national parks
and 400 provincial natural reserves. In the last
7 years, national protected areas increased by
24% and recently new marine reserves have
been created. In 2009, the National
Administration regulated the Forest Law, which
aims to preserve the conservation of native
forests. As part of its commitment to the
environment, the Matanza-Riachuelo basin, one
of the most polluted in South America, is being
cleaned.
*

18. * Following a sharp slowdown in 2012, the
economy is recovering this year. Consecutive
years of rapid and pro-poor economic growth
enabled poverty and unemployment to be cut
to levels experienced prior to the country's
2001-2002 economic crisis. President Cristina
Fernández seeks to support economic growth
and stability after 10 years of continued GDP
increase.
*