1. Argentina By Terrance Finley-Moore

3. Its total area is 2,780,400 sq km and it is the eighth largest country in the world by land area.

4. The climate is mostly temperate, but is arid in the southeast and sub-antarctic in the southwest.

6. Most Argentines are of European (Spanish and Italian) descent. The country is ethnically and culturally diverse.

7. The official language of Argentina is Spanish.

10. Argentina has a wide range of popular music genres. The most popular music among the younger generations is rock and its subgenres.

12. In 1516 Juan Diaz de Solis of Spain explored the region and it became slowly colonized. In 1580 Buenos Aires was established as a permanent colony.

14. After Spain was conquered in the Napoleonic Era, Argentina declared itself independent in 1816.

16. Britain and other European powers helped to modernize Argentina in the late nineteenth century by opening it up to the global economy and investing in railroads and ports. Argentina grew into one of the wealthiest nations through agriculture and foreign investment.

18. Throughout the 50s and 60s the government went through a succession of civilian and military governments which were not long-lasting.

19. In the 70s economic decline caused violent anti-government rebellion. In the “Dirty War” thousands of insurgents were killed by the military-controlled government. Argentina also lost a war with Great Britain over a territorial claim on the Falkland Islands.