Argentina Essay Research Paper Argentina is located

Argentina Essay, Research Paper

Argentina is located in southern South America, bordered on the north by Bolivia and Paraguay; on the east by Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean; on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and Chile; and on the west by Chile. Argentina s official name is Republica Argentina. Its capital city is Buenos Aries. Other main cities are Cordoba, Rosario, and La Plata. Argentina is 1,065,189 sq. miles. Its monetary unit is the Peso. It is at least 1 + times the size of Mexico. The only country in South America that is larger than Argentina is Brazil. It has many rivers that are contained in it, such as the Salado, Parana and Colorado. The climate throughout most of the country is mild.

The population of Argentina is 32, 901,000. The life expectancy is average. Male is 68.22 years, and female is 74.97 years. 85% of the population is White. Argentina also has a very large literacy rate. The literacy rate of people over the age of 15 is 95%. The main religion among the people is Catholicism. 90% of the people are catholic, but only 20% of them are practicing. The official language of the people is Spanish. Argentina is a federal republic headed by a president, who is assisted by a council of ministers. Legislative powers are carried out by a national congress that consists of a Senate and House of Deputies.

A new constitution was passed in 1949, which was abolished in 1956. All constitutional provisions were suspended in 1966 following a military takeover. The constitution of 1853 was again suspended, but was reinstated when Argentina returned to civilian rule in 1983. The preamble and much of the text of the constitution of 1853 reflect the ideas and aims of the U.S. constitution. Argentina s president is elected to a four-year term, and the president can be elected to a second term. The presidential mandate allows for executive participation in drawing up legislation, as well as execution of law. The president is also the commander in chief of the armed forces.

The lower chamber of the National Congress, which is called the House of Deputies, has 254 members. The upper chamber is the Senate and it has 72-members. Deputies are elected to four-year terms by a system of proportional representation. Each province elects three senators to six-year terms. Three senators represent the capital Buenos Aires.

Argentina s economy is based primarily on the production of agricultural products and the raising of livestock, but manufacturing and mining industries have shown marked growth in recent decades. Argentina is one of the world s leading cattle and grain producing regions; the country s main manufacturing enterprises are food processing and flour milling plants.

The Spanish soldier Pedro de Mendoza began colonization of the region in 1535. Spanish settlers from Peru established Santiago De Estero, the first permanent settlement on what is now Argentine soil, in 1553. Santa Fe was founded in 1573, and in 1580 the resettlement of Buenos Aires was begun. Buenos Aires, the center of a flourishing trade in smuggled goods, grew steadily. By the middle of the 18th century, its population numbered close to 20,000.

In June 1806, a British fleet under the command of Admiral Home Riggs Popham attacked Buenos Aires. The viceroy offered no defense against the attack, which was made without authorization by the British government. The invaders occupied the city but were expelled by a citizen army the following August. A revolutionary group led by General Justo Urquiza, a former governor of Entre R os Province, overthrew the dictatorial regime of Rosas in 1852, who received assistance from Uruguay and Brazil. In 1853 a federal constitution was adopted, and Urquiza became the first president of the Argentine Republic. During the first decade of the 20th century, the country emerged as one of the leading nations of South America. It began to figure prominently in hemispheric affairs, and in 1914 helped to mediate a serious dispute between the United States and Mexico.

In the period preceding the presidential elections of 1937, Fascist organizations became increasingly active. In May 1936, following the organization of a left wing Popular Front, the Argentine right wing parties united in a so-called National Front. This organization, which openly advocated establishment of a dictatorship, successfully supported the finance minister, Roberto M. Ortiz, for the presidency. Contrary to the expectations and demands of his supporters, however, Ortiz took vigorous steps to strengthen democracy in Argentina. In July 1940, President Ortiz, unable to hold office because of illness, designated Vice President Ram n S. Castillo as acting president. Castillo, who had officially succeeded to the presidency following the resignation of Ortiz in June 1942, was removed from office one year later by a military group headed by General Arturo Rawson. On the eve of his assumption of office as provisional president, however, Rawson s associates forced him to resign. The provisional presidency went to General Pedro Ram rez, one of the leaders of the revolt. Ram rez shortly abolished all political parties, suppressed opposition newspapers, and generally stifled the remainders of democracy in Argentina. In January 1944, in a complete reversal of foreign policy, his government broke diplomatic relations with Japan and Germany. Revival of political