Argentina Geography
Geographic coordinates 34 00 S, 64 00 W; Map references: South America
Area total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water : 30,200 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US Land boundaries:
total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km Coastline: 4,989 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental
margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest. Terrain rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border;
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m, highest point: Cerro Aconcagua: 6,962 m. Natural resources fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum,
uranium Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 52% forests and woodland: 19% other: 19% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 17,000 sq km (1993 est.) . Natural hazards San Miguel de
Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding . Environment - current issues erosion results from
inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming
polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use
Environment - international agreements party to : Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation. Geography - note second-largest country
in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)
.net 