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Argentina Quick
Facts |
 QUICK FACTS - Argentina |
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- Argentina has an area of 2.77 million sq. km, which gives it a great variety of climates and landscapes. Known as the `land of ice and fire' it can be simultaneously hot in one region and cold in another.
- The name `Argentina' comes from the Latin word argentum, which means silver.
- Argentina is the 2nd largest country in South America, with 4,989 km of coastline.
- Argentina’s productivity was originally based around beef and cattle herding on the Pampas and it is still important today.
- Argentina has more than 20 national parks, which help to preserve the country's unique wildlife. Puma, Guanaco (a relative of the llama), Andean Condor and Magellanic penguin are just a few of Argentina's protected species.
- One of Argentina's sporting passions is football and they have won the World Cup, twice. Buenos Aires alone has 17 stadiums, many of which seat more than 40,000 spectators. Polo is another passion. Argentine polo has an international reputation and some of its players, are considered to be the best in the world.
- The population density of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires is more than 2,500 people per square km. Compare this with the population density of Patagonia which averages fewer than 3 inhabitants per square km.
- If you thought marsupial mammals (pouched animals) first evolved in Australia you would be wrong! Pouched animals first evolved in the Americas and reached Australia by spreading out across Gondwanaland, an ancient super-continent which joined South America, Africa, India, Australia and Antarctica together. Marsupials still live in Argentina, but your chances of seeing any are very small.
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