World Factbook
Argentina
República Argentina
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), white, and sky blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face that is known as the Sun of May meaning: the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes Mountains; the sun commemorates the first mass demonstration in favor of independence on 25 May 1810, when the sun broke through the clouds; the sun is designed to look like Inti, the Incan god of the sun
Capital
name
Buenos Aires
etymology
the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish; the full original name, Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires, was given only to the port; the city was founded separately from the port in 1536 and was named Ciudad de la Santissima Trinidad (City of the Most Holy Trinity); the shortened version of the port name eventually became the city name
time difference
UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
34 36 S, 58 22 W
Suffrage
18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age: optional for national elections
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
2 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853
amendment process
a declaration of proposed amendments requires two-thirds majority vote by both houses of the National Congress followed by approval by an ad hoc, multi-member constitutional convention
Country name
etymology
the name is derived from one of the Spanish words for "silver," but the origin is unclear; it may have described the land next to the Rio de la Plata ("Silver River"), a major river that forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay; another possible source is the Spanish explorers in the 16th century mistakenly believing that the silver ornaments they bought from inhabitants came from a local source of silver
local long form
República Argentina
local short form
Argentina
conventional long form
Argentine Republic
conventional short form
Argentina
Independence
9 July 1816 (from Spain)
Legal system
civil law system based on Western European legal systems
note: in 2015, Argentina adopted a new civil code, replacing the old one in force since 1871
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (consists of the court president, vice president, 2 judges, 1 vacancy)
subordinate courts
federal-level appellate, district, and territorial courts; provincial-level supreme, appellate, and first-instance courts
judge selection and term of office
judges nominated by the president and approved by the Senate; ministers can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75; extensions beyond 75 require renomination by the president and approval by the Senate
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president
chief of state
President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023)
election results
2023: Javier Gerardo MILEI elected president in second round; percent vote in first round - Sergio Tomás MASSA (FR) 36.7%, Javier Gerardo MILEI (PL) 30%, Patricia BULLRICH 23.8% (JxC/PRO), Juan SCHIARETTI (PJ) 6.8%, Myriam BREGMAN (PTS) 2.7%; percent of vote in second round - Javier Gerardo MILEI 55.7%, Sergio Tomás MASSA 44.3% 2019: Alberto Ángel FERNÁNDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Alberto Angel FERNÁNDEZ (TODOS) 48.1%, Mauricio MACRI (PRO) 40.4%, Roberto LAVAGNA (independent) 6.2%, other 5.3%
head of government
President Javier Gerardo MILEI (since 10 December 2023)
most recent election date
22 October 2023, with a runoff held 19 November 2023
election/appointment process
president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority vote (to win, a candidate must receive at least 45% of votes, or 40% of votes and a 10-point lead over the second-place candidate; if neither occurs, a second round is held); the president serves a 4-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term)
expected date of next election
October 2027
National holiday
Revolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810)
National color(s)
sky blue, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
12 (7 cultural, 5 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Los Glaciares National Park (n); Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis (c); Iguazú National Park (n); Cueva de las Manos (c); Valdés Península (n); Ischigualasto/Talampaya National Parks (n); Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba (c); Quebrada de Humahuaca (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)
Political parties
Avanza Libertad or AL Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI Consenso Federal (Federal Consensus) or CF Frente Cívico por Santiago (Civic Front for Santiago) Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores – Unidad (Workers' Left Front) or FIT-U (coalition of leftist parties in lower house; includes PTS, PO, and MST) Frente de la Concordia Misionero (Front for the Renewal of Social Concord) or FRCS Frente Renovador (Renewal Front) or FR Generación por un Encuentro Nacional (Generation for a National Encounter) or GEN Hacemos por Córdoba (We do for Cordoba) or HC Hacemos por Nuestro Pais (We Do For Our Country) or NHP Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) or JxC (includes CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR); note - primary opposition coalition since 2019 Juntos Somos Río Negro (Together We Are Rio Negro) or JSRN Partido Justicialista (Justicialist Party) or PJ La Cámpora La Libertad Avanza (The Liberty Advances) or LLA Movimiento Popular Neuquino (Neuquén People's Movement) or MPN Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores (Workers' Socialist Movement) or MST Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (Socialist Workers' Party) or PTS Partido Demócrata (Democratic Party) or PDN Partido Libertario (Libertarian Party) or PL; note - party is also a founding member of the coalition La Libertad Avanza Partido Obrero (Workers' Party) or PO Partido Socialista or PS Propuesta Republicana (Republican Proposal) or PRO Unidad Federal (coalition of provencial parties in the lower house; includes FRCS and JSRN) Unión Cívica Radical (Radical Civic Union) or UCR Unión por la Patria (Union for the Homeland) or UP (formerly Frente de Todos (Everyone's Front) or FdT) (includes FR, La Cámpora, and PJ); note - ruling coalition since 2019; includes several national and provincial Peronist political parties Vamos con Vos (Let's Go with You) or VcV
Legislative branch
legislature name
National Congress (Congreso de la nación)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)
history
adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain; a 1900 presidential decree declared that only the first and last verses would be considered official, rather than the original nine verses
lyrics/music
Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA
National symbol(s)
Sun of May (a sun-with-face symbol)
Administrative divisions
23 provinces ( provincias , singular - provincia ) and 1 autonomous city*; Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlántico Sur (Tierra del Fuego - Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands), Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
term in office
4 years
number of seats
257 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
partial renewal
most recent election date
10/22/2023
expected date of next election
October 2025
percentage of women in chamber
42.4%
parties elected and seats per party
Union for the Homeland (UP) (48); Freedom Advances (LLA) (28); Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (27); Other (25)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Senado)
term in office
6 years
number of seats
72 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
partial renewal
most recent election date
10/22/2023
expected date of next election
October 2025
percentage of women in chamber
45.8%
parties elected and seats per party
Union for the Homeland (UP) (9); Freedom Advances (LLA) (6); Together for Change (JxC/Juntos) (2); Front for the Renewal of Social Concord – Federal Innovation (2); Federal Renewal (2); For Santa Cruz (2); Other (1)
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 332-3171
chancery
1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 238-6400
chief of mission
Ambassador Alejandro (Alec) Carlos Francisco OXENFORD (since 11 June 2025)
consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
email address and website
eeeuu@mrecic.gov.ar https://eeeuu.cancilleria.gob.ar/en
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[54] (11) 5777-4240
embassy
Avenida Colombia 4300, (C1425GMN) Buenos Aires
telephone
[54] (11) 5777-4533
mailing address
3130 Buenos Aires Place, Washington DC 20521-3130
chief of mission
Ambassador Peter LAMELAS (since 4 November 2025)
email address and website
Buenosairespublicaffairs@state.gov https://ar.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CABEI, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction