HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups:
black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)
Religions:
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%,Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%,Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none orunspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), local dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 85.8%
male: NA
female: NA (2003 est.)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 108
Government ::Antigua and Barbuda
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Saint John's
geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip
Independence:
1 November 1981 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)
Constitution:
1 November 1981
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Louisse LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 12 March 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 50.9%, ALP 47.2%, BPM 1.1%; seats by party - UPP 9, ALP 7, BPM 1
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court consisting of a High Court ofJustice and a Court of Appeal (based in Saint Lucia; two judges ofthe Supreme Court are residents of the islands and preside over theCourt of Summary Jurisdiction); Magistrates' Courts; member of theCaribbean Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People'sDemocratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,PetroCaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda
Flag description:
red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band; the sun symbolizes the dawn of a new era, black represents the African heritage of most of the population, blue is for hope, and red is for the dynamism of the people; the "V" stands for victory; the successive yellow, blue, and white coloring is also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand
National anthem:
name: "Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee"
lyrics/music: Novelle Hamilton RICHARDS/Walter Garnet Picart CHAMBERS
note: adopted 1967; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)
Economy ::Antigua and Barbuda
Economy - overview:
Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters. After taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, and was successful in reducing its public debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90% in 2008. However, the global financial crisis that began in 2008, has led to a significant increase in the national debt, which topped 130% at the end of 2010. The Antiguan economy experienced solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006 driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with the Cricket World Cup, but growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the boom. In 2009, Antigua's economy was severely hit by the global economic crisis, suffering from the collapse of its largest financial institution and a steep decline in tourism. This decline continued in 2010 as the country struggled with a yawning budget deficit.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.433 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 $1.494 billion (2009 est.)
$1.64 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.099 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-4.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 -8.9% (2009 est.)
1.8% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $17,400 (2009 est.)
$19,400 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 22%
services: 74.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
30,000 (1991) country comparison to the world: 204
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 11%
services: 82% (1983)
Unemployment rate:
11% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 69 6.5% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.07% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 10.43% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$233.5 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 170 $266.7 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of broad money:
$1.186 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 157 $1.236 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.13 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $1.002 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Industries:
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
110 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Electricity - consumption:
102.3 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Oil - exports:
219 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Oil - imports:
4,690 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Current account balance:
-$211 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Exports:
$84.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
Imports:
$522.8 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Debt - external:
$359.8 million (June 2006) country comparison to the world: 166
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
note: fixed rate since 1976
Communications ::Antigua and Barbuda
Telephones - main lines in use:
37,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 172
Telephones - mobile cellular:
134,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 178
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cable systems with links to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands) and Guadeloupe (France) (2007)
Broadcast media:
state-controlled Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) operates 1 TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; 1 radio station operated by ABS; roughly 15 radio stations, some broadcasting on multiple frequencies (2007)
Internet country code:
.ag
Internet hosts:
9,795 (2010) country comparison to the world: 122
Internet users:
65,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 171
Transportation ::Antigua and Barbuda
Airports:
3 (2010) country comparison to the world: 194
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 1,165 km country comparison to the world: 181 paved: 384 km
unpaved: 781 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,219 country comparison to the world: 9 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 53, cargo 703, carrier 6, chemical tanker 4, container 412, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 16, vehicle carrier 2
foreign-owned: 1,186 (Albania 1, Colombia 1, Denmark 20, Estonia 20,Germany 1050, Greece 5, Iceland 9, Isle of Man 2, Latvia 16,Lithuania 4, Mexico 2, Netherlands 18, Norway 9, NZ 2, Poland 2,Russia 3, Slovenia 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 7, Turkey 7, US 6) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Saint John's
Military ::Antigua and Barbuda
Military branches:
Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (including Antigua andBarbuda Coast Guard) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 20,909
females age 16-49: 23,815 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,475
females age 16-49: 19,764 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 763
female: 758 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 161
Transnational Issues ::Antigua and Barbuda
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center
page last updated on January 19, 2011
======================================================================
@Arctic Ocean (Oceans)
Introduction ::Arctic Ocean
Background:
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. In recent years the polar ice pack has thinned allowing for increased navigation and raising the possibility of future sovereignty and shipping disputes among countries bordering the Arctic Ocean.
Geography ::Arctic Ocean
Location:
body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Arctic
Area:
total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Coastline:
45,389 km
Climate:
polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow
Terrain:
central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:
sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
Natural hazards:
ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May
Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack
Geography - note:
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months
Economy ::Arctic Ocean
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.
Transportation ::Arctic Ocean
Ports and terminals:
Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Transportation - note:
sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways
Transnational Issues ::Arctic Ocean
Disputes - international:
the littoral states are engaged in various stages of demonstrating the limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles from their declared baselines in accordance with Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; record summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic has restimulated interest in maritime shipping lanes and sea floor exploration
page last updated on November 17, 2010
======================================================================
@Argentina (South America)
Introduction ::Argentina
Background:
In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents.
Geography ::Argentina
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, betweenChile and Uruguay
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 2,780,400 sq km country comparison to the world: 8 land: 2,736,690 sq km
water: 43,710 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 9,861 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km
Coastline:
4,989 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza)
Natural resources:
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 10.03%
permanent crops: 0.36%
other: 89.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
15,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
814 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 29.19 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%)
per capita: 753 cu m/yr (2000)
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 in some areas
volcanism: Argentina experiences volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (elev. 2,997 m, 9,833 ft) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchon-Peteroa, San Jose, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma
Environment - current issues:
environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere
People ::Argentina
Population:
41,343,201 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.6% (male 5,369,477/female 5,122,260)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 12,961,725/female 13,029,265)
65 years and over: 10.8% (male 1,819,057/female 2,611,800) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.3 years
male: 29.2 years
female: 31.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.036% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Birth rate:
17.75 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Death rate:
7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
Urbanization:
urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.052 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.11 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 148 male: 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.76 years country comparison to the world: 66 male: 73.52 years
female: 80.17 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.33 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine
Ethnic groups:
white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.2%
female: 97.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 17 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 71
Government ::Argentina
Country name:
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Buenos Aires
geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 40 W
time difference: UTC-3 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: none scheduled for 2010
Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, 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 Atlantico Sur (Tierra del Fuego), Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Independence:
9 July 1816 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)
Constitution:
1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860
Legal system:
mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)
election results: Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER elected president; percent of vote - Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER 45%, Elisa CARRIO 23%, Roberto LAVAGNA 17%, Alberto Rodriguez SAA 8%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 28 June 2009 (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 28 June 2009 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - FpV 8, ACyS 14, PJ disidente 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - FpV 45, ACyS 42, PRO 20, PJ disidente 12, other 8; note - as of 13 January 2009, the composition of the entire legislature is as follows: Senate - seats by bloc or party - FpV 36, ACyS 23, PJ disidente 9, other 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by bloc or party - FpV 113, ACyS 77, PRO 26, PJ disidente 17, other 24
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate)
note: the Supreme Court has seven judges; the Argentine Congress in 2006 passed a bill to gradually reduce the number of Supreme Court judges to five
Political parties and leaders:
Civic and Social Accord or ACyS (a broad center-left alliance-including the CC, UCR, and Socialist parties-created ahead of the 2009 legislative elections); Civic Coalition or CC (a broad coalition loosely affiliated with Elisa CARRIO); Dissident Peronists or PJ Disidente (a sector of the Justicialist Party opposed to the Kirchners); Front for Victory or FpV (a broad coalition, including elements of the UCR and numerous provincial parties) [Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Party or PJ [Daniel SCIOLI]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Ernesto SANZ]; Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI] (including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Esteban BULLRICH]; Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH] (associated with the Civic Coalition); numerous provincial parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); ArgentineIndustrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine RuralConfederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association);Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); Central ofArgentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed andunemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT(Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); White and Blue CGT(dissident CGT labor confederation); Roman Catholic Church
other: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); students
International organization participation:
AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN(associate), FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL,OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer),UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vilma MARTINEZ
embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires
mailing address: international mail: use embassy street address; APO address: US Embassy Buenos Aires, Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun
National anthem:
name: "Himno Nacional Argentino" (Argentine National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Vicente LOPEZ y PLANES/Jose Blas PARERA
note: adopted 1813; Vicente LOPEZ was inspired to write the anthem after watching a play about the 1810 May Revolution against Spain
Economy ::Argentina
Economy - overview:
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic, social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early 2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 8.5% annually over the subsequent six years, taking advantage of previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however, during the administration of President Nestor KIRCHNER, which responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints, and beginning in early 2007, with understating inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as President in late 2007, and the rapid economic growth of previous years began to slow sharply the following year as government policies held back exports and the world economy fell into recession. The economy has rebounded from the 2009 recession, but the government's continued reliance on expansionary fiscal and monetary policies risks exacerbating already high inflation, which remains under-reported by official statistics.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$596 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $554.5 billion (2009 est.)
$571.6 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$351 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 -3% (2009 est.)
5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,700 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $13,700 (2009 est.)
$14,100 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 31.6%
services: 59.8% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
16.62 million country comparison to the world: 36 note: urban areas only (2010 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 23%
services: 72% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 8.7% (2009 est.)
note: based on official data, which may understate unemployment
Population below poverty line:
30% (January-June 2010)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 32.6% (2009)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45.7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 38
Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
Public debt:
50.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 48.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
22% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 222 16% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.66% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 19.47% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$41.66 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 46 $35.33 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$112.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $85.18 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$113.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $84.92 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$48.93 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 48 $52.31 billion (31 December 2008)
$86.68 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock
Industries:
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate:
6.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Electricity - production:
109.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Electricity - consumption:
99.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Electricity - exports:
2.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
796,300 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Oil - consumption:
622,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Oil - exports:
314,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Oil - imports:
52,290 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - proved reserves:
2.386 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Natural gas - production:
41.36 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - consumption:
43.14 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Natural gas - exports:
890 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - imports:
2.66 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Natural gas - proved reserves:
398.4 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Current account balance:
$6.976 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $11.29 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$68.01 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $55.67 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
soybeans and derivatives, petroleum and gas, vehicles, corn, wheat
Exports - partners:
Brazil 18.78%, China 9.26%, Chile 7.11%, US 6.38% (2009)
Imports:
$52.61 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $37.14 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum and natural gas, organic chemicals, plastics
Imports - partners:
Brazil 31.12%, US 13.69%, China 10.26%, Germany 4.69% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$53.61 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $48.03 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$128.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $118.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$86.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $80.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)