Argentina

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and is home to more than 40 million people. It is bordered by Chile to the west and by Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil to the north and east. Much of Argentina's eastern border is coastal; the country has nearly 3,000 miles of coastline.

Argentina is a huge country and contains several distinct regions. One of the best known of these is the Pampas – a central, fairly low-lying region that is one of Argentina's main agricultural areas and generates a lot of income for the country through livestock rearing. Another key livestock area is the Gran Chaco region, which lies further to the north of Argentina.

Other highly-productive regions of Argentina include Cuyo, the main wine-producing region of Argentina. Situated to the east of the Andes Mountains, the rivers and streams which run down from the mountains create a fertile and well-irrigated area – ideal for fruit growing. Finally, the north west of the country is Argentina's most mountainous region. Several mountain ranges dominate the area, with many peaks reaching over 6,000m above sea level.

The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires. A large, bustling city, the Greater Buenos Aires metro area has a population of 12 million people, making it one of the largest conurbations in the world. In fact, half of Argentina's population lives in the largest 10 urban areas of the country – many rural areas are very sparsely populated indeed.

Argentina is a country of contrasts. Culturally, climatically and economically it contains huge variety. This is partly as a result of its huge geographic diversity, which encompasses fertile lowlands, hostile mountains, subtropical forests and near-endless coastline.

Argentina drives on the right, in line with its Spanish colonial heritage. If you are planning to hire a car in Argentina, expect a mixture of American and European style vehicles to be available, depending on your requirements.