**ARGENTINA** Capital = Buenos Aires Nationality = Argentine Currency = The peso ~ BUENOS AIRES Buenos Aires is the capital of the country and of the River Plate region (la región platense). The people of Buenos Aires are known as Porteña (because of their residence near the main port). Buenos Aires is the economic and political center of the country. Some well-known sections of the city include La Boca, La Recoleta, and the Federal District (el Distrito Federal). The Pink House (la Casa Rosada) is located in front of May Square (la Plaza de Mayo) and is the presidential house. La Recoleta has many malls, restaurants and an active night life. Many people like to go out to eat very late and it is common to stay up all night in this city, the third largest in South America. ~ POPULATION About 41 million people live in Buenos Aires. ~ LA BOCA La Boca is a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, considered to be the artistic center. The houses are painted many different colors. The Alberto J. Armando Soccer Stadium is located here as well. ~ THE MOTHERS OF MAY SQUARE In the seventies and eighties (1976-1983), there was a dirty war between the right-winged politicians and the general population of Argentina. It is believed that thousands of people disappeared and never returned. Because of this, mothers of the young disappeared ones (desaparecidos) began to march on May Square in front of the Pink House, in search of answers about what happened to their loved ones. These mothers continue to march every Thursday at 4:00pm to honor these missing people. ~ EXPORTS The products exported from Argentina are mainly agricultural and include soy and corn. Argentina exports farm animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens. They also produce natural minerals but the majority of their products are based on agriculture. A lot of wine is produced in Argentina as well. ~ TYPICAL ANIMALS Animals commonly seen in jungles and forests include jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles, tortoises, raccoons, and birds like flamingos and toucans. Domestic animals include cows and horses (of which people often refer to as cavalcades ). Also, there are chickens, pigs, and birds. ~ MONETARY SYSTEM In 2001, the stock market fell. Nowadays, the peso is worth more than before but the Argentines and their financial markets still suffer from the
economic decline. Upon strengthening the market, Argentina increased the prices of their essential products. The citizens suffered greatly from this. Currently, the American dollar is worth more than four Argentine pesos. ~ GAUCHOS Gauchos were the rural inhabitants that took root in the 18th century in the southern region of the country, known as Las Pampas. They are the most emblematic symbol of the country and they represent the character of the nation. They have practically reached mythical recognition. The gauchos possess great virtues such as honor, courage, and strength in addition to being hospitable and kind. Gauchos are the cowboys of Argentina. ~ SPORTS The most popular sport is soccer. Basketball, polo and tennis are also popular sports. ~ TANGO The Argentine tango has become famous as popular urban music. It became popular throughout the entire country, but the origins of this sensual and melancholy music began in the city of Buenos Aires at the end of the 20 th century. Tango combines rhythms of African candombe, European melodies from Spain and Italy, as well as the Gaucho s milonga, which used to be a popular genre in the country. Carlos Gardel is the most prominent Argentine tango artist. Gardel wrote and sang several tangos and is known today as the king of tango. ~ MATE Yerba mate is a tea that many Argentine people drink. While it is a common beverage, it is also a lifestyle and a daily ritual for the majority of Argentine citizens. Normally, people sit in a circle to chat and pass the yerba mate. It is a tradition passed on by the peasants of Argentina, who represent a part of its rich culture. ~ TYPICAL FOOD There are many common foods in Argentina, such as breaded meat pies (las empanadas de carne), various roasted meats (el asado), as well as several pasta dishes (from the country s Italian influence). Argentines eat a lot of meat because it is widely produced throughout the country. It is known to be exquisitely tender. The people of Argentina drink a lot of Malbec wine, which is a special wine produced exclusively in the city of Mendoza. ~ BARILOCHE - Bariloche is a city to the south of the country, next to the Andes mountain range. It is an important city for the tourism industry of Argentina. It has many luxurious hotels, as well as beautiful forests, natural reserves, and ski lodges. Also, there are boat excursions that take people from Chile to Argentina. ~ CÓRDOBA - Córdoba is a college town. It has many colonial influences. Its architecture comes from the Spanish. It is the second largest city in the country, and is centrally located.
~ USHUAIA - Ushuaia belongs to the region named Fireland (Tierra del Fuego). It is known for being the southernmost city in the world. It is always cold here and its land is tundra. It is an urban city with more than 45,000 inhabitants, and it draws in large groups of tourists. ~ SAN MARTÍN DE LOS ANDES San Martín de los Andes is a city located in the Andes mountains. It is one of the most important touristic destinations of the Patagonia region (the southernmost region). There are many things to do during every season of the year. In winter, there are ski lodges to visit and in the summer people ride horses, go on various excursions and go kayaking. There are many restaurants that offer exquisite Argentine meals. ~ THE IGUAZÚ WATERFALLS The Iguazú waterfalls are a natural phenomenon and are divided between Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Many people go to see the waterfalls here, which are bigger than Niagara Falls. ~ LAND DISPUTES In 1982 there was a conflict between Argentina and England. The Falkland Islands (las Islas Malvinas) are now considered to be part of England s territory. ~ DIALECT Voseo is used to speak to people using the singular second person form of the verb. It is conjugated like this: Vos hablás, Vos comés, Vos dormís There are irregular verbs as well, like ser, which conjugates: sos Throughout most of Argentina, the letter ll is pronounced zh, like the s in the English word vision. In central and northeastern areas of the country, the letters rr and y are pronounced with the same zh sound. ~ THE EX-PRESIDENT - Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is the president of Argentina. She took on the position in 2007. She is a lawyer and ex-senator of the region of Buenos Aires. Her husband, Néstor Kirchner, handed over his executive power to her. She is from the same political party (Justicialist Party, Partido Justicialista, and Front for Victory, Frente para la Victoria) as Juan and Evita Perón. She is the first female president to be elected by the Argentine people. The current president is Mauricio Macri. ~ EVITA PERÓN Evita Perón was the wife of Juan Perón. He was the populist president of Argentina between 1946 and 1955, and from 1973 to 1974. Evita is part of Argentina s culture and national identity. She spoke in favor of rights for women, workers, and the poor.
**OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE: ~ JUSTO LAMAS Justo Lamas is an Argentine singer who gives concerts in the United States, inspiring Spanish students to achieve academic success and to fight against problems like depression and other social injustices. ~ JORGE LUIS BORGES Jorge Luis Borges was a writer and poet, born in Buenos Aires in 1899. His most famous works include Ficciones (1944) and El Aleph (1949), both compilations of short stories with themes such as dreams, labyrinths, libraries, religion and God. **LAS PELÍCULAS NOTABLES: ~ LA HISTORIA OFICIAL The Official Story is a movie based on the events that occurred during the dirty war. ~ DIARIOS DE MOTOCICLETA Motorcycle Diaries is a movie based on the diaries from the trip that Ernesto Che Guevara and Alberto Granado took throughout South America.
Me llamo. **LAS PREGUNTAS DE LA ARGENTINA** 1. What is the capital of Argentina? 2. Who is the current president? 3. What are three places that you can visit in Argentina? Include a lot of information! 4. Tell me about Argentina s economy and about its exports. (Include a lot of information.) 5. 5. Write about the Argentine gauchos. What are they like, where do they live, etc.? 6. Who are the Mothers of May Square? Include three facts about them. 7. What are some common Argentine foods? 8. Explain the tango. Give details about the dance. 9. Explain two distinct aspects of the Argentine Spanish dialect.