Location

Argentina occupies most of the southern region of the South American continent, extending from its border with Bolivia in the north to the Southern Ocean. Argentina is also bordered by the Andes Mountain range.

Geographic Features

The country has a varied physical geography, including the subtropical forest and swamps of the Gran Chaco in the north to the Pampas region of central Argentina to the Patagonia, a region of cold infertile plateaux in the southern part of the country.

Climate

The Pampas region has a mild climate. The northern Andes are semiarid and the southern regions are snowy.

Official Name

Republic of Argentina

Capital

Buenos Aires

Official Language

Spanish

Population

July 2011 Estimate: 41,769,726

The face on Argentina's flag, pictured at left, is called the Sun of May and the facial features represent Inti, Inca god of the sun. The colors on Argentina's flag represent the snow of the Andes against a clear sky, according to the CIA World Factbook.