Country info for backpacking in Argentina

Map of Argentina Argentina is the second-largest country in South America, and the eighth-largest in the world. It is also the highest and the lowest of the continent; at 6.960m Cerro Aconcagua is the tallest mountain in the whole American continent, while Salinas Chicas, at 40m below sea level, is the lowest point. At the southern tip of Argentina there are several routes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans including the Strait of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, and the Drake Passage as an alternative sailing around Cape Horn in the open ocean between South America and Antarctica.

Climate

Buenos Aires and the Pampas are temperate; cold in the winter, hot and humid in the summer. The deserts of Cuyo are extremely hot and dry in the summer and moderately cold and dry in the winter. Spring and fall often exhibit rapid temperature reversals; several days of extremely hot weather may be followed by several days of cold weather, then back to extremely hot. The Andes are cool in the summer and very cold in the winter, varying according to altitude. Patagonia is cool in the summer and cold in the winter. Extreme temperature shifts within a single day are even more common here; pack a variety of clothes and dress in layers. Don't forget that seasons are reversed from those of the Northern Hemisphere.

Terrain

The central region of Argentina is mostly the rich plain known as La Pampa. There is jungle in the extreme northern areas, especially on the east. The southern half of Argentina is dominated by the flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia. The western border with Chile is along the rugged Andes mountains, including the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The western Cuyo regions at the base of the Andes are mostly rocky desert.

History

Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals. In the first decade of the 20th century, Argentina became the richest nation in Latin America, its wealth symbolized by the opulence of its capital city. European immigrants flowed into Argentina, particularly from Italy; by 1914 nearly 6 million people had come to the country. After World War II, a long period of Peronist rule in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after the abortive attempt to wrest the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) from United Kingdom sovereignity. A painful economic collapse at the turn of the 21st century devalued the Argentine peso by a factor of three and ushered in a series of weak, short-lived governments along with social and economic instability. As of 2006, the country has stabilized under President Nestor Kirchner, and the economy has begun to recover.

Language

The official language is Spanish. The regional dialect, Voseo (Rioplatense Spanish), better known as argentino, is subtly different from both the language of Spain and that of Central America. Most notably, the pronoun "tu" is replaced by "vos", and the you plural pronoun "vosotros" replaced with "ustedes", the latter being common throughout Latin America. Additionally there is separate verb conjugations, sometimes significantly different for irregular verbs in present tense and informal commands. Examples of this and the different verbs forms can be found at Hey Big Balls Don't be surprised if you hear some creative terms of endearment on the street. It's not uncommon to refer to one's friends as boludo ("big balls") or hijo de puta ("son of a bitch"). Larger people are unapologetically addressed as gordo (fatso), blacks as "negro", and anyone resembling indigenous peoples as "Peruano" or "Boliviano" (regardless of their actual ancestry) This sort of blunt address is considered normal in Argentina. Try to take it lightly. The Argentine accent evinces heavy Italian influence from the large influx of Italian immigrants. Hand gestures derived from Italian are extremely common, and many slang expressions are borrowed from Italian. Most locals can readily understand most Spanish dialects, and Portuguese or Italian if spoken slowly. English is mandatory in High School and usually understood on at least a basic level in touristy areas. German and French can be understood and to some extent spoken by small fractions of the population. A few places in Patagonia near Rawson have native Welsh speakers. Words borrowed from aboriginal languages include: quechua, guarani, mataco and others. The interjection "che" is extremely common and means approximately the same as English "hey!".Or also can be implyed as a phrase known to someone you don't remember their names. Ex: "Oíme, Che,...." Sometimes it is peppered through out the speech, similar to the English phrase "you know".

Time

Argentinians generally take a relaxed attitude towards time. This can be unsettling to visitors from North America and non-Latin parts of Europe where punctuality is highly valued. You should expect that your Argentine contacts will be at least 10 to 15 minutes late for any appointment. Tardiness of 30 to 45 minutes is not unusual. This is considered normal in Argentina and does not signify any lack of respect for the relationship. Of course, this does not apply to business meetings. If you are invited to a dinner or party at, say 9 PM, it does not mean that you should be present at 9 PM, but instead that you should not arrive before 9 PM. You'll be welcomed anytime afterwards. Arriving to a party 2-3 hours late is normally OK and sometimes expected. This attitude extends to any scheduled activity in Argentina. Plays, concerts usually get going around half an hour after their scheduled times. Long distance buses leave on time. As in any busy city around the world, short-distance public transportation like city buses and the subway do not even bother with time estimates; they arrive when they arrive. Factor these elements into your calculations of how long things will take. Unannounced bus or train departures ahead of the schedule are not uncommon, especially in big cities. This is normally not a problem, as in general no one will expect you to be on time anyway.

Electricity

Argentine electricity is officially 220V 50Hz. Adapters and transformers for North American equipment are readily available. The best way to use imported electrical equipment in Argentina is to purchase an adapter once there. These are available in the Florida shopping area in Buenos Aires for around US$2, or less in hardware stores outside the city center. Buildings use a mix of European and Australian plug fittings. However, the live and neutral pins in the Australian fittings are reversed so as to prevent cheap imports into Australia. Therefore an Australian adapter may be incompatible. The IRAM-2073, which are physically identical to the Australian AS-3112 standard (two blades in a V-shape, with or without a third blade for ground). European standard CEE-7/7 "Schukostecker" or "Schuko" outlets and the non-grounded, but compatible, European CEE-7/16 "Europlug" outlets may still be found in some older buildings. U.S. and Canadian travelers may want to pack adapters for these outlets as well. Many sockets have no earth pin. Laptop adapters should have little problem with this for short term use. Some Argentine sockets accept North American plugs, particularly ones on power strips. Beware - this does not mean that these sockets deliver 110 volts. Make sure that your equipment can handle 220 volts! Simply changing the shape of the plug with a US$2 adapter will not allow 110 volt equipment to operate on 220 volt Argentinian current; unless the device is specifically designed to work on both 110 and 220 volts, irreperable damage and even fire can result. Most laptop power adapters and many portable electronics chargers are designed to work on dual voltage; check the specifications for your equipment to be sure. If your equipment cannot accept 220 volt current, you can purchase a 220->110 volt transformer for approximately US$6 in most Argentinian electronics shops. This is much heavier and bulkier than a small adapter.

Sports

The most popular sport in Argentina is futbol (soccer). If you come to Argentina, you shouldn't miss the chance to experience a professional match live. Argentina's fans are very passionate. Although Argentina is known for many sports and their talent; not being able to play any sports in Argentina is very rare! Football teams There are five teams called "Los 5 grandes" and are the elite of the argentinian football tournaments:

• Boca Juniors - famous stadium "La Bombonera" where Diego Maradona played.
• River Plate - Stadium "El monumental de Nuñez"
• Independiente - Stadium "Libertadores de America"
• San Lorenzo
• Racing Club

Other Teams

• Rosario Central - Stadium "El gigante de Arroyito"
• Velez Sarfield (European SouthAmerican Cup Champion in Tokyo 1994)
• Estudiantes de La Plata
• Colón de Santa Fe - Stadium "Cementerio de los elefantes" (Elephants cemetery)
• Ferrocarril Oeste

Rugby and basketball (basquet) are also popular. Polo is popular among the upper classes. Tennis has been growing in popularity with the country's steady production of top player over the past three decades. Field hockey has also became a popular sport, especially among women. The National Women's Field Hockey Team, Las Leonas (The Lionesses), has grown in the past years and developed into a high-level team, competing against the best in the world. Car Racing are popular too, the main categories are Turismo Carretera (Ford vs Chevrolet), TC2000 (Touring Cars) and TopRace. The most important racetrack in Argentina is in Buenos Aires: "Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez "

There is plenty of activity and foot traffic throughout the night. Nice areas have a very thorough police presence, perhaps one officer per 3 blocks, plus store security and auxiliary patrols. Public security in all major cities like Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Rosario is handled by the Federal Police and the National Gendarmerie or the Naval Prefecture, especially in the Puerto Madero area of Buenos Aires. As in any large city, certain particular neighborhoods in Buenos Aires and other cities are very dangerous. Ask trusted locals, such as hotel desk staff or police officers, for advice. Pay attention to your environment and trust your instincts. If an area seems questionable, leave. Many people in the street hand out small cards with horoscopes, lottery numbers, pictures of saints, or cute drawings on them. If you take the card, the person will ask for payment. You can simply return the card along with a no, gracias. Persistent panhandlers are usually not dangerous; a polite but firm no tengo nada ("I don't have anything") is usually enough. Most robberies are not violent; in most cases, if your wallet is stolen, you won't even notice until hours later. In the unlikely event that you are confronted by a mugger, simply hand over your valuables - they are replaceable. Watch out for pickpockets in the subway and on crowded city streets. Never hang your purse or bag from the back of your chair in a cafe or restaurant - stealthy theft from such bags is common. Keep your purse or backpack on the floor between your legs while you eat. Popular demonstrations are very common in Buenos Aires, and are best avoided by tourists as these demonstrations sometimes grow into violent confrontations with the police or National Gendarmerie, particularly as they approach the government buildings in the city center. There are rogue taxis operating in Buenos Aires whose drivers kidnap and rob tourists and locals alike. If you take a taxi, it's best to have your hotel or business phone for a radio taxi. If you must hail one on the street, look for one with the lighted gear on the roof and the designation "Radio Taxi" next to a phone number. Try to have small bills ready, as you may receive counterfeits if you pay in large denominations. It is recommended that you carry some ID with you, but not your original passport. A copy of it (easily provided by your own hotel) should be enough.

Ezeiza International Airport Security Warning

On July of 2007, Argentina's Canal 13 conducted an investigation revealing that a group of security operators at the airport are stealing valuable objects such as iPods, digital cameras, cellular phones, sun glasses, jewelry and laptops while scanning the checked luggage of passengers. According to the special report, security operators at the airport should check each bag before putting it into the plane; however, some operators take advantage of the scanner machine to detect valuable objects and steal them. The report states that this event occurs every day and that the stolen items include anything from electronic devices to perfumes and chocolates. Travelers and residents using the Ezeiza airport are strongly encouraged to place high-value items in their carry-on luggage to prevent any incidents.

Emergency numbers

• Ambulance (Inmediate Health Emergency Service, SAME): 107
• Firemen (National Firemen Corps): 100
• Police (Argentine Federal Police): 101 (currently Argentina is implementing a 911 service, but at the time of this writing it is available only in a few cities, which include Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata)
• Tourist Police: (011) 4346-5748 / 0800-999-5000

WARNING: Neighbouring Paraguay is currently experiencing its deadliest yellow fever epidemic in over 60 years. If visiting near the border (provinces of Misiones, Corrientes, Chaco, Formosa, Salta, and Jujuy), being vaccinated at least 10 DAYS prior is highly recommended. While no cases have been reported in Argentina as of March 2008, this disease can spread very quickly and unpredictably. Buenos Aires is over 800 km (500 mi) from Paraguay, and of no concern at this time. Visiting Argentina doesn't raise any major health worries. Certain vaccinations may be necessary for visitors, depending on where in Argentina you plan to visit. Yellow Fever vaccinations are recommended for those visiting the Northern forests. Different climate conditions might take your body by surprise, so be aware of the weather before you arrive. A bout of travellers' diarrhoea is the most you're likely to have to worry about as your body adjusts to local micro-organisms in the food. It's also best to ease yourself gently into the local diet – sudden quantities of red meat, red wine, strong coffee and sweet pastries can be very unsettling for a stomach used to gentler repasts – and though tap water in Argentina is safe to drink, if sometimes heavily chlorinated, you may prefer to err on the side of caution in rural areas in the north of the country.