with its 2 766 890 sq kms, Argentina is an eighth largest country in the world

the current population (2018) is 44 800 000 

population density is 16 persons /sq km

neighbors with 5 countries - Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay 

the land boundaries are 11 968 km long

has 4989 kms of Atlantic coast on eastern/southern side

western part is formed by the Southern Andes range

the highest peak Aconcagua 6962 m asl (also the highest peak of western and southern hemispheres)

has 45 peaks over 6000 m (20 shared with Chile)

Ojos del Salado is the highest active volcano in the world with its 6893 m (nr 2 after Aconcagua)

the lowest point - Laguna del Carbón at -105 m usl                          (7th lowest depression in the world)

Lago Argentino is the largest lake with 1415 sq kms

Paraná is the longest river with its 1630 kms in Argentina (out of 4840 kms total length)

Argentina is subdivided into 23 provinces                     

+ 1 federal district:

1. BUENOS AIRES                                               2. CATAMARCA

3. CHACO                                                            4. CHUBUT

5. CÓRDOBA                                                      6. CORRIENTES

7. ENTRE RÍOS                                                    8. FORMOSA

9. JUJUY                                                             10. LA PAMPA

11. LA RIOJA                                                        12. MENDOZA

13. MISIONES                                                      14. NEUQUÉN

15. RÍO NEGRO                                                   16. SALTA

17. SAN JUAN                                                      18. SAN LUIS

19. SANTA CRUZ                                                20. SANTA FE

21. SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO                             22. TUCUMÁN

23. TIERRA DEL FUEGO   

          + 1. AUTONOMOUS CITY OF BUENOS AIRES

Let´s introduce ourselves the top 10 most populated cities and towns (with agglomerations):

1. BUENOS AIRES - 15 027 200
2. CÓRDOBA - 1 599 700
3. ROSARIO - 1 331 100
4. MENDOZA - 1 043 200
5. SAN MIGUEL DE TUCUMÁN - 892 900
6. LA PLATA - 846 500
7. SALTA - 635 600
8. MAR DEL PLATA - 623 400
9. SANTA FE - 535 700
10. SAN JUAN - 507 600

• formerly incredible and large railway net is now limited to servicing only around 6000 kms
• most services are suburban commuter trains around big cities and a few provincial regional trains, long distance covers BA - Tucumán, Cordoba, Mar del Plata, Bahia Blanca, Junín, Chivilcoy; Viedma - Bariloche
• the government plans seem to be open to awakening - reconstructions on some lines are being introduced
• there was a strong program to recover a Atlantic-Pacific line between Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile via Mendoza, but now it has been 15 years since and no outcomes
  

• long-haul buses in more quality standards to be chosen
• you are able to reach almost every place in the country
• many transport providers
• not cheap anymore
• note that the longest route within the country means over 3000 kms
  

• expensive although currently appearing some "low cost" airlines such as Flybondi, Andes Airlines, Norwegian or JetSmart (since March 2020 they merged to be JetSmart)
• Aerolineas Argentinas is an inter/national carrier
• generally it is possible to reach different provinces of the country in one day, mostly with change at one of the two Buenos Aires based airports - Ezeiza, AEP Jorge Newbery; and Cordoba or Mendoza
• from Europe reached by Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Iberia, British Airways, LATAM, Turkish Airlines, Air Europa...

YERBA MATE - a lifestyle on its own

It is not only a drink, it is not only a remedy or drug, with plenty of health effects, it is not a must - it is the way to exist in peace, it is a custom to be happy, it is a way to share "common feelings and being together".

Yerba mate is a plant and herb and the beverage is being made from its dried leaves. Sometimes they get smoked as well. The most usually it is being sipped from the gourd (calabash, wood ...) through the metal straw. The infusion must be made with hot but not boiling water (up to 80 degrees C).

Argentinians love it, they don´t mind to carry all the stuff anywhere they go. They have full support around the country to get hot water whenever they wish to refill, there are the hot water coin machines in the public places. So they sip and sip troughout the life.

Food in Argentina is not anyhow diverse and not anyhow healthy either. 

OF COURSE, mainly MEAT, MEAT and MEAT again!

Generally, it is a mixture of Italian (pizza, pasta), American (fried food, burgers, hot dogs ...) and local/regional (empanadas, sandwiches, chicken, fish, vegetable ...) - supported with more than enough of beef and patagonian lamb... .

 "Asado" is a national word and people would not survive without it

(has two meanings - grilling/roasting/barbecuing, or a special main meat for this reason)

"Parrilla" (you have to make sure you pronounce it right, here it is - parrizha) is a grill itself