The dominant religion of Argentina since its exploration by Europeans has always been Christianity. This remains the case today. The largest Christian denomination in the state is Roman Catholicism, since the historical and spiritual background of the country was largely determined by the influence of Spain, which colonized this part of the New World. However, throughout history, especially during the immigration period of the 20th century, other spiritual movements developed in Argentina. In addition, Argentina is one of the countries in Latin America with the largest percentage of non-religious atheists, agnostics and humanists, as well as a population that believes in God but does not identify with any church or spiritual community.

State and religion

Argentina entered into a concordat with the Holy See in 1966, which gives the Roman Catholic Church special rights and privileges in the Republic, as well as the support of the federal government, according to the Constitution (Article 2), Civil and Commercial Code of the country. The distinctive position of Catholicism gives it a superior position in relation to other churches and denominations, but does not give it the status of an official religion of the Republic. In addition, in Argentina, freedom of religion is guaranteed by Article 14 of the National Constitution. According to data for 2017, the religious beliefs of the country’s citizens were distributed approximately as follows:

• 66% are Catholics;
• 9% are Protestants;
• 3% are adherents of other religions;
• 21% - non-religious population;
• 1% find it difficult or do not want to answer.

Christianity

According to research cited in a report to the 2004 Argentine Episcopal Conference by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, 88% of the country's inhabitants were baptized as Catholics. However, the percentage of people who consider themselves believers ranges from 69-78%. However, only 23% of the total population often visit places

The growth of various Protestant movements in the country can be judged by the facts that until 2001 in Argentina there were close to 15,000 churches and about 4.5 million followers, including Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, who made up 12% of the state's population. It is worth noting that the majority of Argentine Protestants are active participants in their congregations.

The Cathedral of the Annunciation and the Holy Trinity Church of Buenos Aires reflect the presence in the country of another of the three great branches of Christianity - Orthodoxy.

Judaism and Muslim faith

The Jewish community in Argentina is the largest in Latin America and one of the six largest in the world. Currently, about 200,000 Jews live in the Republic, but in the 60s there were close to half a million. The main number of communities, 11 to be exact, are concentrated in Buenos Aires, the rest are distributed mainly in the province of Entre Rios, and small groups are also located in the cities of Argentina: Mendos, Rosario, Cordoba and Tucuman. The country has the third largest Jewish community in the Americas, which is also considered the fourth largest outside of Israel after France, England and Russia.

The number of Muslim believers in the country is estimated to range from 500,000 to 700,000 people, which is about 1.5% of total number population. Close to 160,000 people live in and around the federal capital, with the rest dispersed throughout the country with significant concentrations in the cities of Cordoba, Mendoza, Tucuman, Rosario and Santiago del Estero.

Other spiritual positions

Among the state's most relevant religious minorities are Buddhism, the Spiritualist Confederation of Argentina, the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and a small group of Hare Krishnas. Behind last decade V major cities Neopaganism appeared in the country, represented by a limited number of descendants of Europeans living in Argentina. Religious cults of saints who are not canonized by any denomination, pre-Columbian and African beliefs that combine elements of Catholicism or evangelism are quite common in the Republic.

As the survey showed, big number Argentines believe in God, but do not express a sense of belonging to any churches and do not recognize divine services, wanting to remain religious “without intermediaries.” Such people numbered 2.3% in 2008, and together with non-believers, who made up 9%, they accounted for 11.3% of the Argentine population. In the 2017 survey results, this share corresponds to 21%.

And one Federal. The territory of the state is formed by: the southeastern region of the South American continent, the eastern region and several nearby islands (and others).

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general information

The name of the country can be translated as “silver”. Although it has nothing to do with this precious metal. The main wealth of Argentina is primarily its vast pastures and fertile lands. Today the country is able to surprise tourists with its rich architectural and cultural heritage, and the capital is increasingly called by many as the Paris of the south.

State structure : federal Republic, the head is the president (the current president -), who is elected by popular vote for 4 years with the possibility of extending the presidency for a 2nd term. The supreme legislative body is the National Congress. Full list Presidents of Argentina, see.

Official language: Spanish, Italian, French and German are also spoken here.

Religion: Mostly Catholic.

Currency: (ARS).

Favorite sports games: primarily football; basketball, motorsports.

Terrain

Due to the long distance from north to south, it is characterized by amazing landscape diversity: in the north there is a flat tropical savanna, turning into the subtropical steppes - Pampas, in the south there is the Patagonian Plateau, known for its harsh climate.

The vast territory of the country is divided into 4 natural zones:

• Andes mountain region;
• northern plains (with part of the Gran Chaco and between the Paraná and Uruguay rivers);
• The Pampas are vast, treeless plains lying south of the Gran Chaco, east of the Andes and north of ;
• - vast steppes, south of the Rio Colorado.

From the west, the borders of Argentina are bordered by a massive mountain system, consisting of ridges and ridges parallel to each other; to the south, the Andes stretch into a single ridge with glaciers and snow fields.

The boundary of permanent snow rises more and more to the north, the mountains gradually turn into the vast lake region of Argentina in the provinces of Rio Negro and Neuquen, with a delightful lake. The area with many picturesque lakes extends throughout Chile.

Short story

It's hard to believe, but at the beginning of the 20th century Argentina was considered richest country peace. There was even a saying: rich as an Argentine. Many thousands of Europeans flocked to the picturesque foothills of the Andes, hoping to find prosperity - Italians, Pyrenean Basques, Catalans, Galicians, Germans, Austrians, Swiss, Irish and Scots, Russians and Ukrainians and Jews. The government's efforts to populate the empty territories of the state were unsuccessful because most of the immigrants settled in the capital region.

Due to the fact that the Patagonian Indians, like the Africans, were almost completely exterminated in the wars with Paraguay and Brazil, a “white” or “silver” country was formed on the South American continent: Catholic - in religion, Spanish - in the way of communication, and French - in way of life.

Population

Until the 16th century The territory of today's Argentina was inhabited by numerous Indian tribes:

• Diagits also lived in the north-west, leading a sedentary life, practicing various crafts;
• in the northeast lived the guar, who were mainly engaged in agriculture;
• in the eastern part of the country (in Pampa) lived small tribes of nomads (Kerandi, Charrua, Puelche and Het);
• Patagonia was inhabited by the Araucan, Tehuelche, and Alcaluf tribes, who traded fabrics and skins with neighboring peoples.

In the 16th century Spanish colonization began South America. As throughout the continent, in Argentina it was accompanied by the ruthless extermination of the indigenous population. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Indians, under the pressure of European immigrants, were pushed into the most remote corners of the country. Today, a small number of them live in the north - in the provinces of Formosa (Spanish: Formosa) and (Spanish: Chaco); in the northwest - in the provinces of Jujuy (Spanish: Jujuy) and Salto (Spanish: Salto); and in the south - in Patagonia (Spanish: Patagonia). Today, small groups of Indians flock to the cities, where they work in the service sector, but the bulk of the aborigines prefer to live the old fashioned way, apart from society.

In the northeast, European colonization was carried out by Jesuit missionaries who arrived to convert the local population to Christianity, and, ultimately, to turn them into uncomplaining and obedient servants of the Spanish crown. Among the Jesuits there were mainly Spaniards, Italians, Germans, French and Poles - that is, this was the first influx of immigrants from various European countries.

During the era of Spanish expansion, access to Argentina for other foreigners was severely limited, because in order to obtain entry permission, one had to live in Spain for at least 5 years. Only after the state gained independence, free entry into the country was opened, so the government implemented a policy to attract immigrants to develop the sparsely populated territories of the state.

It was immigration that had a significant impact on the formation national composition population, largely determining its distribution and demographic structure.

The national composition of the immigrants was characterized by great diversity, but the Spaniards and Italians undoubtedly predominated. The rest of the immigrants were represented by the French, Poles, as well as refugees from pre-revolutionary Russia (Russians, Ukrainians, Jews and Russified Germans), who created agricultural settlements along the (Spanish Rio Parana).

In Argentina, there is a law according to which everyone born in the country is an Argentinean. In its current form, the Argentine nation was formed by European immigrants in the 19th-20th centuries, so more than 85% of the population belongs to the white race. Today, about 97% of the state's population consider themselves Argentines (mostly mestizos - descendants of mixed marriages of European immigrants and indigenous Indians), only 2% call themselves Indians. Therefore, today the country is one of the most Europeanized Latin American countries. In addition, people from Europe, Asia and neighboring South American countries live here.

The population of modern Argentina is increasing mainly due to natural growth, today it is about 42.6 million people, this is the third largest national group in South America, ahead of only Brazilians and Colombians.

Argentina is ahead of many Latin American countries in terms of living standards. For example, the average life expectancy of local residents since the mid-50s of the twentieth century. increased in men - from 60 to 73 years, in women - from 65 to 80 years.

The population distribution is characterized by a high concentration in the coastal region of Pampa and high level urbanization. In general, Argentina today is not a densely populated country (with an average density of 10 people/1 km²).

In today's Argentina, 83% of the population lives in cities; among South American countries in terms of the share of urban residents, it is second only to Uruguay. Bright distinctive feature The settlement of the country is the so-called hypertrophy of the capital - more than 1⁄3 of the population and more than 2⁄5 of the population of cities live in the capital, Buenos Aires, this city is one of the ten largest agglomerations in the world.

Climate

The climate here is completely unique: in the north it is subtropical; in the central regions - humid tropical; in the south - mild, moderate. Please note that winter/summer in southern hemisphere coincide with ours, only exactly the opposite.

In the mountainous region of the Andes, rainy weather alternates with intense heat in summer, snow cover in winter, and frequent dry winds - “probes”. In humid, virgin forests and savannas of lowland areas, heavy rains are frequent. Average temperatures: in January about +5ºС, in July +20…+22ºС.

The best time to travel to the Southern Andes and Patagonia is in the summer (December - February). A visit to the northern and northwestern regions can be planned for the winter (May - September).

In spring and autumn you will have a great time in Buenos Aires, the foothills, Mesopotamia, the provinces and La Rioja. And the snow-covered slopes of the Andes from May to October await fans of alpine skiing.

Natural and historical attractions

On the territory of the country, which has an area of ​​almost 3 million km², with different climatic and geographical zones, many different natural scenarios are developing. Natural phenomena harmoniously combine with the sophistication and originality of the city of Buenos Aires. The endless Patagonian Plateau, stretching south of the Lake District, is famous for its enormous glaciers. Between the Atlantic rocky coast in the east to the majestic Andes in the west, where the seven-thousandth mountain reigns, virgin expanses stretch. The list of natural wonders of Argentina ends with the majestic Antarctica.

The territory of Argentina is rich in monuments classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• national parks "" in Patagonia and "Iguazu" (Missiones province);
• Jesuit tribal missions;
• cave (province of Santa Cruz);
• the luxurious parks of Talampaya and Ischigualasto, where ancient flora and fauna that arose 230 million years ago have been preserved;
• Jesuit buildings in the surrounding area;
• natural and historical artifacts in the valley along the famous ; and many others.

Here you can walk through the snow-capped Andes on horseback, swim near fur seals, dolphins and whales, hang out with penguins in Patagonia, watch exotic birds in the American Serengeti.

The famous resort is located south of Buenos Aires, in a mild climate zone. About 600 thousand residents live here, and there are up to 6 million guests and tourists per season! There are many parks where tourists are offered shows with Navy SEALs, dolphins and sharks. “Eco-tourism” is becoming increasingly popular - excursions to farms where you can watch sheep being sheared and feed newborn lambs, and also enjoy . A wine festival with fiery dancing, enchanting shows and the election of the Queen is regularly held in Mendoza.

A wonderful excursion to the city, the second largest in the country, but not inferior to the capital in terms of architecture. The city has the best historical museum in Argentina.

Natural attractions - national parks,

Buenos Aires.

Currency

Visa

Russian citizens do not require a visa to travel to Argentina for a period not exceeding 90 days within six months.

Time

The time is 6 hours behind Moscow.

Geography

The country occupies the southeastern part of the South American continent, including the eastern part of Tierra del Fuego, the Estados Islands, etc. The archipelago of the Falkland (Maldives) Islands, as well as South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are disputed territories with Great Britain. The country also lays claim to part of the Antarctic continent.

In the north, Argentina borders with Bolivia and Paraguay, in the east with Brazil and Uruguay, and in the south and west with Chile. In the east it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The country's highest point is Mount Cerro Aconcagua (6,960 m, the highest mountain in South America). Total area - 2.7 million square meters. km (the eighth largest country in the world).

Climate

Argentina lies in three climate zones: tropical, subtropical and temperate. Average annual temperatures range from +24C in the north to +5C in the south. The climate of the country is formed mainly under the influence of sea air masses with Atlantic Ocean. Most of the country has a temperate climate. In the northeast, the climate is subtropical, humid, and winters are mild. In the south of the country it is much colder and it rains most of the year. In Buenos Aires, the summer months are very hot and most residents go on holiday right after Christmas. In January and February the city is empty. In winter, the weather for Europeans is very pleasant, the temperature drops, but only slightly.

Voltage

Electrical voltage 220 V, 50 Hz. Sockets in older buildings are usually round, two-pronged, while some newer buildings use a "flat" socket with three prongs.

Population

The population in this country is about 45 million people.

Religion

Argentina has declared complete freedom of religion. The majority of the population (92%) are Catholic Christians, about 2% are Protestants, and another 2% profess Judaism.

Customs regulations

It is prohibited to import uncanned food products, without special permission - items and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value. Duty-free import is allowed: cigarettes - 200 pcs. (or cigars - 25 pcs.), alcoholic beverages - 2 liters, canned food - up to 5 kg., souvenirs and gifts worth no more than $300, items and things in limits of personal needs.

When importing these items in quantities exceeding the specified amount, a duty of 50% of their value is charged. The export of objects and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value, as well as weapons, is prohibited without special permission.

The export of wool and leather products, jewelry, and souvenirs is allowed within the limits of personal needs, but you must present a receipt from the store where these products were purchased. When exporting fur products, an export stamp receipt is required. The import and export of national and foreign currencies is not limited.

Transport

Ezeiza International Airport is located 35 km from Buenos Aires. You can reach the city via the Teniente General Riccieri highway. It is important to know that when leaving the country, you will be forced to pay a fee of $30.5.

Tourism

You can go to Argentina at any time of the year: the question is where and for what purpose are you going to go. Best time for a trip to Iguazu Falls - warm and not too wet autumn months (March-April). The best time to travel across the Patagonian plateau is in the summer (December-February). Ski lovers should plan a trip to the snowy winter months(June-August), while the beauties of Buenos Aires can be enjoyed all twelve months of the year. Oddly enough, Argentina does not have an eventful cultural calendar. Among the official holidays not related to religion, it is worth noting Revolution Day (May 25), Malvinas Day (June 10) and Columbus Day (October 12).

This country has it all - miles of beaches and some of the highest mountain peaks in the world, endless deserts and amazingly beautiful waterfalls, huge metropolises and the wild, deserted expanses of southern Patagonia. Buenos Aires - Plaza de Mayo, Metropolitan Cathedral (which houses the tomb of José da San Martin, the country's national hero during the struggle for independence), museum natural sciences, Museum of Fine Arts, International Art Gallery, Fernandez Blanco Museum (Museum of Colonial Art), San Martin Cultural Center, National Museum of Art, Cinema Museum, National Historical Museum, numerous examples of colonial architecture, the famous Colon Theater, opera and ballet center art throughout South America, 9th of July Avenue (the world's largest shopping district). The most interesting excursions are considered to be the "Gaucho Fiesta" and the "Tango Show" - an introduction to the life, cuisine, customs and music of gauchos - Argentine cowboys, an entertaining performance in which the best dancers of the country participate. Of particular interest is the colorful Italian suburb of La Boca and the resort of Mar del Plata, 400 km away. south of Buenos Aires. Cordoba is the second largest city in Argentina. From an architectural point of view, Cordoba is in many ways superior to the capital. The compact city center contains beautiful ensembles of buildings from colonial times - the old market, the Catholic Cathedral and much more. The city has one of the best historical museums countries.

On the border of Argentina with Brazil and Paraguay is the famous national park'Iguazu', covering an area of ​​55 thousand hectares. The park is considered one of the modern wonders of the world - it has 275 waterfalls, throwing down 5,000 cubic meters of water per second from a height of 70 meters. It preserves thousands of species of exotic birds, butterflies and unique tropical vegetation. Nearby are the ruins of the Jesuit missions, of particular interest is San Ignacio Mini, a church built in the Guarani Baroque style. Above the waterfalls there are convenient places for water sports. Argentina has both sea and ski resorts. Worth noting is Bariloche, located on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, which is often called the Switzerland of South America due to its similar landscape, architecture and high-quality chocolate production. Hunting and fishing are allowed here, and you can play golf and ski from Cathedral Mountain, which is equipped with a cable car. Miramar is also a major seaside resort, 137 km away. south of Mar del Plata. National attractions are also major natural attractions. parks Nahuel Huapi, Los Glaciares, Lanin, etc. Ocean cruises to Cape Horn, Antarctica and Patagonia are especially popular among tourists.

Tips

In Argentina, it is customary to give tips, which amount to 5-10% of the bill for service; in expensive establishments they are often already included in the bill.

Language

The official language is Spanish. German, French and Italian are also used.

What is the main religion in Argentina, what do its residents believe in and who do they pray to? This is all you need to know, regardless of whether you are going there on business, to visit, or just on vacation. Argentina is the most “European” country on the South American continent, since 97% of its population are descendants of European settlers (Germans, Spaniards, Italians, Russians, Armenians, Jews, etc.). The share of the local, aboriginal population is only 3%.

For most of its history, Argentina was (and remains) a Christian country. The dominant religion here is Catholicism, which was brought to the country by the Spanish conquerors, and then gradually modified, influenced by settlers from other regions of the Earth.

The Indians' former belief in shamanism and nature spirits made them more susceptible to Pentecostal preaching than representatives of other religions. Their need for a new source of faith and strength that could restore their hope for a better future allowed them to accept the holy spirit, which they recognized in the moment of ecstasy as a new source of strength, which they could interpret in the light of their familiar shamanic practices and healing techniques.

Scientists still cannot come to an unambiguous conclusion regarding the exact number of believers belonging to this denomination. Statistics range from 70% in some sources to 90% in others.

The CIA directory reports that the country's Catholic population is 92%, but only 20% of them attend church regularly. However, it does not specify when this information was received.

Catholic practices include a large number of elements of syncretism, especially in areas inhabited by indigenous peoples, when during rituals and ceremonies in churches or at home, amulets and other attributes of former Indian beliefs are used along with icons and other religious symbols of Catholicism.

IN last years The country has seen an increase in the number of Protestants, or evangelicals (Evangelicos). If, according to a 2008 survey, about 9% of the total population called themselves Protestants, then in 2013 already 15% considered themselves such, of which 9% claimed that they were Pentecostals.

Islam and Judaism

Argentina has the largest Islamic minority in Latin America, since it was there that a significant number of immigrants from Turkey moved there in the 20th century. These were mainly Syrian and Lebanese Arabs. Although exact information is not available, it is estimated that only a quarter of them were Muslims, and the remainder of the settlers were Christians, including Armenian origin. Today, there are about 3.5 million Argentines who consider themselves descendants of these immigrants.

Argentina has the largest number of Jewish people in Latin America, numbering approximately 300 thousand people. And although it represents less than 1% of Argentina's total population, the country's capital is home to the seventh largest Jewish community in the world.

Orthodox churches

The Argentine land first saw Orthodox Christians in the 1860s. IDPs from Syria and Lebanon fled Turkey from persecution from the Muslim world. Then Greeks and Slavs began to move here, mainly Dalmatians and Serbs, leaving their land due to pressure and persecution from Catholics, after which Romanian and Bulgarian settlers began to appear. In a country where Catholicism ruled, they needed their own churches.

Orthodox Church in San Telmo

Orthodox churches in Argentina first appeared in 1888, when the first Orthodox church in South America was opened in a private house in Buenos Aires, where believers of all nationalities prayed together.

And in 1988, exactly 100 years later, one of the squares in Buenos Aires was renamed in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and a bronze monument was erected to him there.

Annunciation Cathedral in Buenos Aires

Today there are several Orthodox dioceses and jurisdictions in Argentina:

• Metropolitan Silouan heads the Argentine Metropolis of the Antiochian Patriarchate, the largest in the country in terms of the number of parishioners.

• Metropolitan Tarasius heads the Buenos Aires and South American Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which includes 9 parishes.

• Metropolitan Platon governs the Argentine and South American diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate, which also includes 9 parishes.

• The South American diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad does not have a leader; his functions are performed by 5 priests who travel around the country to instruct 12 parishes.

The Serbian Orthodox Church also has 4 parishes in Argentina, while the Romanian Orthodox Church has only one.

Armenians in Argentina

When Armenians moved en masse to the American continent at the beginning of the 20th century, fleeing the Turkish massacres, they settled mainly in Argentina and Brazil, began to settle down, settle in new territories and build Armenian churches. In Buenos Aires alone there are currently 6 Orthodox, two Evangelical and one Catholic Armenian churches.

When the Armenian community in Buenos Aires grew and still did not have its own church, representatives of the community rented the capital's Anglican church. The English priests who conducted the services read sermons that were specially translated for this purpose from the Armenian language. In 1938, the first Armenian church in Argentina was built.

Today, 130,000 Armenians live in this country, and there are already 9 Armenian churches in Argentina.

Most recently, in 2016, the capital's Church of St. Gregory (Catedral de San Gregorio el Iluminador), located in the Palermo quarter, was included in the official guide of Buenos Aires. The service is held in Armenian.

Holy places

Many Argentines make annual pilgrimages to holy places and local shrines. The most popular destination is Luján, which is located 65 km west of Buenos Aires. Every year, thousands of people make a pilgrimage there on foot from Buenos Aires in honor of Argentina's patron saint, Our Lady of Lujan. According to eyewitnesses, in 1620, the statue of the Virgin Mary was transported from city to city on a cart, and on the Lujan River the cart got stuck and could not budge. Only when the basket with the Madonna was removed from the cart did the horses set off again. This was interpreted as a miracle and a sign that Virgo wanted to stay in this place. Today, where the chapel once stood, the Basilica of Our Lady is built.

Catholic Church in Luján

Statues of the Virgin Mary and Christ the Wonderworker are located with the Cathedral of St. Francis in the center of Salta. The statues are the pride of the city. They say that they were carved from wood in the 16th century and have miraculous powers, as they helped stop a devastating earthquake. Many pilgrims strive to touch the figures and ask for healing.

Cathedral of Saint Francis in the center of Salta

By tradition, I summarize all of the above and systematize all my impressions about Argentina.

1. Our main impression of Argentina is that there is practically nothing that distinguishes it from Russia. Argentina is not particularly exotic: the cities are absolutely European; people dress and look the same because... most of the population are white-skinned; the food is about the same, the nature is very beautiful, but we also have mountains with lakes, the weather is sometimes very cold, and in the south there is generally snow... That is why in Argentina it is very comfortable, but not particularly exciting, because... When traveling you expect something unusual.

2. Perhaps the main one distinguishing feature Argentina - . As I already wrote, Argentines drink mate everywhere: on picnics, in cars, on buses, at meetings, on walks - just everywhere and always! If a large company gathers, about five mateshinas are brewed, and they are all passed around. Mate is drunk by people of all ages and different social status. You can't drink alcohol on the streets - young people drink mate and rejoice!

3. In many regions of Argentina there is a siesta. The city falls asleep from 13 to 17, all shops, cafes, etc. are closed. During this time, employees can go home and spend time with their families.

4. Argentines generally have a very shifted time. In all its manifestations. For example, all meetings, parties and dinners are scheduled for 22-23 hours and last until 2-5 am even on weekdays. Moreover, at 22 they have a really full, hearty dinner, and at 18-19 - something like an afternoon snack.

The second aspect of this phenomenon is the creation of a family. Here, weddings often take place closer to 40 years of age. 0.o

5. All cities in Argentina are built according to the same scheme. The main squares look absolutely the same, the names of squares and streets are repeated from city to city, all colonial-style cathedrals look absolutely identical both outside and inside.

6. In Argentina, it is customary to name streets after cities and countries. Most of the streets are named this way, and occasionally the names of local heroes appear.

7. In Argentina, distances are measured in blocks. If an Argentine tells you how to get to a place, he will say: “It’s only three blocks from here” or “It’s far, about 20 blocks, it’s better to take a taxi.” The block is essentially our quarter. In Argentina, all cities are built along perpendicular lines, resulting in the formation of these same blocks.

8. The famous revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara was born in the Argentine city of Rosario, but spent his childhood in a small town near Cordoba - Alta Gracia. Now there is a Che Guevara museum there, which attracts a lot of tourists. Che and his family moved to Cordoba because of the good mountain climate, because... Ernesto suffered from asthma.

9. Argentina is very unique Spanish. Moreover, the pronunciation differs noticeably from region to region. For example, the pronoun “I” - “yo” in classical Spanish sounds like “yo”, in Buenos Aires “sho”, in the north of Argentina “jo”. Argentines insert hissing “sh” and “zh” everywhere.

10. Argentina also has its own special words that are not found in other Spanish-speaking countries. For example, the popular address here is “che”, which means something like “hey, you”, only politely. By the way, this is why Che Guevara took the nickname “Che” - to emphasize his Argentine origin.

11. In Argentina there is a black (or as they call it “blue”) foreign exchange market. Therefore, traveling to Argentina with bank cards is very unprofitable. Usually all tourists are advised to bring dollars and change them on the black market, where they cost one and a half times more than the official exchange rate! But the hotel will never tell you about this; only locals can advise you.

Also, you cannot transfer money from Argentina to other countries; the purchase of dollars for locals is very limited - hence the black market. Today, Argentina has taken many measures to reduce the export of money from the country.

12. Argentines, like Brazilians, are the ultimate individualists. They have no sense of “society” at all. For example, on a night bus at one in the morning, a guy can turn on the music at full volume, sing along, clap his hands, and no one will say anything to him. If you don't like something, that's your problem. Also, here there is no such reverent attitude towards other people’s sleep as in Russia. If someone sleeps in the apartment, no one cares; the party will be full until the morning on a weekday.

13. Argentines believe that nowhere else in the world there is tasty meat and condensed milk. They treat condensed milk with indescribable delight, eat it very often and advise all tourists to try it. When they answer that Russia also has condensed milk, they laugh and think it’s a joke.

14. Argentina is also proud and famous for its wine. Today, Argentina is one of the world's leading wine producers. The wine is really very tasty and relatively cheap. Many regions offer special tasting tours.

15. Argentina is one of the most developed countries in South America. Despite this, there are many poor people in the country, and the standard of living in general is not the highest.

16. CDs are sold here and there on the streets pirated films and even “screens”. And, surprisingly, they are popular with customers!

17. Railways in Argentina they have long been abandoned and there are no trains as such. But the bus service is incredibly developed. There are more than 50 competing bus companies in the country!!! At the station you feel completely at a loss, because... have no idea which company to choose!

18. Argentines love dogs very much. It seems to me that every Argentinean has one or more dogs! You can often see people walking with a whole bunch. And on the streets there are just hordes of homeless dogs who feel very good and calm. They are affectionate and cute.

19. Argentines are very religious! The number of churches in cities is off the charts. The main religion is Catholicism.

20. Five years ago, same-sex marriage was legalized in the country.

21. An integral attribute of the Argentine toilet is the bidet. They say that Argentines who have visited other countries are very surprised by his absence. We didn't come across a single toilet without a bidet.

22. The poor population of Argentina makes a living by shining shoes, washing cars and juggling at traffic lights - while the cars are stopped. There are also parking attendants in the country - useless people who formally help with parking, but in reality they just demand tips. It is better not to refuse tips.

23. Argentina is a country of riots and protests! They have protests all the time, and there is even a public holiday in honor of the national protest. On this day, no one works, and everyone goes out into the streets with banners, often blocking traffic.

24. Argentines can hardly be called clean. At home they wear street shoes, they don’t clean often, and the streets are very dirty. Especially in the capital. It's impossible not to get into dog poop there.

25. In general, Argentines are polite people. They often apologize and smile. But I can’t say that they are very open and friendly towards strangers. These are ordinary people.

26. When meeting, Argentines kiss on the cheek. With everyone, just like in Brazil. It doesn't matter whether you know each other or not. If you spent time in the same company, but never even talked, you still need to kiss.

27. In general, Argentina is safe. There is no comparison with Brazil. Although the Argentines themselves believe that there is a lot of crime in the country. However, you feel calm on the streets.

28. Studying at a university in Argentina takes about 10 years, or even more. Usually they graduate from university after 30, because... According to them, studying here is very difficult. There are night shift classes that end by 12 midnight. During graduation, male students are shaved bald, put on a car and driven around the city. At this time, the graduate’s friends and acquaintances should throw all sorts of nasty things at him. The girls' hair is cut a little, but otherwise it's the same.

29. Argentines love football very much, Diego Maradona is a national hero. But no one respects Messi. He didn't do anything outstanding for the Argentine national team. He was sold to Barcelona when he was still a child. 0.o

30. Many people speak English, traveling around Argentina is easy. Every smallest city has a tourist center.

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