13 Interesting Facts about Argentina

Juliana Hughes
4 min readJul 24, 2016

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One of the most beautiful and geographically diverse countries in the world is Argentina. With a culture that espouses creativity and happiness in countless different ways, and with a natural landscape fit to match any other, visiting Argentina should be on top of everyone’s things to do list. And while much of the world seems so dangerous in these times, it’s worth mentioning that Argentina today is a very safe place to travel to. Here are 13 Argentina Facts that may just blow your mind!

1) Tango originated from Buenos Aires — This fabulous dance originated in the lower classes of the city, and soon flourished around the world in the early 1900’s, as couples realized the pure joy and beauty of dancing so close to one another.

2) 8th largest country in the world — Argentina is quite large, and as a result has a myriad of things to do and places to see. Nearly 2,300 miles long from north to south, one can find just about anything here!

3) Iguazú Falls — In the far northeast of Argentina, adjacent to Brazil, this waterfall breathes the full majesty of South America, offering visitors a once-in-a-lifetime view of one of nature’s finest creations.

Iguazú Falls

4) Andes Mountains — The longest mountain range in the world is also one of the most stunning, covering much of the South American continent and providing numerous fun activities for those who dare to climb its mighty peaks!

5) Glaciers in the south — As exciting as the rushing waters in the north, the frozen stretches in the south are the 3rd largest glaciers in the world. Areas like Los Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno make for unique sites to visit.

Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciares National Park

6) World’s widest avenue — Named after Argentina’s Independence Day, the “9th of July” has 14 lanes and cuts through the heart of Buenos Aires, making it the widest avenue anywhere in the world!

7) Discovery of Fingerprint inspections — Murder cases have become far easier to solve since the invention of fingerprint analysis, which originated here in Argentina!

8) First animated film — Quirino Cristiani was a pioneer in animation, and created the world’s earliest animated movies in 1917.

9) Best soccer players in the world We hear a lot about soccer in Brazil, but I’m sure you’re familiar with the likes of Maradona and Lionel Messi, who will go down in history as two of the game’s finest ever players.

10) Meat lovers paradise — Some of the best food and wines in the world are located right here in Argentina. In fact, Argentinians are ranked #2 for consuming the most beef per capita in the world!

11) Los Glaciares National Park — One of the famous world wonders, this national park is one of the most serene and stunning locations in the world, and home of the gauchos and luxury estancias.

GAUCHO: THe Last Cowboys of Patagonia

12) El Calafate, Argentina — This beautiful spot is named after a local southern Patagonian bush, which blooms with small, yellow flowers in springtime. It’s bluish-black berries come in summer, which according to legend, make those who eat its fruit always return to Patagonia! It’s also often made into fine jams.

13) Birthrights to Antarctica — In an effort to claim part of the continent, a pregnant Argentinian woman once travelled to Antarctica and gave birth to the first ever human to be born there!

Clearly, Argentina is a land full of adventure and excitement. Why wouldn’t anyone want to visit a place like this? With beautiful landscapes and wonders, and charming estancias on the Argentinean countryside, this marvelous country is a special place for travelers to witness and embrace.

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Juliana Hughes

Brasileira by birth. A huge techie who loves to travel around the world.