ARGENTINA in BRIEF

Economy and Trade

Primary Industry | Mining in Argentina |  Manufacturing  |  Transport  |  Communications   

 

Primary Industry

Argentina is rich in natural resources with a geological and climatic situation particularly suitable for developing forestry, agriculture, mining and fisheries. It also boasts of large petroleum, gas and uranium reserves.

Agriculture: Argentina is famous for its agricultural production. With over 54 million head of cattle, Argentina’s beef is renowned around the world. Annual production of cereals and oilseeds exceeds 70 million tonnes, which makes Argentina one of the main exporters of these products and their derivatives. One of the country's largest sheep grazing regions, which is also one of the largest regions for growing fruit and vegetables, is found in Patagonia, in the south. The typical farms associated with this production are surprisingly similar to those found in Australia.

Mendoza on the western border is the center of wine production. Argentina is the worlds fifth-largest producer of wine. Most Argentineans drink wine with every meal, a traditional custom introduced by the European immigration. Exports are continually growing,

Mining: The Andean Mountains provide Argentina with rich mineral deposits. Some of the minerals which are being mined at present are, copper, tin, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and uranium. The main exploitation of copper and gold, Minera de la Alumbrera, in the Province of Catamarca, is an Australian venture.

Gas and Oil: are important resources being increasingly exported to the neighbouring countries and to the world market. Together with mining products they make out for 15% of total exports.

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Manufacturing Sector

The industrial sector includes manufacturing and construction. Among Argentina’s manufactured goods are processed food, textiles, clothing, metallic and non-metallic mineral products, wood products, paper, pharmaceutical products, chemicals and petrochemical products, aluminium, steel, cars, electrical machinery and appliances, machine tools, turbines, cranes, agriculture machinery, and space and nuclear products.

Construction, engineering and consultancy activities have developed to an important stage, extending to the Latin-American market and other countries.

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Transport

Land: Public transport includes buses, railways and subways. Most of Argentina's goods are transported by truck although railways are becoming increasingly important in the transportation of domestic cargo.

Air: The most widely-known national airline is Aerolineas Argentinas which has been operating for more than 60 years. It covers nearly all the domestic routes and has also an important continental and inter-continental network. There are also other private airlines that have been growing in recent years. Aerolineas Argentinas offers three direct flights a week between Sydney and Buenos Aires, with a short stopover in Auckland, New Zealand.

Water: There are numerous coastal and international ocean and river companies that offer freight or passanger transport. Several Ocean Lines serve the route between Australian and Argentinean ports.

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Communications

Postal and telecommunications services are run by private enterprises which have been operating in free competition since the beginning of 2000. The first post office opened in 1814. Satellite tracking stations and digital technology provide domestic and international telephone communications linked to every country in the world. There are about 40 television stations and 200 radio stations in Argentina.