20 interesting facts about Argentina

20 interesting facts about Argentina

Interesting facts about Argentina, from the largest creature to have lived on Earth to the first person born in Antarctica

I visited Argentina for the first time in 2015 as part of our year-long trip around the world. Technically, due to quirks in our itinerary, we visited the country three times in a matter of weeks (as we traveled in and out of neighboring countries).

This journey brought with it some wonders – including Perito Moreno and Tierra del Fuego – as well as disappointments; Cerro Torre, which I had been waiting for for a long time, was completely covered in clouds.

Almost five years later, I visited again, this time without Kia and with a different goal in mind: to climb Aconcagua, my third of the seven peaks.

I'm happy to report that I made it to the top of this grueling mountain. I picked up a lot of interesting facts about Argentina. Here I share the best of them.

interesting facts about Argentina

1. Der Name Argentinien kommt vom lateinischen Wort für Silber, Argentum. Als die ursprünglichen spanischen Eroberer die Ureinwohner der Region zum ersten Mal trafen, erhielten sie Silbergegenstände als Geschenk. (Quelle: Argentinische Botschaft in London)
2. Im Jahr 2001, im Jahr der schlimmsten finanziellen und politischen Krise des Landes, hatte Argentinien in nur 10 Tagen fünf Präsidenten. (Quelle: BBC)
3. Aufgrund der schnellen Inflation hat Argentinien seit 1970 13 Nullen von seiner Währung abgezogen, ein Faktor von 10 Billionen. (Quelle: PanAm Post)

alt="Argentina has deducted 13 zeros from its currency since 1970">Maciej Bledowski/ShutterstockArgentina has deducted 13 zeros from its currency since 1970

1. Schätzungen zufolge verschwanden zwischen 1974 und 1983 etwa 30.000 Menschen unter dem Regime der argentinischen Militärjunta. (Quelle: The Guardian)

2. In 1892, Argentina became the first country to use fingerprints as a form of identification when Francesca Rojas confessed to killing her own children to improve her chances of marrying her boyfriend. Her bloody thumbprint was found at the crime scene. (Source: History.com)

3. Tango, the sensual Latin American dance and music, originated in the dance halls (and reportedly brothels) of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires in the 1880s. (Source: Britannica)

alt="Tango has its origins in Buenos Aires">Luis Krieg/ShutterstockTango has its origins in Buenos Aires

1. Die Überreste des größten jemals entdeckten Dinosauriers wurden in Argentinien gefunden. Die neue Art des Titanosauriers, die angeblich die größte Kreatur ist, die jemals auf der Erde gelebt hat, wurde 2014 in einer Wüste in der Nähe von La Flecha entdeckt und hat den zuvor in Argentinien entdeckten Argentinosaurus an sich gerissen. (Quelle: BBC)

2. The current pope and the first from America, Pope Francis, used to work as a bouncer in nightclubs in Buenos Aires. (Source: BBC)

3. Argentina's former soccer player Diego Maradona inspired a religion: the Church of Maradona. It has over 120,000 members. (Source: The Guardian)

alt="facts about Argentina Maradona's church has over 120,000 members">DreamtimeMaradona's church has over 120,000 members

1. In der Provinz Chubut in Patagonien im Süden Argentiniens sprechen rund 5.000 Menschen Walisisch. 1865 überquerte eine Gruppe walisischer Siedler den Atlantik, um sich im abgelegenen Patagonien niederzulassen. Heute können rund 50.000 argentinische Staatsangehörige walisische Vorfahren beanspruchen. (Quelle: BBC)

2. Argentine farmer Pedro Martin Ureta cultivated a guitar-shaped forest to honor his late wife Graciela, who died in childbirth in 1977. He has never seen his creation from above, except in photos taken by friends. (Source: The Guardian)

alt="Interesting facts about An Argentine farmer's ode to his late wife">DreamtimeAn ode from an Argentine farmer to his late wife

1. Die breiteste Allee der Welt befindet sich in Buenos Aires, Avenida 9 de Julio (Allee 9. Juli, Argentiniens nationaler Unabhängigkeitstag). Es hat 14 Fahrspuren und vier Fahrspuren von Parallelstraßen.(Quelle: Britannica)

2. Since 1953, Argentina's national sport has been Pato, a game played on horseback that combines elements of polo and basketball. Pato is the Spanish word for "duck", as early games used a live duck in a basket instead of a ball. (Source: Buenos Aires Tourism)

alt="Facts about Argentine Pato sport">DreamtimePato is the national sport of Argentina

1. Regierungsbeamte in Lionel Messis Heimatstadt in Argentinien haben Eltern verboten, ihre Kinder Messi zu nennen, weil ein Zustrom von Babys namens Messi „zu Verwirrung führen“ könnte. (Quelle: USA Today)

2. Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Rosario, Argentina. (Source: BBC)

alt=“facts about Argentina Che Guevara was born in Rosario, Argentina”>DreamtimeChe Guevara was born in Rosario, Argentina

1. 1977 schickte Argentinien eine schwangere Mutter in die Antarktis, um einen Teil des Kontinents zu beanspruchen. Der Junge, Emilio Palma, war der erste Mensch, der in der Antarktis geboren wurde. Er wurde in Fortín Sargento Cabral auf der Esperanza-Basis nahe der Spitze der Antarktischen Halbinsel geboren und wog 3,4 kg (7 lb 8 oz). (Quelle: Antarctica in International Law)

2. In 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage. (Source: BBC)

3. The highest mountain outside of Asia is in Argentina. Aconcagua is 6,961 m high and is located in the province of Mendoza. It is also one of the seven peaks. (Source: The Guardian)

alt="Ascent of Aconcagua featimg">Atlas & BootsAconcagua is the highest mountain outside of Asia

1. Große politische Parteien in Argentinien produzieren ihre eigenen Craft-Biere und branden sie mit historischen politischen Ikonen. (Quelle: Public Radio International)

2. Argentina has the highest number of psychiatrists per capita in the world. In 2012, the number of practicing psychologists increased to 196 per 100,000 residents. (Source: New York Times)

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