The official name is the Argentine Republic, although it is commonly known simply as Argentina.

The term "Argentina" comes from the Latin *argentum*, which means "silver". Spanish explorers referred to the region as "Land of the Silver River" (Río de la Plata), as they believed they would find large silver deposits in that basin, which consolidated into the country's name.

Argentina occupies the southernmost tip of South America, encompassing most of the Southern Cone. It is the second-largest country in South America (after Brazil) and the eighth-largest in the world.

It borders Bolivia and Paraguay to the north; Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; and Chile to the west and south. Its vast extension grants it great geographical diversity, from the Andes Mountains to the extensive plains of the Pampas.

The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires, an autonomous Federal District that acts as the country's political, cultural, and economic center.

The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) and its metropolitan area (Greater Buenos Aires) concentrate over 15 million inhabitants, making it one of the largest urban agglomerations in Latin America and a key logistical and commercial hub in Mercosur.

Argentina is a Representative Federal Republic, governed by the National Constitution of 1853 (with subsequent amendments), under a presidential form of government.

The powers of the Nation are divided into:

• Executive Branch: Exercised by the President of the Argentine Nation, elected by direct suffrage for a four-year term, with the possibility of one consecutive re-election.
• Legislative Branch: Exercised by the National Congress, which is bicameral: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
• Judicial Branch: Exercised by the Supreme Court of Justice and other lower courts, responsible for guaranteeing the supremacy of the Constitution.

Argentina has a territorial extension of 2,780,400 km² (excluding Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands), making it the second-largest country in South America.

It shares land borders with 5 countries, with a total extension of over 9,376 km:

• Chile (5,308 km): Argentina's longest land border, mainly along the Andes Mountains.
• Paraguay (1,699 km)
• Brazil (1,263 km)
• Bolivia (832 km)
• Uruguay (541 km)

Its extensive coastline on the Atlantic Ocean is crucial for trade, fishing, and port logistics.

The de facto and predominant official language is **Spanish**, spoken in its Rioplatense variant (characterized by *voseo* and the local accent).

Although there is no federal law declaring Spanish as the sole official language, it is the language of government and administration. The Constitution guarantees the right of indigenous communities to bilingual and intercultural education, recognizing languages such as Guaraní, Quechua, and Mapuche as indigenous languages.

The Argentine Constitution guarantees **freedom of worship**. Although the National State supports the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church (which implies economic support), it is not the official religion of the country.

Catholicism is the majority religion, but Argentina is known for its **high degree of religious plurality** in Latin America. Other important religions include Protestantism, Judaism (the largest Jewish community in Latin America), and Islam.

The official currency of Argentina is the Argentine Peso ($), whose ISO code is ARS. It is divided into 100 centavos.

The entity responsible for issuing and regulating the currency is the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA). The Argentine peso is the legal tender for all transactions within the country.