This huge country
occupies most of the southern part of South America, and
stretches a total of 2,300 miles from Bolivia in the
north to near Cape Horn far away to the south. Just
smaller than India and the eighth largest country in the
world, Argentina totals 1,080,000 square miles. To the
west, bordering the length of Chile are the Andes
Mountains and to the east, down to the Atlantic are the
great plains and pampas. Climate ranges from sub-tropical
to cold temperate.
Population
and Economy - Out of a 1980 population of 27,900,000,
nearly 10 million lived in and around the seaport capital
of Buenos Aires on the River Plate estuary. The great majority of
the people are of European origin, mainly from Spain and
Italy and the native Indian population is small. Language
is Spanish, the main religion Roman Catholic and much of
the country's culture is European Mediterranean in
character. Agriculture and livestock have long been an
important part of the country's economy, and the
meat-packing and food processing industries reflected
this. Apart from oil and mineral production, there had
been a considerable growth in recent years in the
textile, plastics, machine tool, car and steel product
industries. Exports to Britain in 1980 were worth £144
million, and imports £173 million.
Communications by rail,
road and airline, and through the medium of television
and radio were well developed, and education compulsory
from 6 to 13, with secondary education up to 17 plus in
most of the big cities and towns. Literature flourished,
and around 450 newspapers were published throughout the
country.
History
- The Spanish first went ashore in what was to become Argentina in
1515. Following three centuries of colonisation, a six
year long struggle led by General Jose de San Martin
brought independence in 1816. Then a long period of
dictatorship by Juan de Rosas was ended in 1852, Buenos
Aires became the seat of federal government, and the
country developed rapidly. The military took over in
1930, Juan Peron was later elected president in 1945 with
the strong support of his wife Evita who died in 1952,
and he was then ousted three years later. Political and
economic instability over the next eighteen years led to
Peron being recalled from exile and becoming president
again in 1973, but he died within a year.
Further
difficulties brought about a bloodless military coup in
1976 along with repressive and often brutal government by
a junta composed of the commanders of the armed forces.
Lieutenant General Videla served as the first president
for the five years until 1981, but after a few months,
his successor Viola was moved out and replaced in
December by Army General Leopoldo Galtieri, with the
support of the other members, Air Force Brigadier General
Basilio Lami Dozo and Admiral Jorge Anaya.
As the
150th anniversary of British control over the Falkland
Islands neared, the junta gave priority to the recovery
of the Islas Malvinas, if necessary by force.
Argentina
would thus resolve what to them was a major and
long-standing territorial dispute, but to Britain a
distant and almost forgotten remnant of empire.
