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Argentina is a vast land: even without the titanic wedge of Antarctica that the authorities like to include in the national territory, it ranks as one of the world's largest countries. The mainland points down from the Tropic of Capricorn like a massive stalactite, tapering towards the planet's most southerly extremities. Consequently, the country encompasses a staggering diversity of landscapes, ranging from the hot and humid jungles of the Northeast and the bone-dry highland steppes of the Northwest, via the fertile Pampas and windswept Patagonia, to the end-of-the-world archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.

Argentina is, for the most part, less obviously "exotic" than most of its neighbours to the north, and its inhabitants will readily, and rightly, tell you how great an influence Europe has been on their nation. It was once said that Argentina is actually the most American of all European countries, but even that clever maxim is wide of the mark. It's a country with a very special character all of its own, distilled into the national ideal of Argentinidad - an elusive identity that the country's utopian thinkers and practical doers have never really agreed upon.
In terms of identity, there are lots of sweeping generalizations about the people of Argentina, who generally get bad press in the rest of the continent for being arrogant. Though such a characterization isn't entirely without merit, it's more the exception than the rule - you're bound to be wowed by Argentines' zeal for so many aspects of their culture. On this score there is a lot of truth in the clichés - their passions are dominated by football, politics and living life in the fast lane (literally, when it comes to driving) - but not everyone dances the tango, or is obsessed with Evita or gallops around on a horse. The locals will help to make any trip to their country memorable.
In addition to the people, there are loads of reasons to visit Argentina. Perhaps the most obvious is Buenos Aires, one of the most fascinating of all Latin American capitals. It's an immensely enjoyable place just to wander about, people-watching, shopping or simply soaking up the unique atmosphere. Its many barrios, or neighbourhoods, are startlingly different - some are decadently old-fashioned, others thrustingly modern - but all of them ooze character. Elsewhere in the country, cities aren't exactly the main draw, with the exception of beautiful Salta in the Northwest, beguiling Rosario - the birthplace of Che Guevara - and Ushuaia, which, in addition to being the world's most southerly city, enjoys a fabulous setting on Tierra del Fuego.

Fact file

. Argentina is the world's eighth largest nation by area, with 2.75 million square kilometres, though with a population of just under 39 million - one-third of whom live in the capital Buenos Aires - it is one of the least densely populated of the ten biggest countries.
. Argentina not only produces the finest beef on earth, but it also is one of the world's leading producers of lemons, wheat, wine and genetically modified soya. Around half of the country's arable land (over 100,000 square kilometres) is planted with the latter crop.
. Five Argentines have been honoured with Nobel Prizes, including three in the sciences: Bernardo A. Houssay (Medicine and Physiology, 1947), Luis F. Leloir (Chemistry, 1970) and César Milstein (Medicine and Physiology, 1984). Two Argentines have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: Carlos Saavedra Lamas (politician, 1936) and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (architect, sculptor and human-rights activist, 1980).
. Independent environmental organizations have declared that Argentina's cities enjoy some of the world's cleanest urban air - despite the decrepit buses - but Buenos Aires has also been voted one of the noisiest capitals - again, the buses being largely to blame.
. Just over one-third of Argentina's parliament is female - the ninth highest ratio in the world, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The vastness of the land and the varied wildlife inhabiting it are the country's real attractions outside the capital. In theory, by hopping on a plane or two you could spot howler monkeys and toucans in northern jungles in the morning, then watch the antics of penguins tobogganing into the icy South Atlantic in the afternoon. There are hundreds of bird species - including the Andean Condor and three varieties of flamingo - plus pumas, armadillos, llamas, foxes and tapirs, to be found in the country's forests, mountainsides and the dizzying heights of the altiplano, or puna. Lush tea plantations and parched salt-flats, palm groves and icebergs, plus the world's mightiest waterfalls, are just some of the sights that will catch you unawares if you were expecting Argentina to be one big cattle ranch. Dozens of these biosystems are protected by a network of national and provincial parks and reserves.

As for getting around and seeing these wonders, you can generally rely on a well-developed infrastructure inherited from decades of domestic tourism. Thanks in part to an increasing number of boutique hotels, the range and quality of accommodation have improved noticeably in recent years. A special treat are the beautiful ranches, known as estancias - or fincas in the north - that have been converted into luxury resorts. In most places, you'll be able to rely on the services of top-notch tour operators, who will not only show you the sights but also fix you up with all kinds of outdoor adventures: horse-riding, trekking, white-water rafting, kayaking, skiing, hang-gliding, along with more relaxing pursuits such as wine-tasting, bird-watching or photography safaris. Argentina is so huge and varied it's hard to take in all in one go - don't be surprised if you find yourself longing to return to explore the areas you didn't get to see the first time around.

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