As Argentina picks a new president in 2015, many are hoping for substantial changes.
The previous administration has been marred by corruption and misinformation, which has
done little to boost the country’s standing around the world.
So as the government changes hands, we wanted to know, just how powerful is Argentina?
Well, Argentina is a former Spanish colony comprising more than 1 million square miles.
That’s nearly the same size as India, but with only about 3% of the population.
Still, they’re the second largest country in South America, and the largest Spanish
speaking nation on earth.
Argentina also claims a significant portion of Antarctica, though this claim is disputed
by the United Kingdom.
Argentina’s large size and population, along with its fertile farmlands, have allowed it
to develop at a rapid pace since the 19th century.
The World Bank lists them as a “high income economy”, with a diversifying industry and
a high quality of life.
Most trade exports come from the agricultural sector, like soybean products and corn, and
they are one of the world’s leading producers of pears.
With a GDP of more than half a trillion dollars, their economic strength ranks above Belgium
and Norway.
However, political infighting in past few decades has resulted in an economic recession
and a lower global credit rating.
The country remains in debt over $100 billion dollars.
But that doesn’t stop Argentina from spending $4 billion dollars annually on their military,
which ranks 47th globally.
Compared to similarly ranked militaries, Argentina has a large number of active personnel, with
roughly 100,000 personnel.
Additionally, strong ties to superpowers like the US and China, as well as their somewhat
isolated position on the globe, make Argentina an unlikely target for military action.
Argentina is a member of the G20, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
And, because they’re the second largest economy in South America, they are a majorly
involved in regional trade with neighboring Brazil.
Although it’s at times overshadow, Argentina remains a solid middle power with huge economic
growth potential and few national defense threats.
Argentina has greatly benefitted from a resilient workforce and many natural resources.
If their government can improve the nation’s global economic standing, Argentina has a
very promising future as a major international power.
The relationship between Argentina and the UK, on the other hand, isn’t very promising.
Watch our video to learn about why these two countries have had a troubled past.
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