Argentina is the second largest country in South America. With its 1,073,500 square miles, it’s the eighth biggest country in the world and also the largest Spanish-speaking nation. It has more than 45 million inhabitants. Due to its large territory and geographical location, Argentina has a stunning diversity of flora and fauna. The famous region of Patagonia is a prime example. Besides its cultural allure, it attracts tourists from around the globe with its rich and beautiful landscapes.

Different tribes inhabited the lands of Argentina before the European colonization in 1502. The country was under the rule of the Spanish for a couple centuries, which strongly affected its modern culture. It declared independence from Spain in 1816. Similarly to some other South and North American countries, Argentina is considered a melting pot for many ethnicities and cultures.

Argentina has the second largest economy in South America. It’s rated as a middle emerging economy and has a relatively high GDP. Still, the country often struggles with income distribution, poverty, and inflation. It has significant deposits of natural resources and a well-developed industrial base. Agriculture is a significant industry and represents more than half of the country's exports. It also exports industrial materials, metals, and oil.

More than 90% of Argentines live in urbanized areas. Buenos Aires is home to 3 million people, while the metropolitan area around it has 13 million inhabitants altogether. This makes it one of the largest cities in the world. Córdoba, Rosario, and Mendoza are the next three largest cities, with more than a million citizens each. The population of the country is concentrated in the Pampas area and is unequally distributed in other provinces.

Due to unstable economic factors and lack of professional opportunities, many young Argentines start on the freelancing path. While it’s not a massive phenomenon in the country, it’s turning into a common choice for well-educated people based in urban areas such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Mendoza. Freelancers often offer services in fields like IT, web development, design, and technical assistance.

Top Skills

Spanish is the official and de-facto language in Argentina. Different variations are used across the country. English is taught from primary school on and is spoken by a large portion of the population. It is also used in commerce and business. The literacy rate in the country is 98.1%.

There are four levels of education in Argentina, and they are free and accessible to all. It has about 50 public universities, and an equal amount of private ones. The top higher education institutions are Universidad de Buenos Aires, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.

Income Range

The minimum monthly salary in Argentina in 2016 was set at 8,080 ARS, or $530. The income in urban areas such as Buenos Aires is higher, with the average salary reaching around $1,500. There are significant differences between urban and rural areas, and between industries. High-level positions in cities can pay as much as $2,500 each month.

Currency

The currency in Argentina is the Argentine peso (ARS). The exchange rate is 1 USD to 15.38 ARS.

Currency Exchange

International payments to Argentina can be done via most online services, such as PayPal, Payoneer, and Transferwise.