Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, and the second largest in South America after Brazil. It has borders with Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, and as such is a popular hub for multi-country tours in the region. The southern city of Ushuaia is also the main starting point for Antarctic cruises. The first language is Spanish, but English is widely spoken too.
Because the country is so large, and stretches from the Southern Ocean right up to the heights of the Andes, there are a huge variety of environments and different landscapes to discover. These include several of the world's most spectacular locations for adventure travel, such as the Perito Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, and Los Glaciares National Park, in Patagonia. The Andes mountains are popular for trekking, skiiing, and climbing. On the border with Brazil you also find the Iguazu Falls, among the largest in the world, with the various sections stretching over 2 and a half kilometres.
The wildlife in Argentina is also extremely varied. On the coastline you can see sea lions, seals, penguins, whales and dolphins, with boat trips and cruises available to get up close. In the Ibera Wetlands (the second largest wetlands in the world after Brazil's Pantanal), there are capybaras, giant otters, alligators and numerous species of birds. The central grassy plains, or pampas, are packed with farms with cows, sheep and horses. Then, in the Andean mountains and foothills, there are llamas, alpacas, tapirs, monkeys, porcupines, and a few jaguar, to name but a few.
Argentina is also rightly reknowned for its food and drink, with Argentine beef and red wine in particular famous around the world. The Mendoza wine producing region makes perhaps the best wines in Argentina, and is one of the largest producing areas in the world, with the Andes mountains forming a beautiful backdrop to the vineyards.
