Argentina is a country in South America which spans almost all of the southernmost landmass of the continent. Being the eighth largest country in the world, it is about 3/10 the area of the United States, and contains a wide variety of terrains and climates. These can range from the arid, treeless Andes Mountains to the flat and fertile eastern region.
The country of Argentina is composed of four major regions; The North, The Pampas, The Andes, and Patagonia. The North is an eponymous region in the north of the country, home to a wide variety of regions, from the dry, mountainous Andean Northwest to the fertile valleys of Mesopotamia. The Pampas make up most of central Argentina, and are often called the “heartland” of Argentina, mainly because situated within it is the capital, Buenos Aires. The Andes is a large mountain range spanning the entire western border of the country, where it meets Chile, and is home to many of the country’s largest lakes. Finally, there is Patagonia, the largest of the regions. Due to its cold, arid, and dusty climate, it is remarkably sparsely populated, with large glaciers encompassing the southernmost regions.
Across Argentina, rainfall overall is low to moderate, with the most rain in the northeast. The Pampas get between 20 and 39 inches of rain over the year, but there is almost none in the many arid regions. There are also desert-esque regions in the central area, formed by a large rainshadow cast from the Andes. A rainshadow is an area of land that receives light to no rainfall because of the mountains nearby. Temperatures are quite relatable to areas in central regions of the United States, with much colder temperatures in the mountainous regions, rarely going above fifty degrees fahrenheit. Overall, Argentina is a geographically diverse country, with tall mountains, large agricultural plains, larger glaciated areas, and many different climates and terrains.
