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10 Cultural Facts about Argentina

Argentina is quite a vast and diverse South American nation with a land coverage of 1,073,500 sq mi. Argentina’s cultural richness and diversity reflects a fusion of traditions, heritage, and influence from all over the world. Argentina’s culture is a colorful fusion of history, immigration, and passion.

They draw inspiration from Europeans and Africans cultural practices. For instance, the famous Tango dance has a blends of European, Caribbean, and African influences. Their ever-evolving cultural seems to be embracing both traditional and innovation which makes it quite enchanting.

1.Argentina is one of the largest Spanish speaking country in the world

Argentina boasts of its unique blend of Latin American indigenous tradition and European customs. Argentina is renowned for being one of the largest Spanish speaking country in the world, with a population of over 42 million people.

The country has an extensive territory coverage of approximately 2,780,400 km², making it the eighth largest country in the world overall. Argentina’s land coverage and large population makes it a significant contributor to the global Spanish-speaking community.

Argentina boasts of its rich cultural heritage and a unique blend of ethnicities and expressions that sets its apart from other Spanish-speaking nations.  

2.Argentina is most famous for the tango dance

The famous dance is believed to have originated from Buenos Aires in the 19^th century. The dance is believed to have a blends of European, Caribbean, and African influences. Although the dance has spread throughout the world, it has not always been accepted due to its sensual nature.

At its inception, the Tango dance was danced solely by working class men and prostitutes. The dance was highly disregarded and frowned upon by upper class members of society. Authorities even considered it a moral threat, so was kept hidden away in the brothels.

3.Argetinian cultural outfits set them apart

Argentina is quite a modern county, so most of its population dresses similar to others across the world. However, its people have distinct cultural outfits that sets them apart from the rest of the population.

The Guacho are known for wearing a brightly woven poncho, a loose-fitting trouser or a loincloth. This distinctive type of dressing can be seen from ponchos to espadrilles. Their traditional shoes, the alpargatas are made with colorful patterned canvas with rope or rubber soles that essentially makes them quite durable.

4.The Tango is the National Dance of Argentina

The most well-known export from Argentina is the tango dance, a treasure of culture that is thought to have originated in Buenos Aires around the 1800s. Recognised for its sensual and passionate motions, the tango dance is a colourful representation of Argentine culture. It is a true representation of Argentina’s eclectic past because of its roots, which are a fusion of European, Caribbean, and African elements.

Because of its provocative nature, the tango has not always been generally accepted, despite its global spread and widespread praise. The dance was first popularised by prostitutes and members of the working class, and the higher class even stigmatised it. The cultural relevance of the tango in Argentina is further enhanced by this background.

5.The name Argentina derives from the Latin word argentum

The name Argentina derives from the Latin word argentum, meaning silver. This makes it the only country that has been named after a metal. The inspiration behind the name comes from the Spanish explorer, Sebastian Cabot who referred to the region as being the Land of Silver.

Over time the name evolved and eventually the country was officially referred to as Argentina. This was done after the state officially gained its independence from the Spanish colonizers back in the 19^th century.

6.Argentina is quite progressive on its laws on same sex marriages

Back in 2010, the Argentinian government through President Cristina Kirchner legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. This was quite a progressive move since it was one of the few countries in the world that had legalized same-sex marriages.

These progressive rights automatically grant same-sex couples the same legal rights and protection as opposite-sez couples in the state.  This move by the president made significant milestones on LGBTQ rights both globally and in the region. This makes Argentina one of the more forward-thinking countries of the world.

7.Argentinan cuisine relies heavily on asado

Argentinians heavily rely on the asado in their cuisines and culture. The term, asado translates to roast or roast meat and therefore the term is used to refer to both the method of barbecuing and the meat itself.

The asado refers to a traditional method of grilling meat. The Argentinians have a specific cooking method and specialty sauces that accompany the meat. The pieces of meat are cooked low and slow which makes it quite smoky, tender, and flavorful.

8.Argentine culture is a bled of European customs and Latin American indigenous traditions

The people of Argentina are quite proud of their nations blend of heritages. The Argentinean culture comes from European immigrants, particularly from Spain and Italy. Their language, customs and cuisines draw most of their inspiration from European immigrants.

The Argentina people have also drawn inspiration from various indigenous groups. Their culture, music and traditions have been mirrored from other indigenous groups across the world. The famous dance is believed to have a blends of European, Caribbean, and African influences.

9.Argentina is known for being a major actor in the global wine production industry

Argentina is one of the largest wine producing countries in the world with approximately 215 thousand hectares of their land being vines. Their local wine industry caters for both export and the domestic market.

Their success in the wine business can be attributed to the hard work put in by wineries over the years. Argentina is known for its Malbec wine which is known for its plump, dark fruit flavors and smoky finish. The wine has proven to be a great substitute to other higher priced wines.

10.Argentina has a strong Catholic heritage

The church has played a crucial role in Argentinian history and culture with approximately 92% of its population identifying as Roman Catholics. The religion was introduced back in the 17^th century by Jesuit missionaries from Spain.

While Roman Catholicism is also the official religion of the state, the freedom of religion and manifestation is protected under their constitution. Recent statistics show that about 2% of their population identify as being protestants, 2% as Jewish and finally 4% identify with other religions.

Argentina’s cultural richness and diversity reflects a fusion of traditions, heritage, and influence from all over the world. Argentina is known for its captivating art, cuisines, literature and even their choice if music.