Argentina tourist information

Argentina
Argentina is the second-largest country in South America; its people are a fusion of diverse national and ethnic groups, with descendants of Italian and Spanish immigrants predominantly. (Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

Geography:
Location: South America.
Borders: Atlantic Ocean, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Climate:
Opposite seasons compared to the Northern Hemisphere.
Best time to visit Argentina is between September and April.
The ski season runs between July and September.

Population
40.1 million.

Capital City
Buenos Aires (pop. 13 million).

Government
Democracy.
Type: Republic.

Ethnic groups
European descendent 95%.
Large Jewish community.

Religion:
Predominantly Roman Catholic.

Language:
Spanish.

Literacy:
Highly literate population (97% approximately).

Security:
Most American citizens visit Argentina without incident.
(Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State)

Time:
One hour later than US Eastern Standard Time
Local Time = UTC -3h

Electricity:
220 volts
US travelers will need a voltage converter and plug adapter.

Currency (04/07):
£1.00=AR$ 6.13
U$S1.00=AR$3.10
€1.00=AR$4.14

Tipping:
Tipping is not mandatory as it is in the USA.
Tips round between 5% ~ 10% of the bill (bar and restaurants).

Flying Distance to Argentina:
There are direct flights from major US cities and Europe.

From US: 10h: 50m (JFK_EZE)
From Europe: 11h: 50m (MAD-EZE)

NYC to SFO: 6h 10m ~ 10 hr 19 m
Depending on the airline and connections need it.

Entry Requirements:
U.S., Canadian and European Citizens valid passport and tourist entry card.

Tax Return
At the airport, before leaving the country, you can recover the 21% of the value paid in concept of sales taxes / VAT, four each item paid + $ 70 (per invoice). Look for shops that carry the TAX FREE logo in their windows. Tax Free Shopping is a service provided by Global Refund.