Exact population: 39,921,833 (July 2006 est.)

Literacy: Total population: 97.1%; male: 97.1%; female: 97.1%

Ethnicities: White (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%

Area: Total: 2,766,890 sq km; land: 2,736,690 sq km; water: 30,200 sq km

Land boundaries: Total: 9,665 km; border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Terrain: Rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Extremes: Lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza)

Imports: Brazil 36.2%, US 16.6%, Germany 5.7%, China 4.3% (2004)

Exports: Brazil 15.4%, Chile 10.4%, US 10.2%, China 8.7%, Spain 4.4% (2004)

Industries: Food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Source: CIA World Factbook