Argentina at a glance
Country profile
Official name
Capital city
Main cities
Surface area
Population
Population growth
Adult literacy rate
Life expectancy at birth
GDP per capita (PPP)
Currency
Form of government
Political division
Time zone
Official language
ProsperAr is Argentina’s
Investment Development Agency.
República Argentina
Buenos Aires
Córdoba, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Mendoza, Rosario
2.8 million square kilometers
40.6 million inhabitants
1.0% per year
98%
75 years
US$ 14,413
Argentine peso ($)
Federal Presidential Republic
23 autonomous provinces and the
Autonomous City of Buenos Aires
GMT-03:00
Spanish
Our mission is to encourage foreign and
national investment to ensure Argentina’s
competitiveness and sustainable
development.
We are your strategic partner to invest
and prosper in Argentina.
Main Economic Indicators
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
8.8%
9.0%
9.2%
8.5%
8.7%
6.8%
GDP (PPP) (millions of US$)
333,399
373,041
419,568
469,750
524,140
572,860
GDP (millions of US$)
128,078
152,158
181,967
212,868
260,682
326,872
Exports of goods and services (millions of US$)
34,439
39,864
47,024
54,547
66,088
82,111
Imports of goods and services (millions of US$)
18,827
27,930
34,939
41,120
53,353
67,536
Balance of trade of goods and services (millions of US$)
15,612
11,934
12,085
13,427
12,735
14,575
Trade surplus (% of GDP)
GDP growth rate (annual %)
12.2%
7.8%
6.6%
6.3%
4.9%
4.5%
Current account surplus (% of GDP)
6.4%
2.1%
2.9%
3.6%
2.7%
2.2%
Primary fiscal surplus (% of GDP)
2.3%
3.9%
3.7%
3.5%
3.2%
3.1%
Gross capital formation (% of GDP, constant prices)
14.3%
17.7%
19.8%
21.6%
22.6%
23.0%
Gross national savings (% of GDP, current prices)
19.6%
20.6%
23.7%
26.4%
26.6%
26.7%E
Foreign direct investment (millions of US$)
1,652
4,125
5,265
5,537
6,473
8,853
2.95
2.94
2.92
3.07
3.12
3.16
Foreign reserves (millions of US$)
14,119
19,646
28,077
32,037
46,176
46,109
Unemployment rate (% of EAP)
17.3%
13.6%
11.6%
10.2%
8.5%
7.9%
Exchange rate ($/US$)
What ProsperAr can do for you:
>> Provide investors with personalized professional services throughout the
investment process and offer a unified one-stop support system.
>> Help identify investment and innovation opportunities in strategic sectors.
>> Assist in building partnerships between foreign investors and local companies.
>> Provide information on business sectors, legal framework, investment
incentives and geographical locations in Argentina.
>> Troubleshoot red tape and obstacles; facilitate the whole investment process.
>> Promote the growth and internationalization of Argentine firms.
Source: ProsperAr based on data provided by the Argentine National Institute of Statistics and Census, the Central Bank’s Market Expectations Survey (REM), the International Monetary Fund
and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (as of July, 2009).
GDP by Economic Sector (2008)
Real State and
Business Services
11%
Government
6%
Education, health &
community services
13%
Financial Services
5%
Transport, storage
& communications
8%
Hotels & restaurants
3%
Argentina
Wholesale &
Electricity, gas
retail trade
Construction
& water
12%
6%
1%
Source: ProsperAr based on data provided by the
Argentine National Institute of Statistics and Census.
Agriculture, mining
& fishing
14%
Manufacturing
21%
To learn more about how investing in Argentina
can benefit you, please contact us:
www.prosperar.gov.ar
[email protected]
+ 5411 4328 9510
Naturally talented to meet
global market needs
>> Access to an ample regional market and the
country’s integration with global value chains
position Argentina as an attractive investment
market on an international level.
>> Talented human resources, abundant natural
resources, a vibrant culture and modern
infrastructure make up a highly creative and
competitive business platform.
1. Sustained Economic Growth
2. Attractive Business Profitability
3. A Globally and Regionally
Integrated Economy
Photo: Santiago Calatrava’s Women’s Bridge, Puerto Madero
Photo: Courtesy of Roemmers.
Photo: Tango dancers in San Telmo district
>> A diversified production base and a dynamic,
open economy converge with a wide range of
profitable investment opportunities in sectors
with global growth potential.
10 Reasons to Invest in Argentina:
Photo: Peugeot automotive plant
>> Argentina has been one of the fastest growing
economies in the world in 2003-2008 and
stands strong to face new challenges brought
about by the current global crisis.
Photo: LACO 2: Control cabin of the rolling facilities in Tenaris mill, Campana, Buenos Aires province.
Courtesy of Tenaris.
Highlights
4. A Diversified Economy
5. Skilled and Talented
Human Resources
6. Abundant and Diverse
Natural Resources
7. Remarkable Quality of Life
8. A Vibrant Culture
9. Quality Connectivity and
Modern Infrastructure
10. Public Sector Supportive
of Investment
1. Sustained economic growth
An internationally recognized choice
• Six years of sustained growth at an average rate of 8.5%
per year placing Argentina among the world’s fastest
growing economies and well above all other Latin
American economies.
• Argentina has a solid foundation to face challenges
brought about by the current global crisis. The country is
expected to be one of the fastest growing economies in
the region in 2009.
• Flexible and competitive exchange rate and record high
foreign exchange reserves (US$46.1 billion, June 2009).
• Rising exports of goods and services, hitting a historical
high of US$82.1 billion in 2008.
• Twin fiscal and current account surpluses.
• Argentina is one of the fastest growing FDI destinations
worldwide reaching US$8.9 billion in 2008.
• Free Trade Agreements and/or Economic
Complementation Agreements (ECA) with Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
• More than 1,000 international companies operate in the
country across all sectors: agro-industries, automotives,
chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals,
information technologies, telecommunications, public
utilities, finance and retail.
4. A diversified economy
Investment opportunities across all sectors
• Growing producer of technological and differentiated
goods and services.
• Growing software and IT services industry (19% growth in
sales and 26% growth in exports per year since 2003).
2. Attractive business profitability
• Leading producer and exporter of food products.
Results in business and a sound legal framework
• Second largest producer of genetically modified crops.
• Earnings as a percentage of revenues for the 340 largest
non-financial companies boast record levels (15.4% per
year in 2005-2007).
• Equal treatment for domestic and foreign direct
investment.
• Significant growth and investments in agro-industry,
biofuels, creative industries, professional services and
tourism, among others.
5. Skilled and talented human resources
• First in Latin America in terms of tertiary education access
(UNESCO Global Education Database, 2008).
• Transnational companies free to operate in any sector in
the country.
• Internationally acknowledged for its well-trained and
highly educated human resources.
Strategic ties with the world and a growing
international presence
• Member of MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and
Uruguay). Preferential access (0% tariff) to a regional
market of 241 million inhabitants and a combined GDP of
US$1.9 trillion (2008).
• Second largest country in Latin America and eighth in the
world (2.8 million square kilometers).
• Agricultural productivity among the highest worldwide as
reflected by superior yields in the production of soy beans,
corn and fruits.
• Endowed with extraordinary fertile agriculture lands,
unexploited forest resources, exploitable mining deposits
and rich fisheries.
• Environmentally sustainable development: ranked 38th
among 149 countries on the Environmental Performance
Index (University of Yale, 2008).
7. Remarkable quality of life
A country to fall in love with
• Buenos Aires nominated as the best city to live in Latin
America in The Economist’s Liveability Survey (2009) and
ranked in the top five cities to visit worldwide for three
consecutive years by Travel and Leisure Magazine (2009).
• Ranked second in the region in terms of literacy rate and
school life expectancy, exhibiting similar levels to
developed countries (UNESCO Global Education Database,
2008).
• Three Nobel Prizes in Health and Natural Sciences and two
Nobel Peace Prizes.
• English level among the highest in the developing world.
• Highest level of patents registered at the U.S. Patent
Trademark Office in the region (total number per million
inhabitants for a 40-year period).
9. Quality connectivity and modern
infrastructure
Connecting Argentina within and beyond its borders
• Highest fixed-line and mobile density in Latin America
boasting 105 subscribers per 100 inhabitants (World Bank,
2008).
• Rapidly increasing internet penetration ranking well
above the region’s average (World Bank, 2008).
• Modern transport and infrastructure system: 31,900
kilometers of railroad places Argentina ninth in the world;
231,374 kilometers of roadways; 25 seaports; 38 river
ports and 58 airports.
• Ranked second in the Logistics Performance Index in the
region and one of only two Latin American countries
included among the world’s 50 top countries in terms of
ease and affordability of arranging international
shipments (World Bank, 2008).
• Increasing infrastructure budget assures expansion today
and tomorrow (US$16 billion projected for 2009, Ministry
of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services).
10. Public sector supportive of investment
• Argentina ranked second in Latin America in the United
Nations Human Development Index and in the UN
Gender-related Development Index (2008).
Welcoming investors through attractive incentives
and equal rights
• Selected best golf destination in the region (International
Golf Travel Market, 2008).
• ProsperAr: professional assistance for your business to
succeed in Argentina.
8. A vibrant culture
• Wide range of incentives and benefits for investors
include tax benefits to reduce the fiscal burden during the
investment phase; incentives for export promotion; fiscal
credit for specific training programs; and funds for
scientific and technological research and innovation.
The brightest minds at the service of investors
• Unrestricted remittance abroad of profits and capital.
3. A globally and regionally integrated
economy
Outstanding natural resource endowments
to fuel development
• Founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• World’s fourth largest producer and exporter of television
content.
• Profitability of foreign companies at record levels
(earnings as a percent of FDI stock achieved 10.2% in
average in 2006-2008).
6. Abundant and diverse natural resources
Sharing a rich cultural heritage with the world
• A vibrant cultural life and dynamic entertainment sector,
including 928 museums, 2,813 theatres, 448 cinemas and
2,191 public libraries.
• Fast growing national movie industry with almost 80
national films released per year in 2007 and 2008.
• International awards include: four Miguel de Cervantes
Prizes in literature; five Oscars nominations for film;
several Goya Awards and honorable mentions at the
Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals; 28 Latin Grammy Awards
and 23 MTV Awards 2002-2007 for music.
• Investment incentives in place in sectors such as
automotives, biofuels, biotechnology, forestry, mining, oil
and gas, and software.