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Do not fill this in! == Demographics == {{Main|Demographics of Argentina|Argentines}} [[File:Argentina_Population_Density,_2000_(6172432038).jpg|thumb|Population density map of Argentina (2000)]] The [[INDEC|2010 census]] counted 40,117,096 inhabitants, up from 36,260,130 in 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indec.mecon.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/2/proyecciones_provinciales_vol31.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110706084227/http://www.indec.mecon.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/2/proyecciones_provinciales_vol31.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2011 |title= Proyecciones provinciales de población por sexo y grupos de edad 2001–2015 |work=Gustavo Pérez|publisher=[[INDEC]]|page= 16|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censo2010.indec.gov.ar/ |title=Censo 2010: Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas |language=es |publisher=Censo2010.indec.gov.ar |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110615003729/http://www.censo2010.indec.gov.ar/ |archive-date=15 June 2011}}</ref> Argentina ranks third in South America in total population, fourth in Latin America and 33rd globally. Its population density of 15 persons per square kilometer of land area is well below the world average of 50 persons. The population growth rate in 2010 was an estimated 1.03% annually, with a birth rate of 17.7 live births per 1,000 inhabitants and a mortality rate of 7.4 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. Since 2010, the crude [[net migration rate]] has ranged from below zero to up to four immigrants per 1,000 inhabitants per year.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=UNCEF |title=Argentina – MIGRATION PROFILES, Part II. Population indicators |url=https://esa.un.org/miggmgprofiles/indicators/files/Argentina.pdf |access-date=4 August 2019 |archive-date=18 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418040522/https://esa.un.org/miggmgprofiles/indicators/files/Argentina.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Argentina is in the midst of a [[demographic transition]] to an older and slower-growing population. The proportion of people under 15 is 25.6%, a little below the world average of 28%, and the proportion of people 65 and older is relatively high at 10.8%. In Latin America, this is second only to [[Uruguay]] and well above the world average, which is currently 7%. Argentina has a comparatively low [[infant mortality rate]]. Its birth rate of 2.3 children per woman is considerably below the high of 7.0 children born per woman in 1895,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webiigg.sociales.uba.ar/pobmigra/archivos/Ramiro_Flores/Crecimiento.pdf|pages=2, 10|title=El crecimiento de la población argentina|author=Ramiro A. Flores Cruz|access-date=6 May 2019|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025124711/http://webiigg.sociales.uba.ar/pobmigra/archivos/Ramiro_Flores/Crecimiento.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> though still nearly twice as high as in Spain or Italy, which are culturally and demographically similar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prb.org/pdf09/09wpds_eng.pdf |title=PRB |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100422034436/http://www.prb.org/pdf09/09wpds_eng.pdf| archive-date= 22 April 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>''UN Demographic Yearbook, 2007.''</ref> The median age is 31.9 years and [[life expectancy]] at birth is 77.14 years.<ref>{{cite book|last=Nee|first=Patrick W.|title=Key Facts on Argentina: Essential Information on Argentina|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PysOnrdZJXgC&pg=PT10|year=2015|publisher=The Internationalist|page=10|access-date=21 July 2017|archive-date=29 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129143336/https://books.google.com/books?id=PysOnrdZJXgC&pg=PT10#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> Attitudes towards [[LGBT rights in Argentina|LGBT people]] are generally positive within Argentina.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 June 2013 |title=The Global Divide on Homosexuality |publisher=Pew Research Center |url=http://www.pewglobal.org/files/2013/06/Pew-Global-Attitudes-Homosexuality-Report-FINAL-JUNE-4-2013.pdf |access-date=8 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218111304/http://www.pewglobal.org/files/2013/06/Pew-Global-Attitudes-Homosexuality-Report-FINAL-JUNE-4-2013.pdf |archive-date=18 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America, the second in the Americas, and the tenth worldwide to legalize [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012368514_argentina16.html |title=Argentina becomes second nation in Americas to legalize gay marriage |work=Seattle Times|date=15 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2010 |first=Juan |last=Forero |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521221225/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012368514_argentina16.html |archive-date=21 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Fastenberg |first=Dan |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2005678,00.html |title=International Gay Marriage |magazine=Time |date=22 July 2010 |access-date=20 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102203903/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2005678,00.html |archive-date=2 November 2011 |url-status = dead}}</ref> === Ethnography === {{Main|Argentines}} {{See also|Ethnography of Argentina|Immigration to Argentina}} [[File:Macri con Félix Diaz.jpg|thumb|left|The cacique [[Toba people|Qom]] [[Félix Díaz (cacique)|Félix Díaz]] meets with then president Mauricio Macri.]] Argentina is considered a country of immigrants.<ref name=encuesta>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611004448/http://www.indec.gov.ar/webcenso/ECPI/index_ecpi.asp |archive-date=11 June 2008 |url=http://www.indec.gov.ar/webcenso/ECPI/index_ecpi.asp|publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics and Census of Argentina]]|title=Encuesta Complementaria de Pueblos Indígenas 2004–2005|language=es}}</ref><ref name="Coke">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1136/jmg.31.9.702 | last1 = Cruz-Coke | first1 = R. | last2 = Moreno | first2 = R.S. | title = Genetic epidemiology of single gene defects in Chile | journal = Journal of Medical Genetics | volume = 31 | issue = 9 | pages = 702–06 | year = 1994 | pmid = 7815439 | pmc = 1050080 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentina/portal/paginas.dhtml?pagina=1669 |title=About Argentina |publisher=Government of Argentina |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919230812/http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentina/portal/paginas.dhtml?pagina=1669 |archive-date=19 September 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref> Argentines usually refer to the country as a ''crisol de razas'' (crucible of races, or [[melting pot]]). A 2010 study conducted on 218 individuals by the Argentine geneticist [[Daniel Corach]] established that the average genetic ancestry of Argentines is 79% European (mainly Italian and Spanish), 18% indigenous and 4.3% African; 63.6% of the tested group had at least one ancestor who was [[Indigenous peoples in Argentina|Indigenous]].<ref name="onlinelibrary.wiley.com">{{cite journal|title=Inferring Continental Ancestry of Argentineans from Autosomal, Y-Chromosomal and Mitochondrial DNA| doi=10.1111/j.1469-1809.2009.00556.x|pmid=20059473|volume=74|issue=1|journal=Annals of Human Genetics|pages=65–76|year=2010|last1=Corach|first1=Daniel|last2=Lao|first2=Oscar|last3=Bobillo|first3=Cecilia|last4=Van Der Gaag|first4=Kristiaan|last5=Zuniga|first5=Sofia|last6=Vermeulen|first6=Mark|last7=Van Duijn|first7=Kate|last8=Goedbloed|first8=Miriam|last9=Vallone|first9=Peter M|last10=Parson|first10=Walther|last11=De Knijff|first11=Peter|last12=Kayser|first12=Manfred| s2cid=5908692|hdl=11336/14301|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0025-76802006000200004&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=es |title=Medicina (B. Aires) vol.66 número2; Resumen: S0025-76802006000200004 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719225555/http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0025-76802006000200004&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=es |archive-date=19 July 2011}}</ref> The majority of Argentines descend from multiple European ethnic groups, primarily of [[Italian people|Italian]] and [[Spanish people|Spanish]] descent, with over 25 million Argentines (almost 60% of the population) having some partial Italian origins.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SuC7CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT63|title=Pope Francis: The Pope from the End of the Earth|first=Thomas J.|last=Craughwell|year=2013|publisher=TAN Books|isbn=978-1-61890-138-5|page=63|access-date=24 August 2017|archive-date=29 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129143337/https://books.google.com/books?id=SuC7CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT63#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> Argentina is also home to a notable [[Asian Argentine|Asian]] population, the majority of whom are descended from either West Asians (namely [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]] and [[Syrians]])<ref name="Lizcano2007">{{cite journal|last=Lizcano Fernández|first=Francisco|url=http://convergencia.uaemex.mx/rev38/38pdf/LIZCANO.pdf|title=Composición Étnica de las Tres Áreas Culturales del Continente Americano al Comienzo del Siglo XXI|trans-title=Ethnic Composition of the Three Cultural Areas of the American Continent at the Beginning of the 21st Century|language=es|journal=Convergencia. Revista de Ciencias Sociales|publisher=Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México|location=Toluca, México|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626010236/http://convergencia.uaemex.mx/rev38/38pdf/LIZCANO.pdf|archive-date=26 June 2013|pages=194–195|quote=En principio, se pueden distinguir dos grupos muy distintos al interior de esta etnia: el que procede de Asia occidental (sobre todo árabes cristianos llegados desde Siria y Líbano) y el que salió de Asia oriental (chinos y japoneses principalmente).}}</ref> or East Asians (such as the Chinese,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clarin.com/sociedad/comunidad-china-duplico-ultimos-anos_0_343165728.html|author=Sánchez, Gonzalo|title=La comunidad china en el país se duplicó en los últimos 5 años|publisher=Clarin.com|date=27 September 2010|access-date=11 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207042630/http://www.clarin.com/sociedad/comunidad-china-duplico-ultimos-anos_0_343165728.html|archive-date=7 December 2013|url-status = live}}</ref> [[Korean people|Koreans]], and the [[Japanese people|Japanese]]).<ref>Masterson, Daniel M. and Sayaka Funada-Classen. ''[[The Japanese in Latin America]]''. [[University of Illinois Press]], 2004. {{ISBN|0252071441}}, 9780252071447. p. 146–147.</ref> The latter of whom number around 180,000 individuals. The total number of [[Arab Argentines]] (most of whom are of Lebanese or Syrian origin) is estimated to be 1.3 to 3.5 million. Many immigrated from various Asian countries to Argentina during the 19th century (especially during the latter half of the century) and the first half of the 20th century.<ref name="Elindependiente">{{cite news|title=Recopilaron casi 200 años de los sirio libaneses en Argentina|url=http://www.elindependiente.com.ar/papel/hoy/archivo_2004/noticias_v.asp?39074|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908043743/http://www.elindependiente.com.ar/papel/hoy/archivo_2004/noticias_v.asp?39074|archive-date=8 September 2014|access-date=9 November 2021|newspaper=El Independiente|quote=González convenció a sus pares de rechazarla, con el argumento de que eran "los más europeos del Asia y son sumisos y laboriosos".|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Lizcano Fernández|first=Francisco|url=http://convergencia.uaemex.mx/rev38/38pdf/LIZCANO.pdf|title=Composición Étnica de las Tres Áreas Culturales del Continente Americano al Comienzo del Siglo XXI|trans-title=Ethnic Composition of the Three Cultural Areas of the American Continent at the Beginning of the 21st Century|language=es|journal=Convergencia. Revista de Ciencias Sociales|publisher=Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México|location=Toluca, México|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626010236/http://convergencia.uaemex.mx/rev38/38pdf/LIZCANO.pdf|archive-date=26 June 2013|page=194|quote=La etnia asiática tiene su origen en los flujos migratorios que partieron de diversos países de Asia, os cuales fueron especialmente relevantes durante la segunda mitad del siglo XIX y la primera mitad del XX.}}</ref> Most Arab Argentines belong to the Catholic Church (including both the Latin Church and the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]]) or the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]. A minority are [[Muslims]]. From the 1970s, immigration has mostly been coming from [[Bolivia]], [[Paraguay]] and [[Peru]], with smaller numbers from the [[Dominican Republic]], Ecuador and [[Romania]].<ref>[http://www.clarin.com/diario/2007/03/04/sociedad/s-01373795.htm "El varieté de la calle Florida"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315005735/http://www.clarin.com/diario/2007/03/04/sociedad/s-01373795.htm |date=15 March 2007}} (Editorial) – [[Clarín (Argentine newspaper)|Clarín]] {{in lang|es}}</ref> The Argentine government estimates that 750,000 inhabitants lack official documents and has launched a program<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.patriagrande.gov.ar |title=Patria Grande |publisher=Patriagrande.gov.ar |access-date=16 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723172541/http://www.patriagrande.gov.ar/ |archive-date=23 July 2008 |url-status = live}}</ref> to encourage illegal immigrants to declare their status in return for two-year residence visas—so far over 670,000 applications have been processed under the program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.perfil.com/contenidos/2007/07/21/noticia_0035.html |title=Alientan la mudanza de extranjeros hacia el interior – Sociedad – |publisher=Perfil.com |access-date=25 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930194007/http://www.perfil.com/contenidos/2007/07/21/noticia_0035.html |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> As of July 2023, more than 18,500 Russians have come to Argentina after the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Undertones: Inside Russian influencer chats in Argentina |url=https://globalvoices.org/2023/07/20/undertones-inside-russian-influencer-chats-in-argentina/ |website=Global Voices |language=en |date=20 July 2023 |access-date=6 January 2024 |archive-date=6 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106130245/https://globalvoices.org/2023/07/20/undertones-inside-russian-influencer-chats-in-argentina/ |url-status=live }}</ref> === Languages === {{Main|Languages of Argentina}} [[File:Dialectos_del_idioma_español_en_Argentina.png|thumb|upright|Dialectal variants of the [[Spanish language]] in Argentina]] The ''[[de facto]]''{{efn-ua|Though not declared official ''[[de jure]]'', the Spanish language is the only one used in the wording of laws, decrees, resolutions, official documents and public acts.}} official language is [[Spanish language|Spanish]], spoken by almost all Argentines.{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} The country is the largest [[Hispanophone|Spanish-speaking society]] that universally employs {{lang|es|[[voseo]]}}, the use of the [[pronoun]] ''vos'' instead of ''tú'' ("you"), which imposes the use of alternative verb forms as well. Owing to the extensive Argentine geography, Spanish has a strong variation among regions, although the prevalent dialect is ''[[Rioplatense Spanish|Rioplatense]]'', primarily spoken in the Pampean and Patagonian regions and accented similarly to the [[Neapolitan language]].{{sfn|Colantoni|Gurlekian|2004|pp=107–119}} Italian and other European immigrants influenced ''[[Lunfardo]]''—the regional slang—permeating the vernacular vocabulary of other Latin American countries as well. There are several second-languages in widespread use among the Argentine population: English taught since [[elementary school]]; 42.3% of Argentines claim to speak it, with 15.4% of them claiming to have a high level of language comprehension.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}); [[Italian language|Italian]] (by 1.5 million people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}}{{efn-ua|Many elder people also speak a [[macaronic language]] of Italian and Spanish called ''[[cocoliche]]'', which was originated by the Italian immigrants in the late 19th century.}} [[Arabic language|Arabic]] (specially its [[Levantine Arabic|Northern Levantine dialect]], by one million people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} [[Standard German]] (by 200,000 people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}}{{efn-ua|It gave origin to a mixture of Spanish and German called ''[[Belgranodeutsch]]''.}} [[Guarani language|Guaraní]] (by 200,000 people,{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} mostly in Corrientes and Misiones);<ref name="Corrientes-5598">{{Cite Argentine law|jur=CN|l=5598|d=2326/2004|date=22 October 2004|url=https://hcdcorrientes.gov.ar/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Ley5598.pdf}}</ref> [[Catalan language|Catalan]] (by 174,000 people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} [[Quechua language|Quechua]] (by 65,000 people, mostly in the Northwest);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} [[Wichí languages|Wichí]] (by 53,700 people, mainly in Chaco{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} where, along with [[Kom language (South America)|Kom]] and [[Moqoit language|Moqoit]], it is official ''de jure'');<ref name=kom>{{cite Argentine law|jur=CC|l=6604|bo=9092|date=28 July 2010}}</ref> [[Vlax Romani language|Vlax Romani]] (by 52,000 people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} [[Albanian language|Albanian]] (by [[Albanians in South America|40,000 people]]);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/HALCoRe_derivate_00003672/Albanianmigration.pdf |title=Albanian migration and development: state of the art review|access-date=9 July 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916221528/http://edoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/HALCoRe_derivate_00003672/Albanianmigration.pdf |archive-date=16 September 2016}}</ref> [[Japanese language|Japanese]] (by 32,000 people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} [[Aymara language|Aymara]] (by 30,000 people, mostly in the Northwest);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] (by 27,000 people);{{sfn|Lewis|Simons|Fennig|2014}} === Religion === {{Main|Religion in Argentina}} [[File:Francis 2013.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Pope Francis|Francis]], the first pope from the Americas, was born and raised in Argentina.|alt=]] [[Christianity]] is the largest religion in Argentina. The Constitution guarantees [[freedom of religion]].{{sfn|Constitution of Argentina|loc=arts. 14, 20}} Although it enforces neither an official nor a state faith,{{sfnm|1a1=Fayt|1y=1985|1p=347|2a1=Bidart Campos|2y=2005|2p=53}} it gives [[Roman Catholicism]] a preferential status.{{sfn|Constitution of Argentina|loc=art. 2}}{{efn-ua|In practice this privileged status amounts to tax-exempt school subsidies and licensing preferences for radio broadcasting frequencies.<ref name=irfr1 />}} According to a 2008 CONICET poll, Argentines were 76.5% [[Catholic]], 11.3% [[Agnostic]]s and [[Atheist]]s, 9% [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical Protestants]], 1.2% [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], and 0.9% [[Mormon]]s, while 1.2% followed other religions, including [[Islam]], [[Judaism]] and [[Buddhism]].{{sfn|Mallimaci|Esquivel|Irrazábal|2008|p=9}} These figures appear to have changed quite significantly in recent years: data recorded in 2017 indicated that Catholics made up 66% of the population, indicating a drop of 10.5% in nine years, and the nonreligious in the country standing at 21% of the population, indicating an almost doubling over the same period.<ref name="Latinobarometro 2017">{{cite web|title=Latinobarómetro 1995–2017: El Papa Francisco y la Religión en Chile y América Latina|url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/site/artic/20180112/asocfile/20180112124342/f00006494_religion_chile_america_latina_2017.pdf|access-date=19 January 2018|language=es|date=January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113093209/http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/site/artic/20180112/asocfile/20180112124342/f00006494_religion_chile_america_latina_2017.pdf|archive-date=13 January 2018|url-status = live}}</ref> The country is home to both one of the [[Islam in Argentina|largest Muslim]]<ref name=irfr1>{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm|title=International Religious Freedom Report 2012 – Argentina|publisher=US Department of State|place=Washington, DC|year=2012|access-date=21 May 2019|archive-date=25 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325215847/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Jewish Argentine|largest Jewish]] communities in Latin America, the latter being the seventh most populous in the world.{{sfn|DellaPergola|2013|p=50}} Argentina is a member of the [[International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance]].<ref name=irfr1 /> Argentines show high individualization and de-institutionalization of religious beliefs;{{sfn|Mallimaci|Esquivel|Irrazábal|2008|p=21}} 23.8% claim to always attend religious services; 49.1% seldom do and 26.8% never do.{{sfn|Mallimaci|Esquivel|Irrazábal|2008|p=24}} On 13 March 2013, Argentine [[Pope Francis|Jorge Mario Bergoglio]], the [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]] [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Buenos Aires|Archbishop of Buenos Aires]], was [[Papal conclave, 2013|elected]] [[Pope|Bishop of Rome]] and [[Supreme Pontiff]] of the [[Catholic Church]]. He took the name "[[St. Francis of Assisi|Francis]]", and he became the first Pope from either the [[Americas]] or from the [[Southern Hemisphere]]; he is the first Pope born outside of Europe since the [[Papal conclave|election]] of [[Pope Gregory III]] (who was [[Syrian]]) in 741.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/world/europe/cardinals-elect-new-pope.html|title=Cardinals Pick Bergoglio, Who Will Be Pope Francis|last=Donadio|first=Rachel|work=The New York Times|place=New York|date=13 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326231033/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/world/europe/cardinals-elect-new-pope.html|archive-date=26 March 2014|url-status = live}}</ref> === Health === {{Main|Health care in Argentina}} [[File:Nuevo HECA Rosario.jpg|thumb|left|[[Hospital de Emergencias Clemente Álvarez|Clemente Álvarez Emergency Hospital]] in [[Rosario, Santa Fe|Rosario]]]] Health care is provided through a combination of employer and labour union-sponsored plans (''Obras Sociales''), government insurance plans, public hospitals and clinics and through private health insurance plans. Health care cooperatives number over 300 (of which 200 are related to [[Trade union|labour unions]]) and provide health care for half the population; the national INSSJP (popularly known as PAMI) covers nearly all of the five million senior citizens.<ref name=iadb>{{cite web |url=http://www.iadb.org/sds/doc/Desregulacion.pdf |title=IADB |publisher=IADB |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902020302/http://www.iadb.org/sds/doc/Desregulacion.pdf |archive-date=2 September 2008}}</ref> There are more than 153,000 hospital beds, 121,000 physicians and 37,000 dentists (ratios comparable to [[developed country|developed nations]]).<ref name=deis>[http://www.deis.gov.ar/Publicaciones/Archivos/Serie5Nro52.pdf Estadisticas Vitales – Informacionn Basica Año2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125031148/http://www.deis.gov.ar/Publicaciones/Archivos/Serie5Nro52.pdf |date=25 January 2011}}. Ministry of Health (December 2009)</ref><ref name=undata>{{cite web|url=http://undata.un.org/ |title=UNData |access-date=28 August 2016}} {{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The relatively high access to medical care has historically resulted in mortality patterns and trends similar to developed nations': from 1953 to 2005, deaths from [[cardiovascular disease]] increased from 20% to 23% of the total, those from [[tumors]] from 14% to 20%, [[respiratory]] problems from 7% to 14%, [[digestive system|digestive]] maladies (non-infectious) from 7% to 11%, strokes a steady 7%, injuries, 6%, and [[infection|infectious]] diseases, 4%. Causes related to [[senility]] led to many of the rest. Infant deaths have fallen from 19% of all deaths in 1953 to 3% in 2005.<ref name=deis /><ref name=un57>''UN Demographic Yearbook. 1957.''</ref> The availability of health care has also reduced [[infant mortality]] from 70 per 1000 live births in 1948<ref name=un97>''UN Demographic Yearbook. Historical Statistics. 1997''.</ref> to 12.1 in 2009<ref name=deis /> and raised [[life expectancy]] at birth from 60 years to 76.<ref name=un97 /> Though these figures compare favorably with global averages, they fall short of levels in developed nations and in 2006, Argentina ranked fourth in Latin America.<ref name=undata /> === Education === {{Main|Education in Argentina}} [[File:School_of_Law_-_University_of_Buenos_Aires_(4729499370).jpg|thumb|[[Faculty of Law, University of Buenos Aires|Faculty of Law]] of the [[University of Buenos Aires]]]] The Argentine education system consists of four levels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://portal.educacion.gov.ar/sistema/la-estructura-del-sistema-educativo/|title=El Sistema Educativo – Acerca del Sistema Educativo Argentino|publisher=Ministerio de Educación – Presidencia de la Nación|place=Buenos Aires|year=2009|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226041917/http://portal.educacion.gov.ar/sistema/la-estructura-del-sistema-educativo/|archive-date=26 February 2014|url-status = dead|access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref> An initial level for children between 45 days to 5 years old, with the last two years<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infobae.com/2015/01/07/1619385-desde-hoy-es-obligatorio-que-todos-los-ninos-cuatro-anos-ingresen-al-sistema-educativo|title=Desde hoy, es obligatorio que todos los niños de cuatro años ingresen al sistema educativo – educación, Escuelas, Sociedad, Docentes bonaerenses|website=Infobae.com|access-date=28 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415064957/http://www.infobae.com/2015/01/07/1619385-desde-hoy-es-obligatorio-que-todos-los-ninos-cuatro-anos-ingresen-al-sistema-educativo|archive-date=15 April 2016|url-status = live}}</ref> being compulsory. An elementary or [[lower school]] mandatory level lasting 6 or 7 years.{{efn-ua|name=leveldiff|Level duration depends on jurisdiction.}} {{As of|2010|alt=In 2010}} the [[literacy rate]] was 98.07%.<ref name=educ1>{{cite web|url=http://www.indec.gov.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/5/P7-P_Total_pais.xls|format=XLS|title=Población de 10 años y más por condición de alfabetismo y sexo, según provincia. Año 2010|work=Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas 2010|publisher=INDEC – Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos|place=Buenos Aires|year=2010|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226003634/http://www.indec.gov.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/5/P7-P_Total_pais.xls|archive-date=26 February 2014|url-status = dead|access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref> A secondary or [[high school]] mandatory level lasting 5 or 6 years.{{efn-ua|name=leveldiff}} {{as of|2010|alt=In 2010}} 38.5% of people over age 20 had completed secondary school.<ref name=educ2>{{cite web|url=http://www.indec.gov.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/5/P29-Total_pais.xls|format=XLS|title=Total del país. Población de 5 años y más que asistió a un establecimiento educativo por nivel de educación alcanzado y completud del nivel, según sexo y grupo de edad. Año 2010|work=Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas 2010|publisher=INDEC – Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos|place=Buenos Aires|year=2010|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226003726/http://www.indec.gov.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/5/P29-Total_pais.xls|archive-date=26 February 2014|url-status = dead|access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref> A [[Higher education|higher level]], divided in tertiary, university and post-graduate sub-levels. {{As of|2013|alt=in 2013}} there were 47 [[List of Argentine universities|national public universities]] across the country, as well as 46 private ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://portales.educacion.gov.ar/spu/sistema-universitario/|title=Sistema Universitario|publisher=Ministerio de Educación – Presidencia de la Nación|place=Buenos Aires|year=2011|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209070100/http://portales.educacion.gov.ar/spu/sistema-universitario/|archive-date=9 February 2014|url-status = dead}}</ref> {{As of|2010|alt=In 2010}} 7.1% of people over age 20 had graduated from university.<ref name=educ2 /> The public universities of [[University of Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires]], [[Universidad Nacional de Córdoba|Córdoba]], [[Universidad Nacional de La Plata|La Plata]], [[Universidad Nacional de Rosario|Rosario]], and the [[National Technological University]] are some of the most important. The Argentine state guarantees universal, secular and free-of-charge public education for all levels.{{efn-ua|The post-graduate sub-level of higher education is usually paid.}} Responsibility for educational supervision is organized at the federal and individual provincial states. In the last decades the role of the private sector has grown across all educational stages. === Urbanization === {{See also|List of cities in Argentina by population|List of cities in Argentina}} Argentina is highly urbanized, with 92% of its population living in cities:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indexmundi.com/argentina/urbanization.html|title=Argentina – Urbanization|publisher=Index Mundi – CIA World Factbook|date=26 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102145553/http://www.indexmundi.com/ARGENTINA/urbanization.html|archive-date=2 November 2012|url-status = live}}</ref> the ten largest metropolitan areas account for half of the population. About 3 million people live in the city of Buenos Aires, and including the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area it totals around 13 million, making it one of the largest urban areas in the world.<ref name=majorcities>{{cite web|url=http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentina/portal/paginas.dhtml?pagina=1484 |title=About Argentina – Major Cities |publisher=Government of Argentina |place=Buenos Aires |date=19 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919212817/http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentina/portal/paginas.dhtml?pagina=1484 |archive-date=19 September 2009 |url-status = dead}}</ref> The metropolitan areas of Córdoba and Rosario have around 1.3 million inhabitants each.<ref name=majorcities /> Mendoza, San Miguel de Tucumán, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Salta and Santa Fe have at least half a million people each.<ref name=majorcities /> The population is unequally distributed: about 60% live in the Pampas region (21% of the total area), including 15 million people in Buenos Aires province. The provinces of Córdoba and Santa Fe, and the city of Buenos Aires have 3 million each. Seven other provinces have over one million people each: Mendoza, Tucumán, Entre Ríos, Salta, Chaco, Corrientes and Misiones. With {{convert|64.3|PD/km2}}, Tucumán is the only Argentine province more densely populated than the world average; by contrast, the southern province of Santa Cruz has around {{convert|1.1|/km2|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://200.51.91.231/censo2010/ |title=República Argentina por provincia. Densidad de población. Año 2010 |publisher=INDEC |language=es |access-date=6 March 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120901061446/http://200.51.91.231/censo2010/ |archive-date=1 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> {{Largest cities of Argentina}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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