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Argentina is the 8th largest country in the world. "The first people
in Argentina were the Indians of the Americas. They were thought to
have descended from Asia, crossing the Bering Strait from Siberia in
prehistoric times" (Gofen, p.17). "The first Spaniard to land in
Argentina was explorer Juan Diaz de Solis in 1516. He sailed into the
Rio de la Plata estuary and claimed the land for Spain"(Argentina, p.1).
Argentineans enjoy a climate that favors outdoor activities
throughout the year. They camp, hunt, fish, hike, rock climb, ski,
sail, windsurf, cycle, tennis, and golf. They take seaside vacations on
the Atlantic coast and inland vacations in resort areas such as
Bariloche. They also like all team sports, there most favorite being
soccer, known as futbol. The English brought this game to Argentina in
the last century. Among national teams, a passionate rivalry exists
between Argentina and Brazil. More than 100,000 fans will turn to watch
a game between the two countries.
Vegetation varies greatly throughout the country. The scrublands
produce mainly dwarf shrubs, while the rainforests support giant cedar
and laurel trees. Quebracho trees, from which tannin extracted, are
native to Mesopotamia. The wildlife is typically South American, with
llamas, monkeys, jaguars, armadillos and many snakes. Bird life
includes toucans, hummingbirds, parrots and the ostrich-like rheas.
Fish, including piranhas, abound in the many streams, and there are sea
lions off the coast. Pigs, introduced by European settlers, are to be
found wild in Patagonia.
Argentina is alive with festivals, or fiestas. Their colorful
processions brighten the landscape from one end of the country to the
other. Many different groups of people express their artistic, musical,
and culinary creativity through festival celebrations. Argentinean
festivals reflect the spiritual traditions of both native Indian
religions and Christianity. Festivals and holidays may involve
religious pilgrimages, feasts, parades, dancing and even gaucho
competitions on horseback. Most of the competitors in gaucho events are
descendants of gauchos. They use traditional old costumes and saddles
for the contest.
Carnival occurs at the same time as similar celebrations among Roman
Catholics all over the world, including the Mardi Gras in the United
States. The celebration of Carnival in Argentina is especially vigorous
in the northern part of the country. Business comes to a halt as
costumed Argentineans dance in the streets. Carnival festivities
usually begin on the weekend before Ash Wednesday, which most often
falls in February. The celebrations are mixed with Indian traditions in
the northeast.
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