We are visiting Argentina, a massive and vibrant country in South America. There are around 47 million people living here, and the capital is the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, which is often called the “Paris of the South.” The official language is Spanish, but it sounds a little bit like Italian because of the way the people speak with a musical rhythm!

Argentina is huge! It covers about 2.8 million square kilometers, or over 1 million square miles. To imagine its size, it is about three times the size of the state of Texas, or roughly twelve times the size of the United Kingdom. It stretches from warm jungles in the north all the way down to freezing glaciers in the south.

The most popular sport is Football, and the people here are very passionate about it—the national team has won the World Cup three times! Their national animal is a bird called the Rufous Hornero. This clever bird is famous for building its nest out of mud and straw; the nests look like little outdoor clay ovens and are so strong they can last for years.

The flag features three horizontal stripes of light blue and white, and in the center is a golden “Sun of May” with a human face that represents the sun god of the ancient people.

The food is a dream for meat lovers! Argentina is famous for its Asado, which is a huge barbecue where families gather to cook beef over an open fire. They also love Dulce de Leche, a sweet caramel sauce that they put on almost every dessert.

Argentina is home to the Patagonian Mara, an animal that looks like a mix between a deer, a rabbit, and a kangaroo. They have long legs and can run really fast, but they spend most of their time sitting upright like little statues.

Also, deep in the south, you can visit the Perito Moreno Glacier. This is a giant wall of ice that is actually larger than the entire city of Buenos Aires! Sometimes, huge chunks of ice as big as buildings break off and crash into the water with a sound as loud as a cannon blast. People also love to drink Mate, a traditional herbal tea that they sip through a metal straw—but watch out, it’s very bitter and shared from the same cup with everyone in the group!

From the thundering Iguazu Falls to the icy tips of the south, Argentina is a land of champions and giants. ¡Gracias! That means “Thank you!”