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Cars 4 Rental Information on Argentina

General

Area: 2,780,400 sq km (1,073,518 sq miles).

Population: 37,486,938 (official estimate 2001).

Population Density: 13.0 per sq km (2001).

Capital: Buenos Aires. Population: 2,776,138 (official estimate 2001).

GEOGRAPHY: Argentina is situated in South America, east of the Andes, and is bordered by Chile to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil to the north and northeast. There are four main geographical areas: the Andes, the North and Mesopotamia, the Pampas and Patagonia. The climate and geography of Argentina vary considerably, ranging from the great heat of the Chaco (El Chaco), through the pleasant climate of the central Pampas to the sub-Antarctic cold of the Patagonian Sea. Mount Aconcagua soars almost 7000m (23,000ft) and waterfalls at Iguaz stretch around a massive semi-circle, thundering 70m (230ft) to the bed of the Paran River. In the southwest is a small ’Switzerland’ with a string of beautiful icy lakes framed by mountains.

Government: Federal and Democratic Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1816. Head of State and Government: President Nstor Carlos Kirchner Ostoic since 2003.

Language: Spanish is the official language. English is widely spoken with some French and German.

Religion: More than 90 per cent Roman Catholic, 2 per cent Protestant with small Muslim and Jewish communities.

Time: GMT - 3 (GMT - 4 in summer).

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Lamp fittings are of the screw-type. Plug fittings in older buildings are of the two-pin round type, but some new buildings use the three-pin flat type.

Telephone

IDD is available (but not generally in use). Country code: 54. Outgoing international code: 00. The system is often overburdened and international calls are expensive. Local calls can be made from public call-boxes, which are located in shops and restaurants and are identifiable by a blue sign outside. Public phones take 1 peso or 50 and 25 centavos coins or cards. Reduced tariffs apply from 2200-0800.

Mobile telephone

GSM 1900 network. Network operators include Telecom Personal (website: www.telecompersonal.com.ar) and Unifon (website: www.unifon.com.ar). Roaming can be arranged.

Fax

Most large hotels have facilities.

Internet

ISPs include Ciudad Internet Prima (website: www.ciudad.com.ar). Public access is available in Internet cafes in main towns.

Telegram

A cable service to other Latin American countries exists, run by All America Cables Limited.

Post

The main post office in Buenos Aires is located in Sarmiento 189 and is open Mon-Fri 0900-1930. Airmail to Europe takes between 5 and 10 days. Surface mail to Europe takes on average 20-25 days but can take as long as 50 days, so it is advisable to send everything airmail. Internal postal services are subject to delay. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat 0800-1400.

Press

The Buenos Aires Herald is the leading English-language newspaper in Latin America. Argentina’s principal dailies include Clarn, Crnica, El Cronista, La Nacin, Pgina 12, Diario Popular, La Prensa, La Razn and mbito Financiero.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Peso (P) = 100 centavos. Peso notes are in denominations of P100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2. Coins are in denominations of P5, 2 and 1 and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 centavos.

Currency exchange: While the US Dollar is generally (though not officially) accepted as legal tender, foreign currencies can be exchanged in banks and authorised cambios (bureaux de change), which are available in all the major cities.

Credit & debit cards: MasterCard and Visa are the most widely accepted; American Express and Diners Club are also taken. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available.

Travellers cheques: It is often difficult to exchange these in the smaller towns. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of both local and foreign currency is unlimited. Gold must be declared. Note that currently there are certain restrictions for foreign currency transfers.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Peso against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04 Aug ’04
£1.00= 4.77 5.32 5.21 5.54
$1.00= 2.85 2.92 2.92 3.00

Note: The Government has changed the Peso fixed rate to the US Dollar, devaluating the local currency which is now under free flotation.

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1500.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever 1 No
Cholera Yes 2
Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A
Malaria 4 N/A

1: Yellow fever may occur in epidemics in forested areas (northeast only), but it is very rare.

2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Argentina. However, precautions are advised; some cases were reported in 1996. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness; see the Health appendix for more information.

3: Typhoid fever is not common but a risk exists.

4: Malaria risk, exclusively in the benign vivax form is low and exists in pockets in the provinces of Salta, Jujuy, Misiones and Corrientes. Protection in the form of 300mg of chloroquine prophylaxis administered weekly is advised.

Food & drink: Tap water is considered safe to drink. Drinking water outside main cities and towns may be contaminated and sterilisation is advisable. Pasteurised milk and dairy products are safe for consumption. Avoid unpasteurised milk as brucellosis occurs. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.

Other risks: Hepatitis A and intestinal parasitosis are widespread. Both cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis occur. There is some risk of dengue fever and anthrax.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information consult the Health appendix.

Health care: Medical insurance is recommended as there are no reciprocal health agreements. Medical facilities are generally of a high standard, though of varying quality outside Buenos Aires. Immediate cash payment is often expected by doctors.

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Climate

The north is subtropical with rain throughout the year, while the Tierra del Fuego in the south has a sub-arctic climate. The main central area is temperate, but can be hot and humid during summer (December to February) and cool in winter.

Required clothing: European clothes for the main central area. Lightweight cottons and linens in the north. Warm clothes are necessary in the south and during winter months in the central area. Waterproofing is advisable for all areas.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No Yes
Australian Yes No Yes
Canadian Yes No Yes
USA Yes No Yes
OtherEU Yes No Yes
Japanese Yes No Yes

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for 6 months required by all except nationals of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay who, for journeys that do not go beyond Argentina and these five countries, may use their national ID cards.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of the countries shown in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St Lucia, San Marino, Serbia & Montenegro, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela for stays of up to 90 days;
(c) nationals of Grenada, Hong Kong (British Nationals Overseas), Jamaica and Malaysia for stays of up to 30 days;
(d) transit passengers holding confirmed onward or return tickets for travel provided continuing their journey within 6 hours and not leaving the airport.
Note: Visa exemptions mentioned above are for tourist purposes only. Business travellers are advised to contact the Argentinean Consulate before departure.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist: £16.65; Business: £27.75. Passengers requiring visas for transit only should still apply for tourist visas. The cost of visas changes monthly with exchange rates; further details can be obtained from the Consulate or Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

Validity: Visas are generally valid for stays of up to 90 days. Extensions for a further 90 days are possible for some nationals; contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy) for details.

Application to: Consulate, or Consular Section at Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

Application requirements: Tourist: (a) Valid passport. (b) Application form. (c) One passport photo. (d) Fee; payable by cheque or postal order. (e) Return ticket. (f) Proof of sufficient funds (eg bank statement). Business: (a)-(e) and, (f) Letter of introduction from employer.
Note: Nationals of Australia, Hong Kong (British Nationals Overseas), Malaysia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the UK and USA should travel with a UK company letter. It is advisable for nationals of all countries to contact the Consulate before travelling for business purposes, in particular, nationals of Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, St Lucia, Singapore, South Africa, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Working days required: 24 to 48 hours. An express service may be available for an added fee.

Note: Argentine minors travelling to or from Argentina, if unaccompanied by their parents, must carry their parents’ or other legal guardian’s authorisation to travel, which must be certified by an Argentine Consul if issued abroad. Fines will be levied if passengers do not comply with immigration requirements and passengers will be deported.

Temporary residence: Applicants for temporary residence, working holidays and long-stay business visits to Argentina should contact the Embassy or Consulate (see Contact Addresses section).

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