Argentina's Geographic Characteristics and Geopolitical Significance

Argentina's Geographic Characteristics

Territorial Form

The form is a particular characteristic of a State's territory, which is of interest to political geography. It is defined by international boundaries, forming the country's perimeter. Several denominations have been applied to characterize the shape of Argentina:

• Longitudinal Shape: Due to its great development in the north-south direction, which implies a wide variety of climates and diversified natural resources.
• Appendicular Shape: This refers to the province of Misiones, which penetrates like a wedge into the territories of neighboring countries.
• Triangular Shape: The longer leg in the west is represented by the border with Chile. The shorter leg coincides with the boundary lines that separate Argentina from Bolivia and Paraguay. The hypotenuse corresponds to the Atlantic seaboard.

Territorial Extension

Argentina is characterized by an extensive territory, making it the 8th largest in the world, considering the American portion of its emerged surface (2,791,810 km²). According to the international classification of countries by surface area, Argentina is given the appellation of a "great or giant state" because it exceeds 2,000,000 km².

This large territorial extent brings both advantages and disadvantages:

• Advantages:
  • Greater chance of having abundant natural resources.
  • More likely to house a numerous population.
• Disadvantages:
  • Difficulty in effective control of its entire national area from the central government to the periphery of the state.

Geographic Position

There are two types of positions for analysis from a political standpoint: the absolute position and the relative position.

Absolute Position

Argentina is located in the Southern Hemisphere, Western Hemisphere, and has a significant maritime presence, situated in the southern part of the American continent.

Relative Position

The relative position always studies a State "with respect to" or in relation to other significant areas of the planet. Argentina's position can be evaluated taking into account:

• Position in the World: Our country is in an area of relative isolation from major international powers and the main global routes or means of communication.
• Position with Respect to the South Atlantic Ocean: Argentina occupies a strategic position due to its extensive Atlantic coast, for having one of the largest continental shelves in the world, and for its major fishery resources and potential energy reserves.
• Position in South America: Our country is bordered by five neighboring countries: Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Chile. This favors cultural and economic exchange.