Facts about Argentina

 Argentina is the Second Largest Country in South America

Argentina covers a vast landscape that stretches over 1,068,296 square miles, making it the eighth-largest
country in the world. It is the second-largest nation in South America after Brazil and has a population of over 46
million people. A large majority of Argentines speak Spanish, the official language, making it the third-largest
Spanish-speaking country in the world, after Mexico and Colombia.

 Argentina’s Official National Sport is El Pato

Although football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in Argentina, the official national sport is a unique and
lesser-known game called El Pato. This thrilling sport is a mix of polo, basketball, and horseback riding, where
players on horseback attempt to land a rubber ball in a floating basket or goal.

The game is a symbol of Argentina’s rich cultural heritage and its love for equestrian sports. With every El Pato
match, the crowds are filled with excitement and the players with determination, making it an unforgettable
experience.

 Football is the Most Popular Sport in South America

Even though it is not the national sport, football is by far the most beloved sport in Argentina. It is seen as a
cultural icon and a source of national pride. The Argentine Football Association was founded in 1893, making it
one of the oldest in the world.

The country has a long-standing history with the sport and holds the honor of having won the FIFA World Cup
three times (1978, 1986, and 2022). It has also produced some of the world’s most renowned players, including
football legends Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

 Maradona Inspired a Religion

The legendary football skills of Diego Maradona have inspired such devotion that a church was opened in his
honor in 1998. The Church of Maradona is situated in Rosario and was created by a group of dedicated fans.

The church now has over 120,000 members and even has its own ten commandments, including naming your
first son Diego and considering the ball sacred. The church is a testament to Maradona’s incredible talent and
enduring impact on his loyal fans’ hearts.

If you need more proof of his popularity, he infamously scored the “Hand of God” goal against England in the
1986 Fifa World Cup. That famous goal helped his country win the world cup and will forever be remembered by
members of this church and the world alike.

 Buenos Aires Has the Widest Street in the World

Buenos Aires, the bustling capital of Argentina, boasts the title of having the widest street in the world. The
grand Avenida 9 de Julio is named after the country’s Day of Independence, celebrated on the 9th of July.

This colossal avenue spans a staggering 459 ft in width and accommodates 16 lanes of traffic. The street is home
to historic buildings, monuments, and landmarks like the Obelisco, making it worth exploring when you visit
Argentina.

 Iguazu Falls is the Largest Broken Waterfall in the World

Iguazu Falls is a natural wonder located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, offering beautiful views on both
sides. With a total of 275 individual waterfalls spread over two miles, it is the largest broken waterfall in the
world.

The Iguazu River feeds the falls, starting its journey high in the Andes and flowing through the lush subtropical
rainforest before reaching the falls. It is home to a wide array of wildlife, including monkeys, toucans, and
various species of butterflies.
  Argentina is Known as the Land of Silver

Argentina’s name is derived from “Argentum,” the Latin word for silver. It has this name due to the large
quantities of the precious metal discovered by a Spanish colony in the 16th Century. After the country gained
independence from Spain in 1816, the name stuck, and Argentina became one of the biggest producers and
exporters of silver in the world.

 There is a Law Against Naming a Child Messi

Football legend Lionel Messi led the Argentinian team to victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, inspiring millions
worldwide. After Argentina won, a resident in Messi’s hometown of Rosario named his son after the soccer star.

Rosario’s government officials realized that many would follow suit and worried about “mass confusion” down
the line if the name became too popular. So, they implemented a city-wide ban preventing parents from naming
their kids Messi.

 Pope Francis Worked as a Bouncer in Buenos Aires

Pope Francis is the current Pope of the Catholic Church. He was born in Buenos Aires in 1936 and was ordained
as a priest in 1969. In 2013, he made history by being the first Latin American Pope and the firstborn in the
Southern hemisphere. One of the most interesting facts about Pope Francis is that he worked as a bouncer at a
nightclub in his younger days. He took this job, as well as a janitorial position, to pay for his studies

Facts about Bolivia:

 Bolivia is home to over 30 official languages.

Although Bolivia is one of South America’s Spanish speaking countries, this is not the only language that is widely
spoken in the country. The 2009 constitution lists 37 languages in total, some of which are now extinct.

All indigenous languages are officially recognised, with Quechua being the most widely spoken. As well as
Quechua which is predominantly spoken in the Andes, Chiquitano is mainly spoken in the Santa Cruz
department, Guaraní on the border with Paraguay and Aymara in the Altiplano.

 Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia’s famous salt flats, is home to the largest salt deposit in the world.

Spanning a massive 10,582 square kilometres, Salar de Uyuni is actually as large as Hawai’i Island! Bolivia’s
famous salt flats make frequent appearances on bucket lists and visitors often plan their trip to coincide with the
wet season. This is because for a few short weeks every year, the surface water turns the salt flats into the
world’s largest mirror!

Salar de Uyuni sits where the prehistoric lake, Lago Minchin, would have been 40,000 years ago. A change in
climate from wet to dry, combined with a large rise in temperatures meant that the lake dried up, causing a thick
salt crust to form. Nowadays, the rate of evaporation is around 10 times more than the rainfall which means
there will always be salt on the ground’s surface.

Tours to Salar de Uyuni are easy to arrange from La Paz although some prefer to rent a car and have their own
DIY adventure. If you’re feeling brave, you can eat the salt at Salar, however, to avoid any debris from people’s
boots, it is probably just better to buy a bag from one of the tourist shops!

 Many people think that La Paz is the capital of Bolivia but that isn’t strictly true.

When you’re reading about Bolivia, you may read that La Paz is the capital of the country. However, this isn’t
strictly true. La Paz is the administrative capital, meaning that this is where the official government seat is. If
we’re talking administrative capitals, it is actually the highest capital in the world.

Sucre is located in the southern highlands of Bolivia and is the constitutional (or judicial) capital. This is because
it is where the Supreme Court of Justice is located. Although La Paz is technically still a capital, Sucre is the true
capital as christened in the Constitution of Bolivia.
 You can cycle down the ‘World’s Most Dangerous Road’ in Bolivia.

The North Yungas Road which links La Paz to Coroico has earned the sinister nickname, Death Road. This is
because, at one point, an estimated 300 people were killed on the road every single year. Treacherous mountain
conditions, poor visibility, lack of guardrails and bad infrastructure meant that a journey on this road was a
gamble with your life.

Realising that the road was claiming too many lives, a newer route was constructed to join La Paz with Coroico.
Once the new road was operational, the original North Yungas Road closed to the majority of traffic and has
instead become an unlikely tourist attraction.

Nowadays, travellers and fear seekers flood from all over to La Paz, desperate to earn their very own ‘I survived
Death Road’ t-shirt. Intrepid adventurers can now cycle down the hell-raising track on mountain bikes, taking in
the incredible views and literal bumps in the road at the same time.

Trust us when we say, this is not an adventure for the faint of heart! When choosing your tour provider, make
sure you pick wisely as some agencies cut corners. We’re a big fan of local outfit Bolivian Bike Junkies who
guarantee an action-packed day while still keeping riders safe.

 There is a real salt hotel called Palacio de Sal (Palace of Salt) in Bolivia.

Although there are smaller salt hotels in Bolivia, the Palace of Salt sits on the shores of Salar de Uyuni. It offers
luxury accommodation, blending salt into every element of the hotel. The ceilings, walls and furniture are all
made from salt and there are also salt sculptures created by local artists in the public areas.

As well as housing 42 rooms, there is a snooker table, a shop selling Bolivian handicrafts, a spa and a fitness
centre. The hotel is a great place from which to watch the stars as there is very little light pollution around the
area. Sadly for budget travellers, a stay at Palacio de Sal is unlikely to be on the cards. Double rooms are
upwards of $190USD per night!

 You can find a real-life witch market in La Paz!

Bolivia is a country where indigenous rituals are well and truly alive. To see this in action, just head to the witch
market in La Paz. Known locally as El Mercado de las Brujas, these markets sell a whole manner of weird and
wonderful things.

Dried frogs, stone carvings and llama foetuses are just a few of the items on offer, promising to protect the
purchaser. The llama foetuses are traditionally used as an offering to Pachamama and are buried in the
foundations of new buildings. This practice is believed to keep the construction workers safe.

Hallucinogenic cactus San Pedro and the famous ayahuasca drink are also available to buy here. Although both
of these substances are popular with backpackers, travellers should be very wary of taking any kind of drug in
South America.

 Laguna Colorada

The magical red-colored water of Laguna Colorado is the result of red sediments found in the lake. The
pigmentation in some of the microorganisms in the water, paired with the red algae, give it its blood-like
appearance which encourages people to travel from all over the world to see it for themselves.

The dramatic contrast of the white pools is created by immense borax deposits on the surface of the lake. This is
just one of Bolivia’s strange and unique landscapes, like the famous Uyuni Salt Flats, and one of the most
impressive colored lakes on the planet.It is a vastly sized lake which takes up some 15 000 acres in area, and it is
very shallow with a depth of only about one meter. The lake’s composition is very saline, or salty, and big
deposits of borax are visible as small islands which dot the surface of the lake.

There is not really an abundance of wildlife at Laguna Colorada which is due to the shallowness of the lake. The
very important wildlife that can be found here may be little, but it is vital to maintain the ecosystem. Plankton
flushes the lake waters, which serve as rich-nutrient food to several bird species that live around here, especially
flamingos.

The James’s flamingo is the most common type of flamingo found in Laguna Colorada. It is special since it is
native to the Altiplano area, and they adore plankton-heavy waters. So, expect to see many of them! Some other
animals you may be able to see are alpacas, foxes and other plankton-eating birds.

The winter time is usually considered to be the best time to visit Bolivia. This period promises clear skies,
sunshine, and very little rain. It falls between May and October. If you are planning to see the flamingos – there
are more of them around during the rainy season from December to April. During the rainy season you may also
have the opportunity to see Salar de Uyuni flooded and resembling the world’s largest mirror.