Argentina

Even without the titanic wedge of Antarctica that cartographers include in its national territory, Argentina ranks as the world's eighth largest country. Standing between the tropic of Cancer and the most southerly reaches of the planet's landmass, it encompasses a staggering diversity of climates and landscapes. The mainland points down from the hot and humid jungles of its northeast and the bone-dry highland steppes of its northwest through windswept Patagonia to the end-of-the-world archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, a territory that is shared with Chile.

Since is encompasses many climate zones and a diverse terrain, Argentina enables visitors to experience a range of exciting outdoor activities. From trekking around Iguazu Falls to kayaking in the Patagonian wilderness, this is the place to reconnect with one's true self in settings that display ever-changing colors, sights, and sounds. Sybarites will appreciate knowing they can top off many activities with stays in luxury accommodations, meals in gourmet restaurants, and enjoy Argentina's hospitality.

Argentina is less exotic than its neighbours to the north, and its inhabitants will tell you how great an influence Europe has been on their country. Yet it's a country with a very special character all of its own, distilled into the national ideal of Argentinidad - an elusive identity the country's Utopian thinkers and practical doers have never quite agreed upon. And while there's some truth to the clichés about Argentinians (their passions are dominated by the national religion of football, politics and living life in the fast lane), not everyone here dances the tango, or is obsessed with Evita, or gallops around on a horse, gaucho style.