The chief occupations are sheep raising, agriculture and mining; manufactures unimportant. Mountain valleys are very fertile; mountains are rich in minerals. Between 1853 and 1872, 8,000,000 tons of guano were taken from the Chincha Islands. Latest reliable reports give: imports, $24,000,000; exports (exclusive of guano and nitre), $31,000,000. Principal exports are guano, nitrate of soda, wool, sugar, silver and cinchona.
State finances deranged by the late war with Chili; foreign debt $164,765,000; arrears in interest, $65,954,970. Railway system projected in 1852; miles of line, 1878, 2,030. Telegraph lines, 1878, 1,382 miles. The merchant marine, 1877, consisted of 147 vessels, with a combined capacity of 49,860 tons. Army and navy almost annihilated in the war with Chili; army now consists of 13,200 men; navy, of 18 steam vessels, with 66 guns.
ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.Ar´jen-tine.
A republic of South America. Total area, 1,125,086 square miles. Total population, 1882, 3,026,000. Foreigners: Italians, 123,641; French, 55,432; Spaniards, 59,022; Germans, 8,616; English, 17,950. Population of Buenos Ayres, the capital, was, in 1882, 295,000; Rosario has a population of 32,204; Cordova, 39,651; ten towns have over 10,000 inhabitants. Population rapidly increasing from immigration. In 1877 immigrants numbered 28,708; 1880. 41,615: 1882, 59,843; during first nine months of 1883, 73,210. The country is divided into 14 Provinces. Executive power is vested in a President, elected for a term of 6 years; legislative power is vested in a Congress, composed of a Senate and House of Deputies. President and Vice-President must be Roman Catholics. Constitution almost identical with that of the United States.
Public revenue derived from heavy customs duties. Income for 1884, $32,400,000; Import does, $21,115,000; export dues, $3,010,000; total expenditure, $32,460,000. Annual exports: wool, $28,250,000; hides, $14,000,000; sheep skins, $4,250,000; tallow, $6,000,000; live animals, $1,750,000; maize, $2,100,000.
The area devoted to agriculture is yearly increasing. In 1882 the confederation possessed 14,206,499 horned cattle, 72,683,045 sheep, 4,856,808 horses. Total value of live stock, $210,000,000. In 1882 the wheat product of the province of Santa Fé was 2,250,000 bushels.
Miles of railway, 2,500, and 651 miles are being constructed. In 1884 there were 9,800 miles of telegraph line, 8,060 miles owned by the state.
Many navigable rivers afford excellent facilities for transportation. The Uruguay river is navigable for 200 miles; the Rio Negro, for 500; and the Colorado, for 150.
There are universities at Buenos Ayres and Cordova; professors, 66; students, 923: there are also 28 middle class and normal schools, and 1,985 primary.