Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts
Environment—current issues: working with Brazil to monitor and minimize transboundary pollution caused by Brazilian power plant near border; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
People
Population: 3,308,523 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 407,990; female 388,293)
15-64 years: 63% (male 1,026,554; female 1,054,513)
65 years and over: 13% (male 179,331; female 251,842) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.73% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 16.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)