LATIN AMERICA ARGENTINA

Long before the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century to colonize the land we now know as Argentina, a number of indigenous peoples lived there, such as the Diaguita in the Andes mountains and the Guarani, who lived further south and east. Both groups were strong enough to repel Spanish military invasions, which came in waves throughout the century, but ultimately they were not able to fight the diseases that Europeans brought with them; the Spanish firmly established Buenos Aires in the 1580s.

By the 20th century Argentina had long been independent, but suffered through decades of military dictatorships and coups. Since the return of civilian rule Argentina's politics have stabilized, though economic challenges abound.

Argentina's greatest musical pride is Tango, a passionate music and accompanying form of dance that arose along the border between Argentina and Uruguay in the late 19th century (but really took root in the seedier bars in Buenos Aires and Montevideo).