Argentina has been primarily a country of immigration for most of its history, welcoming European immigrants after its independence in the 19th century and attracting especially large numbers from Spain and Italy. European immigration diminished in the 1950s, when Argentina's military dictatorships tightened immigration rules and European economies rebounded. Regional migration, however, continued to supply low-skilled workers and today it accounts for three-quarters of Argentina's immigrant population. The first waves of highly skilled Argentine emigrant workers headed mainly to the United States and Spain in the 1960s and 1970s. The ongoing European economic crisis is driving the return migration of some Argentinean and other Latin American nationals, as well as the immigration of Europeans to South America, where Argentina is a key recipient.

Population:
42,610,981 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.1% (male 5,468,773/female 5,217,256)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years: 15.8% (male 3,436,816/female 3,296,788)
25-54 years: 38.8% (male 8,238,184/female 8,290,649)
55-64 years: 9.1% (male 1,871,644/female 1,990,790)
65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,987,344/female 2,812,737) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 54.3 %
[see also: Dependency ratios - total dependency ratio country ranks ]
youth dependency ratio: 37.4 %
elderly dependency ratio: 16.9 %
potential support ratio: 5.9 (2013)

Median age:
total: 31 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 29.9 years
female: 32.1 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.98% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
17.12 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 92% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas - population:
BUENOS AIRES (capital) 13.528 million; Cordoba 1.493 million; Rosario 1.231 million; Mendoza 917,000; San Miguel de Tucuman 831,000 (2011)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Maternal mortality rate:
77 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 85
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.24 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 143
male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.32 years
country comparison to the world: 68
male: 74.09 years
female: 80.73 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.27 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

Contraceptive prevalence rate:
78.9% (2004/05)
[see also: Contraceptive prevalence rate country ranks ]

Health expenditures:
8.1% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 60
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]

Physicians density:
3.16 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]

Hospital bed density:
4.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]

Drinking water source:
improved: