With its 2.780.403 km² (1,068,300 sq mi) Argentina is the 8 biggest country on the world. A state like Texas enters 4 times and a country like Germany enters 7.8 times into Argentina. In this big country live some 40 million habitants. Some 14 million of them are living in the region of Gran Buenos Aires and form a vibrant megacity at the shores of the Rio de la Plata.

Outside of Buenos Aires you feel the enormous dimensions of this country. Travelling is possible by air, by bus and car and in some cases by train.

Discover Argentina means you need time

If you really want to feel the dimensions of Argentina you have to discover this great nation by car, not in a hurry like in the Megacities of the world. No, take your time, soon you will learn cruising and enjoy the landscapes, the Pampa with the cows or the grain fields. In the western part before reaching the Andes the landscape changes into steppes and sometimes into desserts. In the north eastern part you will find the province of Misiones with its famous Falls of Iguacu and hundreds of other small waterfalls. In the south, in Patagonia, are the steppes. You drive kilometers and kilometers (miles and miles) and meet nobody. But it is beautiful to feel this cruising on the roads of Argentina.

As we know nearly all parts of this fantastic country of Tango, Soccer and Steaks, we started to prepare a series of articles to present you Argentina and the Patagonia.

Argentina – Its enormous extensions

View Extensions of Argentina in a larger map

The extensions of Argentina are enormous. From north to south 4300 km (2700 mi) and from east to west 1300 km (800 mi).

To travel from north to south, from La Quiaca at the border to Bolivia to the most southern city of the World, Ushuaia, Argentina offers three alternatives:

From east to west the distance from Buenos Aires to Mendoza is some 1080 km (674 mi), then you have to drive some 160 km (100 mi) more to the Chilean border. For this trip Argentina offers two alternatives:

1. Ruta 8 from Buenos Aires following the Pan-American Highway for a short way and then heading west passing several villages and cities as Pilar, Arrecifes, Pergamino, Venado Tuerto and Rio Cuarto and then passing Villa Mercedes, San Luis on Ruta 7/8 to Mendoza

2. Ruta 7 from Buenos Aires passing for Lujan, Junin, Rufino, Laboulaye, Vicuña Mackenna and then passing Villa Mercedes, San Luis on Ruta 7/8 to Mendoza

Travelling from Buenos Aires to the Falls of Iguacu means leaving Buenos Aires and heading north east. There are no alternatives:

• You only follow the “Ruta del Mercosur” some 1287 km (804 mi) on Ruta 9 to Zarate turning right on Ruta 12 and later on Ruta 14 passing the cities of Gualeguaychú, Concordia, Paso de los Libres and Posadas. Here you follow once more Ruta 12 to Port of Iguacu.

In the next article we will lead you first from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and then we head south into the northern part of Patagonia to show you some beautiful places.