Argentina is mostly known as the country of the passionate dance called tango. Truth be told, almost no one knows that the country was the driving force behind many inventions. The inventions that rapidly became part of our life. One of them is the technique of radio broadcasting that was a real revelation. The first radio broadcast that happened in summer of 1920 was heard by only 20 people. Since the technique was new, few people had the equipment necessary to receive the signal.
Apart from the progress in this field, Argentina was also a pioneer in terms of animated film production industry. Whereas many believe that the credit for it belongs to Walt Disney, the truth is that it was Quirino Christiany who created the first animated cartoon in 1917. Disney himself stated that the man’s achievement served as a great source of inspiration for him to improve the technique and introduce it to the public.
Today, we will present to you a set of facts about Argentina that will help our readers learn the things about this country they don’t know. Here are the facts we’ve managed to gather…
Argentina: 8 interesting facts about the country where the dance of passion appeared
1. Argentina has a national sport called Pato
Even though Argentinians are big fans of football, it’s not the national sport of the country. The game that was granted this status is called Pato. Foreigners do not know much about this game because it’s not as popular as it used to be. Historians say that the earliest version of the game appeared in the beginning of the 17th century. What is Pato? It used to be the favorite leisure activity of gaucho boys, the so-called cowboys of Argentina. The game has the elements of polo and basketball, with a live duck inside a basket being used as a ball. The today’s version of the game is less violent as the ducks are no longer used.
2. The country’s national meal is gnocchi
In fact, the meal was introduced to Spain by Italian immigrants. The meal based on potato, flour and salt was the ideal food to be eaten at the end of a month, an interesting Argentina fact. Why? Because by the end of a month, many people had almost no money left for living. The meal is served at many Argentinian restaurants on the 29th of each month. If you want to attract good luck and wealth, you can put money under the plate of gnocchi before eating it.
3. The country has the highest rate of plastic surgeries
Surprisingly, Argentinian women are the most frequent clients of plastic surgeons. The popularity of the profession led to a rapid increase in the number of plastic surgeons living in Argentina. Whereas some women have an adequate reason for changing their appearance, the majority of those who come to plastic surgeons have health issues like eating disorder.
4. Argentina was the first country to start using fingerprints as a method of personality identification
This method was first used in 1982, after the brutal murder of two children in a small town of Argentina. Since nobody witnessed the crime, the police could come up with a list of possible suspects. After analyzing the fingerprint left on a door handle, the police officers solved the crime, a fun Argentina fact.
5. The country’s most well-known dance was considered to be inappropriate and too sensual
Tango is definitely the most well-known aspect of the Argentinian culture. Today, it’s hard to believe that there were times when this Latin dance was unpopular. Apart from the dance, the tango music itself expresses lots of emotions. It appeared in Argentinian ghettos after the locals decided to combine African rhythms and Argentinian music. The dance started to gain popularity thanks to teenagers from rich families. They often went to ghettos in search of adventures.
6. Argentinians are very passionate
Argentinians are passionate and open people with whom you’ll quickly become friends. They are not shy to tell new people they meet about their lives, which successfully helps them to win the hearts of new friends.
7. Argentinians love herbal tea
Here we are talking about a particular kind of tea called Mate. In general, the tradition of drinking tea plays one of the most important roles in the life of modern Argentinian society. While drinking tea, people discuss different business or everyday issues, thus making their personal or business relationships stronger.
Argentinians believe that only a true master can prepare an ideal mate tea. First, the herb is placed in a special mate pot. Hot water is added, and people are given special metal straws (called bombillas) to drink the tea right from the pot, an interesting Argentina fact.
8. Argentina is the country where one can try a perfect steak
You may be surprised to learn that it’s Argentinian (and not American) steak that is known all over the world, a fun Argentina fact. The popularity of this meat meal has to do with the fact that Argentina has more cows than people.
If you happen to be in Argentina, you must go to a parilla (steakhouse) in order to try the meal. Argentinians regularly gather with their families and friends for a barbecue, involving not only the steak but also wine and good mood.
Conclusion
One of the most common features of Argentinian culture is gauchos. These freemen used to catch cows wandering in the fields and then giving them to somebody in exchange to alcohol, mate and many other things. After the government implemented strict control over the cows wandering in the fields, gauchos were forced to start working in order to earn money. By the way, they were the ones who created the Pato game.
We hope that the this article about Argentina facts we shared with you today sparked your interest in the culture of Argentina and helped you to learn more about the country. If you are interested, visit the Country Facts Page!
