Economy of Argentina

Economy of Argentina
	Puerto Madero business complex in Buenos Aires CBD
Currency	Argentine peso (ARS)
Fiscal year	Calendar year
Trade organizations	WTO, Mercosur, Prosur, G-20
Country group	Developing/Emerging; Upper-middle income economy;
Statistics
Population	46,044,703 (2022)
GDP	$683.37 billion (nominal; 2025); $1.49 trillion (PPP; 2025);
GDP rank	24th (nominal; 2025); 29th (PPP; 2025);
GDP growth	4.5% (2025); 4.0% (2026); 4.0% (2027f); 3.8% (2028f);
GDP per capita	$14,360 (nominal; 2025); $31,310 (PPP; 2025);
GDP per capita rank	70th (nominal; 2025); 69th (PPP; 2025);
GDP by sector	Agriculture, forestry, and fishing: 6.0%; mining: 3.6%; manufacturing: 17.2%; construction: 5.6%; commerce and tourism: 16.9%; transport, communications, and utilities: 7.9%; government: 9.5%; business, social and other services: 33.3%; (2015);
Inflation (CPI)	31.8% (September 2025) (INDEC);
Population below poverty line	31.7% (2025); 7.3% living in extreme poverty (2025);
Gini coefficient	42.4 high (2023)
Human Development Index	0.865 very high (2023) (47th); 0.761 high IHDI (45th) (2023);
Labor force	21,339,080 (2022); 55.1% employment rate (2021);
Labor force by occupation	Agricultural 7.3%; manufacturing 13.1%; construction 7.6%; commerce and tourism 21.4%; transport, communications and utilities 7.8%; financial, real estate and business service, 9.4%; public administration and defense 6.3%; social services and other 27.1% (2006);
Unemployment	6.3% (2025) (IMF)
Average gross salary	US$1135 monthly (AR$1,468,135.75) (June 2025)
Main industries	Food processing and beverages; motor vehicles and auto parts; appliances and electronics; machinery and equipment; chemicals; pharmaceuticals; glass; steel and aluminum; cement; textiles; tobacco products; publishing; furniture; leather;
External
Exports	$87.07 billion (2025)
Export goods	Soybeans and derivatives (soybean meal and soybean oil), maize, wheat, vehicles, beef, petroleum and gas, lithium, wine, sunflower, pear
Main export partners	Brazil 14.7%; China 11.3%; European Union 9.7%; United States 9.6%; (2025);
Imports	$75.79 billion (2025)
Import goods	Motor vehicles, Auto parts and accessories, Mineral fuels and oils, Medicines and pharmaceutical products, Industrial machinery and equipment, Fertilizers, Plastics, Telecommunications equipment
Main import partners	Brazil 24.3%; China 23.7%; European Union 13.8%; United States 8.8%; (2025);
FDI stock	$76.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.); Abroad: $40.94 billion (31 December 2017 est.);
Current account	−$31.32 billion (2017 est.)
Gross external debt	$214.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.); $163.2 billion; of which public, $92.5 billion (March 2016);
Public finances
Government debt	73.1% of GDP (2025);
Foreign reserves	$26.10 billion (July 2023);
Budget balance	−15% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Revenues	120.6 billion (2017 est.) *$142.9 billion (2015) (social security, 25.9%; income and capital gains, 23.6%; value-added sales tax, 20.1%; trade and duties, 15.1%; financial tax, 6.3%; excise and other, 9.0%);
Expenses	158.6 billion (2017 est.) *$167.3 billion (2015) (social security, 38.8%; subsidies and infrastructure, 22.5%; debt service, 9.2%; education, culture and research, 8.8%; social assistance, 5.4%; health, 3.4%; security, 3.1%; defense, 2.1%; other, 6.7%);
Credit rating	Standard & Poor's:; B- (Domestic); SD (Foreign); B- (T&C Assessment);
	All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.

The economy of Argentina is South America's second-largest, behind Brazil. The United Nations' Human Development Index ranks Argentina "very high," reflecting a literate population, export-oriented agriculture, and diversified industry. Rich natural resources underpin the economy, although performance has been volatile – growth spurts alternate with recessions—especially since the late 20th century—driving income inequality and poverty. Early in that century, Argentina's per capita GDP ranked among the global top ten, matching Canada and Australia while exceeding France and Italy. The Argentine peso lost ~50% of its value in 2018 because of hyperinflation (falling from ~18–20 to >38 pesos per U.S. dollar), prompting an IMF stand-by program. It fell another 25% in 2019, 90% in 2020, 68% in 2021, and 50% in 2022, 54% in 2023, 30% in 2024, before rising in 2025. The FTSE Global Equity Index (2018) listed Argentina as an emerging market and G20 member. Prolonged capital controls led MSCI to reclassify it as a standalone market in 2021.