World Finance Atlas
187 economies · 2025–26

Argentina

Capital Buenos AiresCurrency ARSRegion Latin America
Output · rank 24/187
$683B
People · rank 35/187
45.9M
Land · rank 8/187
2,737K km²
GDP per person
$14,880
Density
16.8 /km²

Government debt

64.5%gross debt, share of GDP
$441Boutstanding, rank 21 of 178
Perimeter
General government
Basis
Gross, not net
Valuation
Nominal
Debt per person
$9,597
Net of assets
not published
Source
IMF World Economic Outlook / Fiscal Monitor
What this number does not tell youThe most misread figure in public finance. Perimeter varies by country — the IMF notes its Fiscal Monitor tables use a narrower perimeter for China than its Article IV estimates, and published figures for Japan range from roughly 200% to 250% depending on perimeter and valuation, both citing the IMF. Debt in a currency the government issues is a fundamentally different instrument from debt it must earn or borrow to service; this ratio does not distinguish them.

GDP over time

Nominal GDP, Argentina, 20102011. Up 24% over the period in dollar terms.

$0B$285B$570B20102011

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook · nominal USD, not inflation-adjusted

Private-sector debt

Households
4.0% of GDP
Non-financial corporations
30.9% of GDP
Total private
34.9% of GDP
Government debt is only one layer. Household and corporate borrowing is where financial fragility often actually sits — and here it totals 34.9% of GDP, set against the public figure above.

Currency & monetary policy

Currency
ARS
Regime
Crawling peg
Central bank
Banco Central de la Republica Argentina
Policy rate
29.00%
A pegged or fixed regime — monetary policy is anchored to the currency it tracks, limiting independent rate-setting.

Payment rails

SystemTypeLive since
MEPLarge-value RTGS1997
Transferencias 3.0Instant retail2021

Against its region and the world

Where Argentina sits relative to the Latin America average and the world average.

GDP per person (USD)
This country14,880
Region average10,882
World average14,013
Population density (per km²)
This country17
Region average33
World average64
Debt to GDP (%)
This country65
Region average68
World average95

Major banks

Largest institutions headquartered in Argentina, by total assets. Assets, not market value — the two rank very differently.

All banks →
InstitutionHeadquartersTotal assetsvs. national GDP
1Banco NacionBuenos Aires$50B7%
2Banco MacroBuenos Aires$15B2%

All figures

Nominal GDP
$683B
Share of world output
0.59%
Population
45.9M
Share of world population
0.56%
Land area
2,736,690 km²
Share of world land
2.12%
GDP per person
$14,880
GDP per km²
$249,572
Population density
16.8 /km²
Government debt
64.5%
Debt outstanding
$441B

Closest by output in Latin America

Colombia$480B58.2%
Chile$344B42.6%
Peru$305B34.1%
Ecuador$132B55.8%
Dominican Republic$127B60.4%

Nearest neighbours by nominal output within the same region. Third column is debt to GDP.

Where these figures come from

Nominal GDPGross domestic product at current market prices, converted to US dollars at market exchange rates. Not adjusted for purchasing power.
IMF World Economic Outlook
2025 estimate
PopulationTotal resident population, mid-year estimate.
UN World Population Prospects
2025 estimate
Land areaTotal land area, excluding inland water where the source reports it separately.
UN Statistics Division
2024
General government gross debtGross debt of the general government sector as a share of GDP. Gross means government-held financial assets are not netted off.
IMF World Economic Outlook / Fiscal Monitor
2025–26 estimate
Bank total assetsTotal assets for the most recent reporting period: cash, loans, investments, property and equipment.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
2026 ranking
Net government debtGovernment debt net of its financial assets, as a share of GDP.
IMF Fiscal Monitor
2025–26 estimate
Household debtCredit to households and non-profits serving them, as a share of GDP.
BIS credit statistics
2024–25
Corporate debtCredit to non-financial corporations, as a share of GDP.
BIS credit statistics
2024–25
Exchange rate regimeHow the currency is managed: free floating, floating, pegged, currency board, or no separate legal tender.
IMF AREAER
2025
Central bank policy rateThe main policy interest rate set by the central bank.
Central banks / BIS
mid-2026, live
Residential house pricesYear-on-year change in residential property prices, nominal and inflation-adjusted.
BIS / OECD residential property
latest quarter