Argentina has a population of approximately 46 million people in 2025, making it the third most populous country in South America and roughly the 32nd most populous in the world. Spread across the second-largest country in South America, that population is unevenly distributed: a vast share lives in and around Buenos Aires, while the windswept plains of Patagonia remain among the emptiest inhabited regions on Earth.
How many people live in Argentina?
Argentina's population sits at around 46 million as of 2025. That places it behind only Brazil and Colombia within South America, and within striking distance of countries like Spain, Kenya, and Ukraine on the global list. To put it in perspective, Argentina holds roughly the same number of people as the U.S. state of California, but spread over a territory more than six times larger.
The country's population density is just about 17 people per square kilometre, one of the lowest in the Americas. That headline figure is misleading, though, because the human geography is extraordinarily lopsided. The greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area alone accounts for roughly a third of all Argentines, while enormous southern provinces such as Santa Cruz contain barely more than one person per square kilometre.
Population growth and demographic trends
Argentina's population is growing at a modest annual rate of about 0.85%, slow by Latin American standards but typical of a country well into its demographic transition. The total fertility rate hovers near 2.2 children per woman, close to the replacement level of 2.1, so most of the country's recent growth comes from a combination of births and immigration from neighbouring countries such as Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.
Argentina was a demographic pioneer in the region. Birth rates began falling in the early twentieth century, far earlier than in most of Latin America, partly because of the urban, literate society created by mass European immigration. As a result the population is now ageing: the median age is in the early thirties and rising, and life expectancy has reached roughly 77 years. Demographers project the population will climb to around 55 million by 2050 before growth flattens.
The largest cities
Argentina is intensely urbanised, with more than 90% of residents living in towns and cities. Its three largest urban centres are:
- Buenos Aires — The capital holds about 3 million people within the autonomous city limits, but Greater Buenos Aires swells to roughly 15 million. Often called the "Paris of South America" for its grand boulevards and European architecture, it is the political, financial, and cultural heart of the nation.
- Córdoba — Home to around 1.5 million people, Argentina's second city is an industrial and university hub in the country's central interior, known for its colonial-era Jesuit heritage.
- Rosario — With about 1.3 million residents in its metro area, this Paraná River port is a major grain-export gateway and the birthplace of both the Argentine national flag and footballer Lionel Messi.
Buenos Aires is a textbook example of a "primate city": it dwarfs every rival and concentrates an outsized share of the nation's people, jobs, and influence, a pattern shaped by Argentina's history as an export economy funnelling goods through a single great port.
Who are the Argentine people?
Argentina's demographic identity was forged by one of history's great migrations. Between roughly 1880 and 1930 the country absorbed about 6 million European immigrants, the second-largest inflow in the world after the United States. Italians and Spaniards dominated that wave, and today an estimated 85% of Argentines claim European descent, giving the country a population profile closer to Southern Europe than to most of its neighbours.
Spanish is the official language, though Argentine Spanish carries a distinctive sing-song accent and vocabulary heavily flavoured by Italian. Around 63% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, with sizeable Protestant and religiously unaffiliated minorities that have grown rapidly in recent decades. The Italian imprint reaches far beyond language into cuisine, gesture, and everyday culture, from pizza and pasta to the warm, expressive social style for which Argentines are known. For more on the country's geography, history, and travel highlights, see our argentina country guide.
Key population facts
- Population (2025 est.): ~46 million
- World rank: ~32nd most populous
- Rank in South America: 3rd (after Brazil and Colombia)
- Annual growth rate: ~0.85%
- Population density: ~17 people per km²
- Capital and largest city: Buenos Aires
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Argentina's population growing or shrinking?
It is still growing, but slowly, at roughly 0.85% per year. With fertility near the replacement level and modest immigration from neighbouring countries, the population is expected to keep rising toward about 55 million by 2050 before levelling off as the society ages.
What percentage of Argentines live in Buenos Aires?
The Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area is home to roughly a third of the entire national population, around 15 million people. This makes Buenos Aires one of the most dominant primate cities in the world relative to its country.
Why is Argentina's population so European?
Between the 1880s and 1930s, Argentina received about 6 million immigrants, overwhelmingly from Italy and Spain. This mass migration reshaped the country's demographics so thoroughly that an estimated 85% of Argentines today are of European descent.
How does Argentina's population compare to its neighbours?
Argentina is the third most populous country in South America. Brazil, with over 210 million people, is far larger, and Colombia is also more populous, but Argentina ranks well ahead of Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay.