📜 A long story
Argentina, 1800 → today
Argentina grew from 534,000 in 1800 to 45.5 million; a newborn can expect 44.2 more years of life than in 1875, and output per person is 12× its 1800 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 534,000 people lived in Argentina.
1900
4.69 million people.
8.8× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1850.
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1883.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 20% between 1801 and 1809 (519,600 → 417,300).
1950
17 million people.
3.6× the 1900 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1904.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 1927.
2023
45.5 million people, the latest year in this series.
2.7× the 1950 level
Reached 50 times the 1800 level in 1977.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1875
In 1875, a newborn in Argentina could expect to live 33.2 years, on average.
1900
39 years.
+5.8 years since 1875
1950
61.3 years.
+22 years since 1900
Passed 40 years in 1910 (no data between 1905 and 1910, so it may have happened earlier).
Passed 50 years in 1925 (no data between 1920 and 1925, so it may have happened earlier).
Passed 60 years in 1950 (no data between 1945 and 1950, so it may have happened earlier).
2023
77.4 years, the latest year in this series.
+16 years since 1950
Passed 70 years in 1986.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1800
In 1800, Argentina produced about Int$1,480 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$4,580.
3.1× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1882.
1950
Int$7,950.
1.7× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1946.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 28% between 1912 and 1917 (Int$6,220 → Int$4,450).
2022
Int$18,300, the latest year in this series.
2.3× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1998.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1856
In 1856, fossil fuels and industry in Argentina emitted about 0.014 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.4 t.
32× the 1856 level
Reached twice the 1856 level in 1857.
Reached 5 times the 1856 level in 1866.
Reached 10 times the 1856 level in 1883.
Reached 20 times the 1856 level in 1887.
1950
1.8 t.
4.1× the 1900 level
Reached 50 times the 1856 level in 1904.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 85% between 1913 and 1918 (1.3 t → 0.2 t).
2024
3.7 t, the latest year in this series.
2.1× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Argentina had spent 0.4 years in school, on average.
1900
1 years.
+0.58 years since 1870
1950
4.9 years.
+3.9 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1915.
Passed 4 years in 1935.
2015
9.6 years, the latest year in this series.
+4.7 years since 1950
Passed 6 years in 1965.
Passed 8 years in 1985.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).