Argentina and United States Economies: A Side-by-Side Table Comparison

In comparing Argentina and the United States, key differences emerge across various indicators. Argentina’s population is only a fraction of the U.S., while its land area is much smaller. The U.S. economy dwarfs Argentina’s, with a GDP vastly larger and a significantly higher GDP per capita. Economic freedom and military spending also reveal stark contrasts, with Argentina investing far less. Additionally, income inequality is more pronounced in Argentina, and its trade volumes are considerably lower in both imports and exports.

Basic Indicators

Indicator	Argentina	United States	Comparison
Population source (2022 data), updated 2024	46.23 million (32nd)	333.29 million (3rd)	Argentina’s population is approximately 0.14 times that of the United States.
Surface area (sq. km) source (2022 data), updated 2024	2.78 million sq. km (8th)	9.83 million sq. km (3rd)	The United States is 3.5 times larger than Argentina in area.
GDP source (2022 data), updated 2024	631.13B USD (22nd)	25,439.70B USD (1st)	The United States total GDP is approximately 40.3 times larger than Argentina.
GDP per capita source (2022 data), updated 2024	$13,651 (64th)	76,330 USD (10th)	Argentina’s GDP per capita is roughly 82% lower than the United States’, with Argentinians producing about $62,679 less per person annually.

Economic Indexes

Index	Argentina	United States	Comparison
HDI (Human Development Index) source (2022 data), updated 2024	0.849 (48th)	0.927 (20th)	Argentina’s HDI is 0.849 (high), while the United States’ is 0.927 (very high). The United States’ score is 0.078 higher, indicating significantly better human development overall.
Index of Economic Freedom source (2024 data)	49.9 (132nd)	70.1 (24th)	Argentina’s Index of Economic Freedom is 28.6% lower than the United States’, 20.2 points less.
GINI source (2022 data), updated 2024	42 (2021 est.)	39.8 (2021 est.)	With a 5.5% higher Gini coefficient, Argentina has a higher degree of income inequality than the United States.

International trade _{source(2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	United States
Total imports	92.57B USD	3.83T
Imports % of GDP	15.35%	15.59%
Main import partners	China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2%	China 18%, Canada 14%, Mexico 14%, Germany 5%, Japan 4%
Main import items	refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars	crude petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, garments, computers
Total exports	83.36B USD	3.05T
Exports % of GDP	16.30%	11.77%
Main export Partners	Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5%	Canada 16%, Mexico 15%, China 8%, Japan 4%, UK 4%
Main export items	soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks	refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, cars, integrated circuits

Argentina’s imports are about 24 times less than the U.S., and Argentina imports 1.5% less of its GDP compared to the U.S. Argentina’s exports are 27 times smaller than the U.S., focusing on agricultural goods, while the U.S. exports more tech and energy products.

Military Power _{source (2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	United States
Military expenditure	3.1B USD	916.0B USD
Military expenditure (% of GDP)	0.41%	3.45%
Active military	72k	1.3M
Active military per 1,000 capita	2.3	6.3

Argentina’s military expenditure is significantly smaller at $3.12 billion, accounting for only 0.41% of its GDP, while the United States allocates a staggering $916 billion, representing 3.45% of its GDP, highlighting a vast disparity in military investment and prioritization between the two nations.