Stretching over most of southern South America, Argentina is the world's eighth-largest country. It is home to some of the world's tallest mountains, along with tumbling waterfalls, enormous grassland plains, and wide deserts. Argentina's history has been a series of ups and downs. The country was among the most prosperous in the world during the first half of the 20th century. However, Argentina has been troubled by inflation and debt in recent years, leading to the collapse of its economy and to social and political unrest. South America's economic prospects may hinge largely on whether this important nation can recover in the coming years. Each lavishly illustrated book in the "South America Today" series teaches about the geography, history, economy, and culture of each nation. Each volume is indexed, and contains a bibliography featuring books and Web sources for further information.