Argentina The word Argentina basically means “land of silver”. Even though its natural resources have made this country the modern state it is today, its social and economic development has always been held back by political instability. Argentina’s highest mountain is Cerro Aconcagua at 6,960 metres. Its longest river is the Rio Parana at 4,500 kilometres. Other major waterways are the Paraná, Río Negro, Río Salado, and Lago Epecuén (Salt Lake). Argentina is shaped like a long narrow triangle, which covers almost the whole of the southern tip of South America. There are not just huge variations in scenery between the north and south of the country but the endless plains in the east also provide a vivid contrast to the high mountain peaks in the west. The country’s vegetation varies widely, too. The pampas consists mainly of stunted shrubs, while giant red cedars and bay trees grow in the rainforests. The la pacho tree – also known as pau d’arco, tahebo or ipe roxo – reaches a height of up to 30 metres and may often be up to 700 years old. Native people have used the inner bark of the tree as the basis for a tea-like drink since prehistoric times. A whole number of positive benefits are attributed to the lapachol found in the bark. Europeans have also gradually warmed to this drink, and it can now be found in good tea shops, drugstores, and pharmacies.