Doing Business In Argentina

Argentina is three hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (UTC). Argentina recently
decided to observe daylight savings time. As a result, Argentina is + 2 hour U.S.
Eastern Daylight Time (Summer Time) and +3 hours Eastern Standard Time. The 24hour
system is generally used rather than the 12-hour a.m./p.m. system. For example,
3.00 p.m. is referred to as 15.00 hours. There is only one time zone for all of the territory
of Argentina. Click here for the current time in Argentina.
Business office hours are generally Monday through Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
(two hours earlier for factories) with a one-hour lunch break. Work luncheons are
frequent for business executives and they generally extend from 1.00 to 3.00 p.m.
Business dinners, and dinners in general, do not begin until 9.00 p.m., therefore it is
common to return home or to the hotel to sleep for a few hours before going out.
Because evenings start late and end late, the early evening nap is the secret to being
functional the next day. It is advisable to not schedule morning meetings before 10.00
a.m. Business breakfasts are not common, although they are increasing.
Most retail stores are open from 9.00 or 10.00 a.m. to between 6.00 and 9.00 p.m.,
Monday through Saturday. Banks are open to the public form Monday through Friday
from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Holidays
Argentine national holidays for 2008 include the following:
- New Year’s Day Tuesday, January 1
- Good Friday Friday, March 21
- National Memorial Day Monday, March 24
- Malvinas’ Veteran and Memorial Day Wednesday, April 2
- Labor Day Thursday, May 1
- Revolution Day Sunday, May 25
- Flag Day (actual date: June 20) Monday, June 16
- Independence Day Wednesday, July 9
- Death of San Martin (actual date: August 17) Monday, August 18
- Columbus Day Sunday, October 12
- Immaculate Conception Monday, December 8
- Christmas Day Thursday, December 25
In addition, Government offices, banks, insurance companies and courts are closed on a
number of "non-work days", but closing is optional for business and commerce, such as
Holy Thursday (immediately before Easter). The U.S. Embassy closes on all U.S.
Federal holidays in addition to Argentine holidays.
Argentina is located in southern South America and has a total area of approximately
1,500,000 square miles, including the mainland and the Argentine Antarctica and South
Atlantic Islands. It is the eighth largest country in the world, approximately the size of the
U.S. east of the Mississippi River. Topography and climate vary significantly, with the
high Andes mountains in the west, subtropical climate in the northeast, temperate
climate in the middle part of the country, and semi-arid and cold in the southern part.
The middle third of the country, which includes Buenos Aires, contains the greatest part
of the population, as well as most of the economic activity and agricultural production.
3/4/2008