Foreign relations between the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have existed for over two centuries. The countries established diplomatic relations on 15 December 1823. During the period of the Argentine economic boom, from the 1860s to 1930s, the United Kingdom played a dominant role in the Argentine economy, with heavy investments in public utilities, railroads, banking and finance, insurance, shipping, communications, the meat industry, and retail trade. The community of English, Scottish, and Welsh Argentines was the largest of any country outside the British Empire, leading to the popular name of the "Sixth Dominion". Trade ties were hindered by the Great Depression and the imposition of Imperial Preference, and the Perón regime nationalized many British-owned industries, leading to Britain losing its position of economic paramountcy, although ties remained generally friendly.

Diplomatic relations were cut off before the Falklands War in 1982 and were reinstated in 1989. Post-war relations between the two countries improved significantly up until the mid-2000s. During the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, relations became increasingly tense, with Argentina reasserting their claims to the Falkland Islands. In 2016, British prime minister David Cameron and Argentine President Mauricio Macri held a meeting where they agreed to begin a new stage of dialogue and friendship between the two countries and reaffirming the strong relationship the two countries have historically. Argentina later withdrew from this agreement in 2023.

Argentina has an embassy in London and the United Kingdom has an embassy in Buenos Aires. The current British Ambassador to Argentina is and the current Argentine Ambassador to the United Kingdom is Mariana Plaza. Both states are members of the G20.

Country comparison Population (2022) (2022) Area Population density 14.4/km2 255.6/km2 Capital and largest city Buenos Aires London Population of capital(metropolitan area) 12,801,365 13,879,757 Government Federal presidential constitutional republic Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy Legal system Civil law Common law Official languages Spanish English (de facto) Main religions Christians 85.5%, Atheists and Agnostics 11.3%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, Mormons 0.9%, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism 1.2%. Christians 71.6%, Islam 2.8%, Hinduism 1.0%, Sikhism 0.6%, Judaism 0.5%, Buddhism 0.3%, Other religions 0.3% Ethnic groups 97% White/Mixed, 2.9% Native, 0.4% Black. 87.1% White British, 7.0% Asian, 3.0% Black, 2.0% Mixed, 0.9% others. GDP (PPP) $1.207 trillion (2022) $3.776 trillion (2022) Literacy rate 98.9 99.0 Human Development Index 0.825 (Very High) 0.922 (Very High) Driving side Right Left

History

Colonial era

The modern territory of Argentina was initially part of the Spanish Empire. The Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute was initially a dispute of Spain and Britain, with events such as the Falklands Crisis of 1770. Spain allied with France against Britain during the Napoleonic Wars, so Britain launched two British invasions of the Río de la Plata. The first invasion in 1806 captured Buenos Aires. However the city was soon liberated by Santiago de Liniers with forces from Montevideo. A second invasion in 1807 took Montevideo, but failed to capture Buenos Aires a second time, and Montevideo was returned to Spain during the surrender. France attacked Spain (starting the Peninsular War in Europe) and Spain allied with Britain, so the British made no further attacks at the Río de la Plata.Ben Hughes, The British Invasion of the River Plate 1806-1807: How the Redcoats Were Humbled and a Nation Was Born (2014).

The Peninsular War, the social changes caused by the huge militarization of the people of Buenos Aires and other local and international influences led to the May Revolution, which began the Argentine War of Independence. Britain stayed neutral during the conflict, and accepted the Argentine Declaration of Independence on 15 December 1823. The formal relations were established with the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation Between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

Argentine National Organization (1853–1879)

The two countries established diplomatic relations on 15 December 1823. During the National Organization period, Argentina began to outline a foreign policy favouring relations with Britain, which became the main buyer of Argentine raw materials and the major source of investment in the country. By mid century, London bankers were sending in capital, to invest in railways, docks, packing houses, and utilities. London sent in 3000 agents to handle shipping, insurance, and banking.Rory Miller, Britain and Latin America in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries (1995) pp 49-58.

In 1865, during the Liberal government of Bartolomé Mitre British involvement was tested by the conduct of the Paraguayan War of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil against the Republic of Paraguay. During the government of Nicolas Avellaneda, the Conquest of the Desert, 1879 he favoured the establishment, in the newly conquered lands of immigrant settlers, and dissemination of railroads of British capital, and cattle and sheep raising.

Economic relationship in the 19th century After Argentina obtained its independence, economic ties between Britain and Argentina increased substantially. Britain's textile exports to Argentina grew by 9.4% yearly between 1817 and 1874. Nearly 10 percent of Britain's capital outflows between 1865 and 1914 went to Argentina; this was larger than the British capital outflow to India.

The Conservative Republic (1880–1916)

A series of geographical expeditions to Patagonia, the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego made by the Argentine explorer Francisco Pascasio Moreno and Chilean expert Diego Barros Arana between 1873 and 1879 helped forge closer ties with Chile and in 1881 the two countries signed the Treaty of limits. In 1896, problems with the demarcation resulted in an arbitration award in Britain. At that time, Moreno was appointed expert on behalf of the Argentine government. In a gesture of brotherhood, 15 February 1899 was found in the Strait of Magellan, Argentine President Julio Argentino Roca and Chilean president Federico Errazuriz Echaurren, in what became known as the "Embrace of the Straits". Finally, the British award was ratified by the General Treaty of Arbitration of 1902 signed in Santiago by Acting Foreign Minister Jose A. Terry, who was criticised on the home front because of the concessions that the country made to Chile and because the agreement subjected perpetual conflict resolution between the two countries to the British crown.

In 1902, the chancellor of the second government of Julio Argentino Roca, Dr. Luis María Drago, made an outstanding performance in his defence of Latin American sovereignty against the sea blockade of Venezuela imposed by Britain, Germany and Italy as punishment for debts that Venezuela had with those countries, and that the president Cipriano Castro refused to pay.

During the First World War, under President Hipólito Yrigoyen, Argentina adopted the policy known as "benevolent neutrality", under which Argentina remained a non-belligerent party throughout the conflict, but provided generous economic assistance to the Allies in the form of interest-free loans, particularly to Britain and France, becoming an important net creditor to the Allied side.

The Roca–Runciman Treaty was signed between the countries on 1 May 1933. It was a trade agreement to help Argentina avoid the effects of a pro-Commonwealth policy, in exchange for lower taxes for imported products from the UK. It was signed by Vice President of Argentina, Julio Argentino Pascual Roca – a request of the president Agustín Pedro Justo and Walter Runciman.

During the Second World War, Britain was the main purchaser of Argentine beef and grain, with the country supplying the majority of beef and a substantial amount of the wheat consumed on the British Isles. When Argentina initially refused to go along with American hemispheric defense policies, choosing instead to maintain neutrality in the conflict, Washington responded by trying to shut down Argentine exports, which led President Franklin Roosevelt to ask Prime Minister Winston Churchill to stop buying Argentine beef and grain. Churchill refused, saying the food was urgently needed.Elisabeth Barker, Churchill and Eden at War (1979) p 202.

During the conflict, over 4,000 Argentine volunteers served with all three British armed services. Over 600 Argentine volunteers served with both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force, mostly in No. 164 (Argentine) squadron,Argentine pilots break silence over World War Two – Reuters whose shield bore the sun from the Flag of Argentina and the motto, "Determined We Fly (Firmes Volamos)"., and nearly 500 Argentines served in the Royal Navy around the world, from the North Atlantic to the South Pacific.Maffeo, Aníbal José – Proa a la Victoria (2014) Many were part of the special forces, such as John Godwin. Many members of the Anglo-Argentine community also volunteered in non-combat roles, or worked to raise money and supplies for British troops. The Anglo-Argentine Fellowship of the Bellows in Argentina raised money to buy aircraft for the RAF. In April 2005, a special remembrance service was held at the RAF church of St Clement Danes in London.

Falklands War

In 1965, formal talks began regarding the Falkland Islands, and Argentina was heading towards some form of sovereignty with guarantees for the Anglophone population when the junta leaders' domestic situation deteriorated. Looking for a distraction, they invaded the Falklands in 1982, miscalculating Britain's response. The UK sent a naval task force that arrived after a month, and defeated Argentina in just over three weeks. The war toppled the junta in Buenos Aires and helped re-elect Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Britain. Although sovereignty over the Falklands remains disputed, Britain garrisoned them.Sophie Thérèse, and Thomas C. Mills Ambler, "New Perspectives on the Falklands War." International Journal of Military History and Historiography 1.aop (2022): 1-7. onlineEzequiel Mercau, The Falklands War: An Imperial History (Cambridge University Press, 2019).

Post-war relations

In the 1990s, relations between the UK and Argentina improved further. In 1998, Carlos Menem, the President of Argentina visited London, where he reaffirmed his country's claims to the Islands, although he stated that Argentina would use only peaceful means to obtain them. In 2001, Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom visited Argentina where he stated that he hoped the UK and Argentina could resolve their differences that led to the 1982 war. However, no talks on sovereignty took place during the visit and Argentina's president Néstor Kirchner stated that he regarded gaining sovereignty over the islands as a 'top priority' of his government.

Modern times

Since the mid-2000s, diplomatic relations between the UK and Argentina have become increasingly strained. In 2006, Argentina renewed claims to the Falkland Islands, citing concern over fishing and petroleum rights. On 28 March 2009, UK prime minister Gordon Brown stated that there was "nothing to discuss" with Cristina Kirchner, the Argentine president, over sovereignty of the islands, when they met in Chile on his pre-2009 G-20 London Summit world tour. On 22 April 2009 Argentina made a formal claim to the UN to an area of the continental shelf encompassing the Falklands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, and parts of Antarctica, citing 11 years worth of maritime survey data. The UK quickly protested against these claims.