France and Argentina
France and Argentina maintain longstanding scientific, cultural and university ties. Cooperation for the ecological transition complements political and economic contacts.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A cultural and scientific framework
The 1964 cooperation agreement and subsequent instruments support culture, education and research.
Research and training
Collaboration encompasses social sciences, engineering and technical education.
Presidential and ministerial visits
The profile records the French presidential visit in November 2024, the Argentine president's presence in France in June 2025 and a French trade visit that same month.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 1,371.17 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: France to Argentina | 869.02 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: Argentina to France | 502.16 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: France to Argentina | 0.13 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Export share: Argentina to France | ||
| Investment stock: France in Argentina | ||
| Investment stock: Argentina in France |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: France to Argentina
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Argentina to France
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: France to Argentina
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods share: FRA exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Year-on-year inflation: different periods or frequencies; the two figures are not directly comparable.
| Indicator | France | Argentina |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.37 trillion USD2025 · WB | 683.1 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 48,985.73 USD2025 · WB | 14,898.09 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.84 %2025 · WB | 4.37 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | No single rate · BCRA |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.94 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 41.9 %IMF est.Annual average · 2025 · IMF |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Insee | 33.5 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · INDEC |
| Unemployment | 7.54 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 7.15 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -0.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 116 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 80.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.27 %2025 · WB | -1.11 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 68,720,3372025 · WB | 45,851,3782025 · WB |
| Area | 606,410 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 2,780,400 km²2023 · BM / FAO |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDFrance: 2025 · World BankArgentina: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personFrance: 2025 · World BankArgentina: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)France: 2025 · World BankArgentina: 2025 · World Bank
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)France: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central BankArgentina: The BCRA abandoned the concept of a single monetary-policy rate under the new monetary-aggregates framework. It is not replaced with TAMAR, BADLAR, court interest rates or the last historical rate. · Central Bank of the Argentine Republic
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)France: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankArgentina: 2025 · Annual average change in headline CPI (%) · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · WEO estimate; not the year-on-year change for December or August 2026. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedFrance: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Insee · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.Argentina: 2026-08 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Argentina INDEC · Published: 2026-09-10 · Original INDEC national report; replaces the previous link to its social-media publication without changing the value. Not the monthly change (1.7%) or cumulative change (21.3%).
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionFrance: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Argentina: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Argentina: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Argentina: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPFrance: 2025 · World BankArgentina: 2025 · World Bank
- Population
- PeopleFrance: 2025 · World BankArgentina: 2025 · World Bank
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceFrance: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOArgentina: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; source's territorial coverage · World Bank · FAO
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
France to Argentina
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 189.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 148 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 116.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 46.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 11.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 1.3 M USD2025 · Source |
Argentina to France
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 48.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 19.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 13.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 7.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 4.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 1.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | France to Argentina | Argentina to France |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,515.7 | 916.2 | 599.5 |
| 2022 | 1,567.1 | 901.8 | 665.3 |
| 2023 | 1,373.5 | 951.3 | 422.2 |
| 2024 | 1,270.5 | 833.1 | 437.4 |
| 2025 | 1,371.2 | 869 | 502.2 |
Connections between people
University networks, Alliances Françaises and the community registered in Argentina sustain ongoing cultural and scientific exchanges. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from France living in ArgentinaFrench consular register | 12,600 | 2025 · Source |
| Residents from Argentina living in France | ||
| Study and training: France in Argentina | ||
| Study and training: Argentina in France | ||
| Academic stays: France in Argentina | ||
| Academic stays: Argentina in France | ||
| Travel: France to Argentina | ||
| Travel: Argentina to France |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
- Residents from France living in Argentina
- Record published with its original period. It is not extrapolated to 2026, nor is residence confused with ancestry or birthplace. Consular registration has its own coverage and is not equivalent to a complete census. 2025 · Source
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
A cultural and scientific framework
The 1964 cooperation agreement and subsequent instruments support culture, education and research. The relationship includes an extensive Alliance Française network and university agreements. [1]
Research and training
Collaboration encompasses social sciences, engineering and technical education. Diploma recognition agreed in 2015 facilitates institutional exchanges; the number of university agreements is not equivalent to students traveling during a year. [1]
Cooperation for transitions
The French Development Agency opened an office in Buenos Aires in 2017. Its activity focuses on ecological, energy and social transitions, with instruments distinct from private investment. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for France is 3,366.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 683.1 for Argentina (2025). The reference populations are 68.72 and 45.85 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of France was 4.93 times that of Argentina in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Presidential and ministerial visits
The profile records the French presidential visit in November 2024, the Argentine president's presence in France in June 2025 and a French trade visit that same month. Those contacts accompany earlier scientific networks. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (France and Argentina) totalled 1,371.2 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 869 million; those in the opposite direction, 502.2 million. The difference between the two flows was 366.9 million, in favour of France. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from France to the partner represented 0.13% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 1,515.7 million USD in 2021 and 1,371.2 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -9.5 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 1,567.1 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from France to Argentina, at 189.4 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Argentina to France, at 48.6 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Documented mobility and communities
Residents from France in Argentina: 12,600 (2025). French consular register. Record published with its original period. It is not extrapolated to 2026, nor is residence confused with ancestry or birthplace. Consular registration has its own coverage and is not equivalent to a complete census. [1]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations: FRA-ARG
France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 251; partners 0,392,36,124,484,32,152,170,528,56,756,752,579,208,300,792,682,634,400,422,710,404
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total.