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Bariloche being its best known destination, this province offers, apart from snow and amazing Andean landscapes, warm water beaches, enormous dinosaurs and rural tourism to try delicious fruit and tempting dishes.
Rio Negro province is part of Patagonia. Its borders are: La Pampa province (North), Buenos Aires and the Atlantic Ocean (East), Chubut (South), Neuquén and Chile (West).
It has a 203,013km2 area; its capital city is Viedma and other important cities are General Roca, Bariloche and Cipoletti.
This is a province that combines beaches by a turquoise blue sea, silent and awesome plains, Andean forests and a mountain range covered in snow together with archeological remains, which still amaze science today.
Bariloche is one of the most distinctive and traditional tourist resorts in Argentina. Tourists from all over the world and local students celebrating their high-school graduation visit this charming place not only for its proximity to the most important ski centre in South America –Cerro Catedral-, but also for its natural beauty, the touristy offer and the wide range of activities available as well as the untamed Nahuel Huapi Lake around it.
Apart from the exquisite chocolate you can taste in Bariloche and El Bolsón, apples represent another characteristic product of this province, together with pears, plums and other fine fruit.
However, Río Negro is also recognized for its space and nuclear technical-scientific development. Not far from Bariloche, there are two prestigious research centers widely acknowledged all over the world: INVAP and the Bariloche Atomic Centre.
On the other hand, the Balseiro Institute (Instituto Balseiro), chartered by the National University of Cuyo and the National Atomic Energy Comission, is a first-rate training centre of professionals specialized in Physics, Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering. This solid academic tradition is enhanced by the recent opening of the National University of Río Negro, with several branches all over the province, offering a wide variety of graduate careers for local and international students alike.
Geography
The mountain range in the Southern area is located to the West of the province, with an average height of 2,500mt and a great deal of lakes, essential to the self-regulation of the river basins and which provide a special attraction to the landscape.
Nevertheless, the steppe-like plains represent the largest area in the whole province, rising in a succession of terraces from the Atlantic coast up to the Andes.
Dry and temperate cold weather prevails in most of the province. The average annual temperature hovers around 10 and 12•C. The annual temperature range is substantial: average marks reach 23•C, whereas the average lowest marks in July and August plunge to 3•C.
History
Before the arrival of the Spanish colonists, Río Negro was inhabited by indigenous tribes: pehuelches, vuriloches (where the term “Bariloche” comes from) and patagones. In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to land on these coasts.
After several times religious missions attempted to occupy this area, the whole province was recognized as a national territory until the Conquest of the Desert, in 1879, when the aboriginal groups living in Patagonia were almost totally exterminated.
The National Territory of Río Negro was created in 1884 and in 1955 it was finally acknowledged as a province.
Economy
The fruit industry is one of the main economic activities. The province produces almost 70% of the apples and pears of the country, most it for exportation with 38% of it as fresh fruit and 40% as juice concentrate.
82% of the apple and pear farming takes place in the Alto Valle of Río Negro. Peaches, plums, quince, fine fruit and dried fruit are also produced. Grapevine farming has been developed for some time now, this is the reason why the wine industry has grown considerably.
On the other hand, this province owns a significant live stock, mainly sheep-raising oriented to wool production. Sheep, cow and goat raising are the most common types.
Fishing is another relevant activity. All along the Atlantic, shellfish, squid, hake, salmon and sole, among others, are destined to exportation as well as domestic consumption. Inland lakes and rivers offer trout, salmon and Patagonia´s pejerrey for commercialization. It is also worth mentioning the fact that certain areas are suitable for excellent sport fishing.
Natural gas and oil extraction is the second most important activity in the province. Río Negro sells around 70% of the extracted crude to distilleries located in the province of Buenos Aires, whereas the rest 30% is taken through the pipeline linking Allen and Puerto Rosales, in Bahía Blanca city, from where it is exported.
Río Negro is a pioneer in the exportation of satellites, nuclear reactors and medical equipment led by the national company INVAP. Among other of its achievements, INVAP has built the largest nuclear reactor, sold to Australia, and a satellite for NASA destined to measure the oceans´salinity worldwide. Such accomplishments place this company at the top among other leading firms devoted to research, development, manufacturing and maintenance of cutting-edge technology.
