La Rioja

The province of La Rioja lies right next to the province of Córdoba. It is covered mostly by arid landscapes such as deserts and has a share of the Andean mountain ranges in the west. However, agricultural valleys can be found there as well. Its capital, the city of La Rioja, lies in such a valley with a population of nearly 200,000 people, more than half the population of the whole province. With an area of over 89,000 km² it covers about 3.2% of Argentine territory and with an average temperature of 19°C it is one of the warmer provinces. In the summer temperatures can rise above 40°C, diverting tourism to the colder seasons where its national parks are the primary destinations.

Talampaya National Park
Located in the center of the province, this national park has incredible landscapes and is especially beautiful to see from above. In the Talampaya Canyon erosions by wind and water have shaped walls of up to 143 meters tall. Remains of aboriginal dwellings and petroglyphs can also be observed here. Furthermore, Talampaya contains fossils from the Triassic terrestrial age such as those of the Riojasaurus, a dinosaur species named after the province.

Text adapted from Wikipedia.org