Patagonia is a region in the southernmost part of South America that includes both Argentina and Chile. The southern Andes mountains form a border between the two countries, although historically, the original inhabitants of these lands crossed over the mountains regularly. Patagonia is a huge region, and things are very far apart. To compare the region to US states, Patagonia is about the size of 2.5 Californias, or 9 Virginias!
Because Patagonia is so big, there are many different sorts of environments in this region. Some parts of Patagonia are arid steppe, while others are lush valleys, and others are windswept beaches. The city where I live, Esquel, is in the central-west region of Argentine Patagonia, close to the Andes mountains and the border with Chile. I am going to focus on this part of Patagonia for the rest of this entry.
The western region of Argentine Patagonia is absolutely breathtaking, and tourists from around the world come to see the mountains, lakes, forests, and glaciers that define its landscape. The city of Esquel sits in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains.
