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 the original inhabitants of these lands crossed over the mountains regularly. Patagonia is a huge region, and things are very far apart. For comparison, Argentine Patagonia is about 12 times larger than the state of New York!
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. This region is called the pre-cordillera, because it is in the foothills of the Andes mountains and the border with Chile. This is my favorite part of Patagonia, because I love mountains!
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.
