La Rioja, Argentina

🇦🇷 La Rioja is the capital and largest city of La Rioja Province, Argentina, located in the east of the province.

La Rioja is located on the foot of the Velasco Sierras, 1,167 km (725 mi) from Buenos Aires, and 430 km (267 mi) from Córdoba.

History It was founded in 1591 by the governor of Tucumán Province.

Sights The Museo Folklórico is set in a 17th-century building, and its displays include local chaya music and the Tinkunaco festival. The 35,000-capacity Estadio Carlos Augusto Mercado Luna is located in La Rioja.

Transport The city is served by Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport, with flights on Aerolíneas Argentinas.

Economy La Rioja's economy, estimated at US$1.822 billion in 2006, is the second-smallest among Argentina's provinces. Its per capita output of US$6,283, though about 30% below the national average, makes it the most well-developed in northern Argentina.

Its economy is, likewise, very well-diversified. Agriculture (long limited by La Rioja's dry, mountainous terrain) adds less than 5% to its output. La Rioja's agriculture (as well as cities) lies on the banks of the few permanent rivers and oases that allow irrigation, with only 190 square km of cultivated land. Vineyards, nuts and olive plantations are the most common, followed by cotton.

The province's main crop is the grape, and its associated wine production, especially around the Chilecito area, with a production of 8 million litres per year.

Cattle (250,000 heads) and goats (150,000 heads) are secondary activities, particularly for skin and leather. Clay represents the main mining activity, and uranium is also extracted near El Colorado.

Manufacturing in La Rioja has expanded considerably since Gov. Menem began attracting investment into the province, after 1983. Limited mostly to light industry like bottling and food processing, it, nevertheless, adds about 20% to La Rioja's output. Tourism is, likewise, an expanding activity. Besides the Talampaya National Park, tourists visiting La Rioja usually go also to the Chilecito town, Cerro de La Cruz, Termas de Santa Teresita hot springs and the village of Villa Sanagasta.

Since 2024 it has its own currency. The legislature approved the issuance of a quasi-monetary unit to pay the public workers' salaries as budgetary restrictions from the federal government begin to be felt. Peronist Governor Ricardo Quintela submitted the bill to create the so-called Bono de Cancelación de Deuda (BOCADE), which will be known among users as “Chacho” after slain caudillo Ángel Vicente Peñaloza. “It is a debt cancellation bond, which is going to be debated today, possibly sanctioned on the day of the date, and which authorizes the issuance of a series of salary cancellation bonds”, Quintela explained upon sending the bill. The province will start by issuing AR$ 15 billion worth of chachos (some US$ 18,322,300 at the official exchange rate). It remains to be determined whether there will be actual chachos printed or if they will only consist of digital entries into the workers' bank accounts. Chachos will be legal tender within the province.