Catamarca.(North-Western Provinces)

Catamarca Province is situated in the north-west of Argentina. The word "Catamarca" is derived from a Quechua word meaning "Fortress on the Slopes", and could well refer to any of the many pre-Colombian fortress-towns located in the Sierra de Aconquija.

The province is shaped like a tilted triangle. The border with Chile forms the western side; along the north-eastern side are Salta, Tucuman, and Santiago del Estero; while La Rioja lies along the south-western border. The capital of Catamarca is San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca. Within Catamarca Province its name is generally abbreviated to "San Fernando", but outside Catamarca its name is often abbreviated to "Catamarca", particularly on public transport. Throughout the Travel Companion I refer to the provincial capital as Catamarca.

Catamarca is a province of contrasts: to the west along the border with Chile are some of the highest peaks in the Andean cordillera; to the east are fertile and productive valleys. The northern region is almost completely barren and covered with salt lakes such as Salar de Antofalla, Salina de la Laguna Verde, and, closer to the capital San Fernando, Salar de Pipanaco.

Catamarca has a dry climate and because of its low annual rainfall depends heavily on irrigation for its agriculture. Sheep and goats are the predominant farm animals.

The province's mineral wealth is considerable, but the deposits of copper, manganese, gold, and silver are not mined because of the lack of road connections and electricity. The Diaguitas were already using copper and gold to manufacture ornaments and utensils in pre-Incan times; around 1470 they came under Inca domination, and today they are almost extinct.

In the smaller villages hand weaving is still practiced.

The road network and bus services are adequate, particularly in the eastern part of the province. Towards the Chilean border most roads are unsealed, and rivers are generally crossed by ford. During the spring thaw, roads in these distant regions are sometimes cut. Bus services into neighbouring provinces are good. Only Catamarca city has connecting flights to and from other provinces.