The wind-whipped tip of South America, Patagonia occupies a pristine, 260,000-square-mile (673,000-square-kilometer) expanse of southern Argentina and Chile. Never precisely defined, the dry, desolate region extends from the Río Colorado south to the tip of the continent. From the dramatic peaks of the Andes and the grinding ice fields of Glaciers National Park to the arid steppes of the east, Patagonia is South America's frontier—harsh, unspoiled, raw.
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to discover the region when he arrived in 1520. Subsequent explorers called the area's Tehuelche Indian inhabitants Patagones, from which the region's name evolved. Today, Patagonia is a sparsely populated area rich in natural resources and wildlife, including herons, condors, pumas, tortoises, and guanacos. Sheep herding, oil, mining, agriculture, and tourism make up Patagonia's economy.
ECONOMYIndustry: Petroleum, natural gas, tourism, iron ore, coal, manganese.
Agriculture: Peaches, almonds, apples, pears, olives, grapes, sheep.
Exports: Crude oil, gas, fruit, wool products.
