Neuquén

Province in western Argentina, bordering on the Andes and lying between the Río Colorado to the north and the Limay River to the south; area 94,078 sq km/36,323 sq mi; population (1996) 388,833. The provincial capital is the city of Neuquén, which is located on the Roca railway, 1,120 km/696 mi southwest of Buenos Aires via Bahía Blanca. The terrain here is largely mountainous, and livestock, particularly sheep, constitute the province's economic basis. Cereals are also cultivated, and there are a number of important oilfields west of the capital.

The lake district around Nahuel Huapi is situated in the far southwest of Neuquén. Further north lies the Lanín National Park, containing the extinct Lanín volcano (3,768 m/12,362 ft). Near the capital is the Cerro Colorados dam, used for hydroelectricity and flood control.