Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers, lies in the northeast Argentina, between the Río Paraná and Río Uruguay. It is a damp, partly forested area with a tropical flair, which is relatively flat in the south, hilly to mountainous in the north and the landscape is very similar to the south Brazil resembles.
Mesopotamia is known for the beauty of nature, which sprouts here more luxuriantly than elsewhere in the country and its absolute highlight Iguazu Falls represent. The multicultural cities with their carnivals are also popular.
Regions
The major regions are roughly the same as the provinces that share Mesopotamia.
- The Hills of the Entre Ríos in the south is an agricultural area with good beaches on the rivers. Many (Volga) German immigrants settled in this region in the 19th century, who left their mark on architecture and culture.
- They close to the north Corrientes Marshes an almost completely flat, subtropical area with partially untouched flora and fauna that is slowly being discovered by eco-tourism.
- The most famous travel destination is the subtropical Highlands of Misiones in the northeast with many primeval forest areas, but also agricultural colonies. Here are the famous Iguazú waterfalls.
places
The largest city is Mesopotamia Corrientes (350,000 inhabitants), the capital of the province of the same name, with a popular carnival and some colonial buildings. Looks a bit calmer Paraná (280,000 inhabitants), capital of the province of Entre Ríos, a pleasant, green city on the river with some buildings from the 19th century, but also numerous high-rise buildings. Posadas (280,000 inhabitants) is the rapidly growing, tropical capital of the province of Misiones and its architecture is more modern than the other two cities. Gualeguaychú (95,000 inhabitants) in the south of Entre Ríos is known for its beaches and especially for the carnival, which is considered to be the most elaborate in Argentina.
Other goals
- Iguazú waterfalls, the most impressive and richest waterfalls in the world, located on the border with Brazil in the province of Misiones.
- Esteros del Iberá National Park, a pristine marshland in the center of the Corrientes province
- El Palmar National Park in the south of the Entre Ríos province, a palm grove with beautiful beaches on the Uruguay River
background
The northeast of Argentina is a humid, water-rich area. It was isolated from the rest of Argentina for a long time, as there was no bridge over the Río Paraná for a long time. It was therefore settled quite late, mostly by immigrants from Eastern Europe (including Poles, Russians and Volga Germans) and Asia. The immigrants mixed quickly with the Indians, so that the proportion of mestizos is very high and the rural population is often still Guaraní speaks. In the carnival traditions, but also in the music of the region, the Chamame You can feel this mixture clearly: It is a modified, tropical-happy type of polka.
The Jesuits also played an important role in history, the so-called in Misiones as early as the 17th century Reductions established, in which the indigenous population should be missionized and "civilized" and which were farmed on a communal basis. However, they were driven out again as early as the 18th century, as the Spanish colonial rulers feared their influence.
The area is dominated by agriculture. While in Corrientes and Entre Ríos, cereals are grown and cattle ranched, Misiones is the land of Yerba, the herb that makes up the Argentine national drink Mate which is very popular throughout the region.
language
The language is little different from standard Argentine, but there are some expressions that have been adopted from the Guaraní language.
Around 6,000 people still speak Guaraní as their first language, especially in rural areas.
getting there
The interstate is now connected to the rest of Argentina by good roads and bridges. There are bus connections to all major cities in eastern and central Argentina.
There are airports in Paraná, Corrientes and Posadas as well as in Puerto Iguazú. Posadas and Corrientes are also dated from Paraguayan Asunción from. The border town Foz do Iguacu in Brazil, near Puerto Iguazú, there are flights from all over Brazil and is recommended as an entry point if you want to explore Argentina from the north.
A rather slow but cheap train has been running from Buenos Aires to Posadas since 2004.
mobility
There are very good and dense bus networks almost everywhere in the region. Exceptions are some remote areas, such as the Iberá marshes and the extreme northeast of Misiones.
The road network in the area can be described as very good, almost all roads are tarred.
Tourist Attractions
The Ruins of San Ignacio Mini are the remains of a former Jesuit city in the midst of subtropical vegetation.
activities
In the Iberá marshes you can take boat trips to get to know the famous "floating islands" and the abundance of wildlife.
There are numerous organized hiking tours through the rainforest in Misiones. Boat tours and jungle safaris are also offered at the Iguazú Falls.
The rivers Río Paraná and Río Uruguay are excellent for bathing. There are also many waterfalls in the mountains of Misiones.
kitchen
As in the rest of Argentina, beef is the most eaten in the northeast. Nevertheless, because of the many immigrant cultures, there is also a diverse gastronomic offer in smaller cities.
The Mate is even more popular than in the rest of Argentina. It often gets cold in this region because of the heat than Tereré drunk with fruit juice.
nightlife
The areas of Entre Ríos and Corrientes are particularly nocturnal during the carnival, which is celebrated here, similar to Brazil, with parades of drum groups and lightly clad dancers. The is particularly popular in the clubs in the region Cumbia, but also techno can be found especially in Misiones.
security
There are often floods along the rivers, which have already claimed many lives. Tourists hardly notice these problems, however, as the richer quarters of the cities are almost always a bit away from the river.
In the rural areas, not just the primeval forests, there are some poisonous insects and spiders, especially the ones Black widow (Latrodectus) and the Banana spider (Phoneutria). The bite of both species can be dangerous for children, allergy sufferers and other weakened people, deaths are extremely rare, but the health consequences can last for a long time. Therefore wear sturdy shoes when hiking. Incidents with the Yacaré, a small species of crocodile, are very rare.
Malaria is as good as eradicated. Prophylaxis should only be considered when planning large scientific expeditions in the Misiones jungle. It is more common Dengue fever, precautions should be taken for a longer stay.
The border crossing at Iguazú is considered a smuggler stronghold, you should be particularly careful here and do not cross the border illegally. Crime is also higher in this region than anywhere else.
climate
The climate is subtropical and humid all year round, there is no pronounced rainy season, even if the winter is drier than the summer. Misiones is the wettest and warmest in the northeast.
The daytime temperatures are around 30 ° C - 40 ° C in summer and around 15 ° C - 25 ° C in winter, with the north being warmer but also rainier than the south. The best time to travel in the north is the winter half-year, the south can also be visited in summer to swim in the rivers (e.g. in Gualeguaychú and El Palmar).
trips
The region is ideal for onward travel to Brazil (above Foz do Iguacu and Paraguay (above Ciudad del Este at Iguazú or Encarnación at Posadas).
