Bariloche, Argentina
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San Carlos de Bariloche
Shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi in Bariloche, Argentina
San Carlos de Bariloche–known as Bariloche–is a city of 130,000 in the south of Argentina. It is located in the Patagonian Andes mountains on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, and lies in the heart of one of the largest national parks in Latin America. Its name comes from the Mapuche, the indigenous people of the region, which means “people from behind the mountain.” Bariloche is close to the border with Chile, the border being marked by the highest peaks in the Andes. Just outside of the city, Cerro Otto and Cerro Catedral rise 1405 and 2405 meters above sea-level, respectively. Known for its spectacular natural beauty, it’s a major destination for skiers in the winter and outdoor summer trekking, rafting, and horseback riding.
According to a 2007 census, 65% of the city’s population is of Mapuche descent, although its architecture and scenary are often referred to as “little Switzerland,” due to the influence of European immigrants who settled there. The city’s beautiful downtown area is geared towards tourism, however many of its residents live in precarious housing, well below the poverty line, in outlying neighborhoods higher in altitude, referred to as “el alto.”
Despite much of the city’s economy being based on tourism, Bariloche supports many small-scale, socio-economic initiatives such as worker cooperatives, micro-enterprise, and grassroots associations, as well as education and public housing efforts that work to reduce poverty and empower a broader spectrum of its residents.
The vast natural resources within the region, including petroleum, natural gas, and one of the world’s largest areas of uncontaminated fresh water continue to attract investments from national and multi-national industries. There is ongoing contention between national and global economic pressures that threaten environmental conservation, sustainability, and cultural preservation of pueblos originarios (First Nations) such as the Mapuche and Tehuelche of Patagonia.
Many Mapuche communities are found throughout rural areas in the “Linea Sur,” an arid steppe region east of Bariloche that crosses the province of Rio Negro, where raising sheep for wool is the primary economy for an under-served, isolated region, the seventh most impoverished region in Argentina.
View a map showing the location of Bariloche.
