Jujuy Province

Jujuy [xuˈxuj] is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.

There are three main areas in Jujuy:

The vast difference in height and climate produces desert areas such as the Salinas Grandes salt mines and subtropical Yungas jungle.

The terrain of the province is mainly arid and semi-desertic across the different areas, except for the El Ramal valley of the San Francisco River. Temperature difference between day and night is wider in higher lands, and precipitation is scarce outside the temperate area of the San Francisco River.

The Grande River and the San Francisco River flow to the Bermejo River. The San Juan, La Quiaca, Yavi and Sansana Rivers flow to the Pilcomayo River.

Pre-Columbian inhabitants known as the Omaguacas and Ocloyas practiced agriculture and domesticated the guanaco. They had huts made of mud, and erected stone fortresses to protect their villages. An example of such fortresses is Pucará de Tilcara, Pucará meaning "fortress" (word also used for the Argentine combat aircraft Pucara). Omaguacas and Ocloyas were later conquered by the Incas during their expansion period.

The name Jujuy derives from a type of Inca provincial governor (xuxuyoc) encountered there by the Spanish in the late 16th century.

In 1593, a small settlement (current San Salvador de Jujuy) was erected in the Jujuy valley by the effort of Francisco de Argañaraz y Murguía. Colonial forces fought the resistance by the indigenous Calchaquíes and Omaguacas, so that the European population eventually consolidated in the village.