La Rioja is the capital city of the Argentine province of La Rioja, located on the east of the province. The city has a population of almost 150,000 as per the 2001 census.
La Rioja is located on the foot of the Velasco Sierras, 1,167 km from Buenos Aires, and 430 km from Córdoba. The Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IATA: IRJ, ICAO: SANL) at coordinates 29°23′21″S 66°48′09″W / -29.38917, -66.8025 is 7 kilometres away from La Rioja, and serves regular flights to Buenos Aires and Catamarca.
The weather is dry and semi-desertic with, average temperatures of 5 °C to 20 °C in winter and 21 °C to 35 °C in summer, but with maximum temperatures of more that 40 °C.
The economy of the entire province is historically tied to cattle farming and agriculture, as well as wine production. But the beginning of the 1970s brought to the city an industrialisation thrust that makes La Rioja today an important centre in Argentina's pharmacological industry.
Former president Isabel MartÃnez de Perón was born in La Rioja. Another former president, Carlos Menem, was born nearby.
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