La Mesopotamia or Región Mesopotámica is the humid and verdant area of north-east Argentina, comprising the provinces of Misiones, Entre Ríos and Corrientes. The landscape and its characteristics are dominated by two rivers, the Paraná and the Uruguay. When Spanish settlers came to the area, the two parallel rivers and the lush area between them drew comparisons to Mesopotamia in modern-day Iraq, and it was decided to name the Argentine region for the Iraqi region. The region shares many of its ecological features with neighboring regions of Argentina and with parts of Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Mesopotamia has some of the most popular tourist attractions in Argentina, mainly the Iguazú Falls, the Iguazú National Park and the Jesuit mission stations in Misiones. The Iberá Wetlands in Corrientes are an extensive area of flooded forest similar to Brazil's Pantanal. The region is part of the Brazilian central plateau. The whole region has high rainfall, particularly in August and September, up to 2,000 mm annually. Misiones, in the northern part of Mesopotamia, is largely covered by subtropical forest, with caiman, toucans and monkeys. Fast decomposition of organic matter gives the area a red soil with only a thin fertile layer that can easily be washed away. Corrientes is marshy and wooded, with low hills. Entre Ríos is covered with fertile pasture land stretching into Uruguay. The flora of Mesopotamia includes the yatay palm, which is a protected species in the El Palmar National Park, and the Araucaria angustifolia. Tree ferns, orchids and large trees can also be found. Yerba mate is grown largely in Mesopotamia; 1,800 square kilometres of Misiones are devoted to its production. The region is also important for cattle and sheep, poultry, linseed, tobacco, citrus and rice. Gualeguaychú in Entre Ríos is popular for its carnivalat the beginning of Lent. Corrientes is also known for its carnival celebrations and is a centre of music and festivals generally: the chamamémusic style has recently seen a resurgence in popularity. The region called Litoral consists of the Mesopotamia and the provinces of Chaco, Formosa and Santa Fe.
Climate
Mesopotamia has a subtropical climate with no dry season. Under the Köppen climate classification, it has a humid subtropical climate. The main features of the climate are high temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year. Rainfall is abundant throughout the year, because much of this region lies north of the subtropical high pressure belt, even in winter, meaning that it is exposed to moist easterly winds from the Atlantic Ocean throughout the year. With abundant precipitation throughout the year, water deficiencies and extended periods of droughts are uncommon and much of the region has a positive water balance.
Precipitation
With the exception of Misiones Province which receives abundant precipitation throughout the year, precipitation is slightly higher in summer than in winter and generally decreases from east to west and from north to south. Average annual precipitation ranges from less than in the southern parts to approximately in the eastern parts of Misiones province. Summers are one of the most humid seasons with an average precipitation of in these months although it can range from a low of to a high of. Most of the rainfall during summer falls during convective thunderstorms. Fall is one of the rainiest seasons with many places receiving over. This can vary from a high of in Misiones province to less than. As in summer, much of the precipitation falls during convective thunderstorms. Winter is the driest season with a mean precipitation of only. Mean winter precipitation ranges from less than in the west to over in the eastern parts. Unlike summer and spring where precipitation mainly falls from convective thunderstorms, most of the precipitation during winter comes from frontal systems, particularly the Sudestada which often bring long periods of precipitation, cloudiness, cooler temperatures and strong winds. Spring is similar to fall, with a mean precipitation of.
Temperatures
Summers are very hot, and owing to abundant rainfall very humid, while winters feature mild to warm weather. As a whole, the region has high temperatures throughout the year. The northern areas are warmer than the southern parts. In Misiones province, mean annual temperatures range between in Bernardo de Irigoyen to in Posadas. The lower mean annual temperature recorded in Bernardo de Irigoyen, despite being located further north than Posadas is due to its higher altitude, resulting in a cooler climate. In Corrientes Province, mean annual temperatures range from in Curuzú Cuatía in the south to. The southern parts of Corrientes province have cooler temperatures and have a climate more similar to Entre Ríos Province, where mean annual temperatures range from in the south to in the north. During heat waves, temperatures can exceed in the summer months while in the winter months, cold air massesfrom the south can push temperatures below freezing causing frost. However, such cold fronts tend to be brief and are less intense than areas further south or at higher altitudes. Snowfall is extremely rare and mainly confined to the uplands of Misiones province, where the last significant snowfall occurred in 1975 in Bernado de Irigoyen.
