Río Negro (Argentina)

{{Short description|River in Patagonia, Argentina}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Negro

| name_native =

| name_native_lang =

| name_other = Curú Leuvú, Río de los Sauces

| name_etymology =

| image = Vista aérea Viedma - Carmen de Patagones.jpg

| image_size =

| image_caption = Rio Negro near the mouth, seen from its northern bank, between the cities of Viedma, Río Negro and Carmen de Patagones, Buenos Aires

| map = Rio Negro Argentina map.png

| map_size =

| map_caption = Map of the Río Negro drainage basin

| pushpin_map =

| pushpin_map_size =

| pushpin_map_caption=

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Argentina

| subdivision_type2 = Provinces

| subdivision_name2 = {{hlist|Neuquén|Río Negro|Buenos Aires}}

| subdivision_type3 = Region

| subdivision_name3 = Patagonia

| subdivision_type4 =

| subdivision_name4 =

| subdivision_type5 = Cities

| subdivision_name5 = {{hlist|Neuquén|Villa Regina}}

| length = {{convert|550|km|mi|abbr=on}}

| width_min =

| width_avg =

| width_max =

| depth_min =

| depth_avg =

| depth_max =

| discharge1_location= Primera Angostura

| discharge1_min = {{convert|181|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}

| discharge1_avg = {{convert|762.5|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}

| discharge1_max = {{convert|2068|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}

| source1 = Limay River

| source1_location = Nahuel Huapi Lake, Neuquén

| source1_coordinates= {{coord|41|03|20|S|71|09|07|W|display=inline}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|770|m|abbr=on}}

| source2 = Neuquén River

| source2_location = Near Laguna Fea, Neuquén

| source2_coordinates= {{coord|36|10|53|S|70|34|16|W|display=inline}}

| source2_elevation = {{convert|2800|m|abbr=on}}

| source_confluence =

| source_confluence_location = Neuquén, Río Negro

| source_confluence_coordinates= {{coord|38|59|40|S|68|00|07|W|display=inline}}

| source_confluence_elevation = {{convert|250|m|abbr=on}}

| mouth = Atlantic Ocean

| mouth_location = El Cóndor, Río Negro

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|41|01|50|S|62|47|23|W|display=inline,title}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}

| progression =

| river_system =

| basin_size = {{convert|102000|km2|abbr=on}}

| tributaries_left = Neuquén River

| tributaries_right = Limay River

| custom_label =

| custom_data =

| extra =

}}

Río Negro ({{IPA|es|ˈri.o ˈneɣɾo}}; Black River) is the main river of Patagonia in terms of the size of its drainage basin, its associated agricultural produce and population living at its shores. In eastern Patagonia it is also the largest by flow rate. The river flows through the Argentine province of Río Negro which is named after it. Its name comes from the literal translation of the Mapuche term Curu Leuvu, although the water is more green than black. Formerly, it was also known as "river of the willows" because of the big number of weeping willows that grow along the bank. It is 635 km in length.

It originates from the junction of the Limay River and Neuquén River at the border with the Neuquén Province, and flows southeast incised through steppes to the Atlantic Ocean at {{coord|41.0223|S|62.7903|W|display=inline|region:AR-R_type:river}}, near El Cóndor beach resort some {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} downstream from Viedma, Río Negro province's capital.

The river allows the Río Negro province to produce 70% of the pears and 72% of the apples of Argentina.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cincosaltos.info/0479/La-fruticultura |title=La fruticultura |date=2020-11-06 |website=Cinco Saltos |language=Spanish}} The main area of orchards lie in the middle and upper course of the river. About 48% of the Southern Hemisphere's pears are produced in Río Negro.{{Cite web |url=https://registrocivil.rionegro.gov.ar/articulo/31322/las-peras-de-rio-negro-convierten-al-pais-en-el-segundo-exportador-a-nivel-mundial |title=Las peras de Río Negro convierten al país en el segundo exportador a nivel mundial |date=2020-01-31 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Registro Civil |language=Spanish}} Besides irrigation, the river is also source of hydroelectricity with small dams on its course. The river's lower 400 km are navigable.{{cite encyclopedia |title=Negro River |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |year=2022 |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Negro-River-Argentina |access-date=30 November 2022 |archive-date= |archive-url= }}

In 1604 the inland area of the river was reached by Spanish explorers departing from Buenos Aires in search of the mythical City of the Caesars.{{sfnp|Williams|1975|loc=p. 14}} The river served briefly as a natural demarcation between "civilization" and the indigenous territories in the late 1870s and early 1880s during the Conquest of the Desert.{{fact|date=November 2022}} In the 1900s Welsh settlers from Chubut were granted land in Choele Choel.{{sfnp|Williams|1975|loc=p. 151}}