Catamarca Province Plata was created in 1776, Catamarca obtained the title of "Subintendencia" under the Salta intendency. In 1821, the province claimed its autonomy, and Nicolás Avellaneda y Tula (grandfather of Nicolás Avellaneda) was elected as the first governor of the province. The name is believed to come either from Quechua "cata" 'slope' and "marca" 'fortress', or from Aymara "catán" 'small' and "marca" 'town'. Catamarca remained isolated from the rest of Argentina by its mountains until 1888, when the rapidly expanding railways first appeared in the province. Attracting immigrants with its spacious, fertile valleys and dry, agreeable weather, Catamarca was soon favored
Climatic regions of Argentina temperate and arid with large thermal amplitudes, long summers, and a long frost free period which varies by altitude. In both the Quebrada de Humahuaca and Calchaquí valleys, winters are cold with frosts that can occur between March and September. In the valleys in the south in La Rioja and Catamarca Provinces, along with the southwest parts of Santiago del Estero Province, temperatures during the summer are very high averaging in January, while winters are mild averaging . Temperatures can exceed during the summer, particularly in the central valley of Catamarca (Valle Central de Catamarca) and the valley of La