Patagonian Desert Patagonian Desert The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonia Desert, Patagonian Steppe, or Magellanic Steppe, is the largest desert in Argentina and is the 8th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 673,000 square kilometers (260,000 mi). It is located primarily in Argentina with small parts in Chile and is bounded by the Andes, to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east, in the region of Patagonia, southern Argentina. To the north the desert grades into the Cuyo Region and the Pampas. The central parts of the steppe are dominated by shrubby and herbaceous plant species
North Patagonian Massif contains the Miocene (Colloncuran) Collón Cura Formation, the Miocene La Pava Formation, and the Miocene Chimehuín Formation in the northern part of the eastern belt. North Patagonian Massif The North Patagonian Massif or Somún Cura Massif (Spanish: "Macizo Norpatagónico", "Macizo Nordpatagónico" or "Macizo de Somún Cura") is a massif in northern Patagonia located in the Argentine provinces of Río Negro and Chubut. The massif is a plateau surrounded by sedimentary basins. The North Patagonian Massif covers an area of approximately . The massif rises above the surrounding topography reaching a maximum of above sea level. Compared to neighboring areas, the