Which desert in Argentina lies east of the Andes?

The Patagonian Desert lies east of the Andes, mainly across southern Argentina. Also called the Patagonian Steppe, it stretches from the Andean foothills toward the Atlantic and is Argentina’s largest desert.

The Andes help create the desert by blocking moisture carried eastward from the Pacific. Air loses much of its moisture while crossing the mountains, leaving the interior of Patagonia dry. Cold temperatures, strong winds, gravel plains, plateaus, canyons, and sparse shrubs give the region a different appearance from the sandy deserts commonly pictured in quizzes.

The Patagonian Desert is a cold winter desert. Frost is frequent, average temperatures are low, and snow can occur even though overall precipitation is limited. In the west, the steppe grades into wetter grasslands, lakes, and Andean forests; farther north, it transitions toward the Monte region.

A common mix-up is the Monte Desert, which borders the Patagonian Desert to the north but is a separate desert region. The Patagonian landscape has also supported sheep ranching, petroleum and gas production, and important fossil sites, including exceptionally preserved petrified forests.