| Viedma is the capital city of the Argentine province of Río Negro and the Adolfo Alsina Department of that province.
The city of 47,246 inhabitants (2001) is located on the southern margin of the Río Negro River, 30 kilometres before from the sea, and 960 km from Buenos Aires on the National Route 3.
Together with Carmen de Patagones city across the river in the Buenos Aires Province, it is the oldest settlement in Patagonia, founded by Francisco de Viedma y Narváez under the name of Nuestra Señora del Carmen on April 22 of 1779.
With the Conquest of the Desert, the city became the capital of all the Argentine Patagonia, and later, when it was divided in further smaller territories, the capital of the Río Negro Territory. Alvaro Barros changed the name of the city to Viedma, in 1879. During severe flooding in 1900, the capital of Río Negro was temporary moved to Choele Choel, but it was quickly restored to Viedma.
During the presidency of Raúl Alfonsín it was proposed to move the capital of Argentina from Buenos Aires to Viedma, but the idea did not prosper.
The main economical activities in the area of the Valle Inferior are cattle, as well as some agriculture with onion, maize and alfalfa being the most important.
The Gobernador Castello Airport serves flights to Buenos Aires, Neuquén, Bariloche, Puerto Madryn, Trelew, Comodoro Rivadavia, Mar del Plata, and other cities in Argentina. Its located 6 km from the city, and has an average annual traffic of 30,000 passengers. 30 km downstream from Viedma, on the Atlantic shore, the El Cóndor beach resort town is the most visited tourist beach in the area.
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