  la rioja () is one of the provinces of argentina and is located in the west of the country. neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise catamarca, cÃ³rdoba, san luis and san juan. the dinosaur riojasaurus is named after the province. ==history==  petroglyphs created by early indigenous peoples at the talampaya national park are dated around 10,000 years bce. succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples developed here. the diaguita, capayan and the olongasta peoples inhabited the territory of present-day la rioja province at the time of encounter with the spanish colonists in the 16th century. juan ramÃ­rez de 
La_Rioja_Province,_Argentina Provinces_of_Argentina States_and_territories_established_in_1853 Wine_regions_of_Argentina