TARIJA, or TARIXA  , a department and town of south-eastern Bolivia . The department lies on the northern frontier of Argentina, and is bounded W. by Potosi, N. by Chuquisaca, and E. by Paraguay . Pop . (1900) Io2,887 . Area, 33,036 sq. m . The eastern and larger part of the department belongs to the great Chaco region . The Chaco districts are inhabited by small nomadic tribes of Indians, and the grassy Llanos de Manzo by the Chiriguanos, one of the strong Indian nations of South America . They are considered a branch of the Guarany race, and live in permanent villages, breed horses, cattle and sheep, and till the soil . Near the Argentine frontier are the less civilized tribes of the Tobas, and in the mountainous districts are remnants of the Quichuas, once masters of an empire . The capital, SAN BERNARDO DE TARIJA (pop . 1900, 698o; 1906, estimate, 7817), is the only town of importance in the department . It is situated on the Rio Grande de Tarija, about loo m .

E. of Tupiza . It is about 5800 ft. above

sea level and its climate is mild and healthy . The town was founded in 1577 by Luiz de Fuertes, by orders of the Viceroy of Peru, as a military post to hold the Chiriguanos in check . About the same time the Jesuits established themselves here, and the most important building in the town is their convent, afterwards occupied by the Franciscans .