PERU MILENARIO - AMERICA

AMAZONAS:
Is a region in northern Peru. It is bordered by
Ecuador on the north and west, the
Cajamarca Region on the west, the La
Libertad Region on the south and the Loreto
and San Martín regions on the east. Its capital
is the city of Chachapoyas. The Amazonas
region is made up by of rainforest and Sierra
(highlands), although the rainforest area is
larger and extends northwards up to the
border with Ecuador in the top of the
Cordillera del Cóndor. The Sierra is located in
the region's southern provinces and covers
only one-fourth of its area.
The large and deep Marañón Valley, which
constitutes another important
morphological characteristic of this region,
crosses a large part of its territory and
expands from south to north getting its
major amplitude in the zone of Bagua and
then getting narrow after passing the
Eastern Cordillera in its way to the Low
Jungle, crossing the pongos, which means
door in Quechua. The Utcubamba Valley goes
longitudinally up to the Marañón River and
constitutes the main center of production
and human settlement. 

CUZCO : (QOSQO)

is a region in Peru. It is bordered by the
Ucayali Region on the north; the Madre de
Dios and Puno regions on the east; the
Arequipa Region on the south; and the
Apurímac, Ayacucho and Junín regions on
the west. Its capital is the city of Cusco, the
capital of the Inca Empire. The Cusco region
has a very diverse landscape where elevated
alignments of mountains with vast altiplanos
and plateaus with slight surfaces and deep
valleys and canyons are mixed.
The Eastern Andes mountain range, which is
the spinal column of this region, has been
strongly eroded by the complex system of
courses of waters draining toward the jungle
as well as glaciers. Nowadays only three
chains of mountains are left from the old
Eastern mountain range which are oriented
from the southeast to northeast part, such as
Vilcabamba which defines the hydrographic
systems of the Urubamba and Apurímac
rivers with elevated peaks like Salkantay and
Pumasillo; the Vilcanota with its most
the Vilcanota with its most important peak,
the Ausangate, which is also the region's
highest peak; and the Paucartambo with
smaller dimensions than the previous
channels. Also, Cusco has alignments of
mountains with smaller elevations and local
characteristics like the residual highlands
which originate from the wearing of the old
andean altiplano caused by strong erosion of
rivers due to the high andean lifting. The two
most important highland zones are:
Vilcabamba enclosing the valley of Cusco
and whose most important peak is
Huanacaure; and the Mountains of Cusco,
located at the north of the city, whose
highest peak is the Pachatusan.

CUZCO

 Like in all Andean regions, the
main rivers and its affluents have formed
deep valleys and canyons, among the most
important ones are those formed by the
Urubamba, Apurímac and Paucartambo
rivers.
The valley of Urubamba shows alluvial
terraces in its thick soils where a strong
population dedicated to agriculture is
established. The Urubamba river, under 2000
m, has formed a deep and narrow canyon
which reaches all its beauty close to Machu
Picchu, showing a rare landscape of bends.
Due to the diversity of soil altitudes, the
region has a great variety of climates and
landscapes, which have strongly influenced
on agriculture and the distribution of
population.

ICA :

Is a region in Peru. It borders the Pacific
Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on the
north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho
regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region
on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica.
The Ica Region has a remarkable geography.
It is the only region of the southern coast
formed by plains also called coast plains
since the Andean Cordillera is erected inside.
Some geological folds have determined the
formation of lands moving forward the sea
which form the Paracas Peninsula while
some isolated formations located at the
southern part have determined the Marcona
complex, a place where the biggest deposits
of iron in the Pacific coast have been formed.
Ica's configuration is due to the
geomorphology of its two big and unique
fluvial watersheds: the Pasco watershed and
Ica watershed.
Also, it has an incomplete and continous
current inadequately called Rio Grande
because its short waters do not even reach
the sea; its waters are mainly used for
agriculture in Pampa, Nazca and Ingenio, its
final watershed is dry since sand and dried
lands absorb its short resources. There are
extensive deserts in Ica like the Lancha
Pampas before Pozo Santo and Villacuri
Pampas which are extremely hot areas.
Strong and persistent winds called "Paracas"
are present and originate large clouds of
sand.

LA  LIBERTAD :

Is a region in northwestern Peru. It is
bordered by the Lambayeque, Cajamarca
and Amazonas regions on the north, the San
Martín Region on the east, the Ancash and
Huánuco regions on the south and the
Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is
Trujillo, which is the nation's third-largest
city. The region's main port is Salaverry ,
located in Trujillo, which is also one of Peru's
largest ports. The name of the region is
Spanish for Freedom. La Libertad is the only
Peruvian region that reaches all three
Peruvian natural regions (coast, Sierra
(highlands) and rainforest).
Trujillo, the capital of the La Libertad Region,
has a great geographical importance and a
good location. It is the point where the
Andes are linked to the Pacific Ocean, as a
result of the direction the coasts follow. The
Andes first are seen from Trujillo, showing a
row of low-elevation hills, but from there on
the Andean Plateau increases altitude
sharply to the East, in the provinces of
Otuzco and Santiago de Chuco.
These two provinces comprise the Pacific
hydrographic watershed, which give rise to
the Moche and Virú rivers, to the south, and
Chicama River to the north. Pacasmayo
Province, located more to the north is a
coastal province. Sánchez Carrión Province,
to the east, belongs to the Atlantic
watershed.

THE  LIMA  REGION  :

Also known as Lima Provincias, is one of
twenty-five regions in Peru. Located in the
central coast of the country, its capital is
Huacho, although only provisorily as it has
not yet been established which city will
become the permanent regional capital.
The Lima Province, which contains the city of
Lima, the country's capital, is located on the
western part of the Lima Region. However,
this province is autonomous and not part of
the region.
The region is bordered by the Ancash Region
on the north, the Huánuco, Pasco and Junín
on the east, the Huancavelica Region on the
southeast, and the Pacific Ocean and the
Lima Province on the west.
The region has a coastal and an Andean
zone, and has a great diversity of natural
regions: the Costa or Chala (0 to 500 meters
above sea level) up to the Janca or Cordillera
(over 4800 meters). The predominating
regions are the Yunga (500 to 2300 meters
above sea level) and Quechua (2300 to 3500
meters).

MADRE DE DIOS :

Is a region in southeastern Peru, bordering
Brazil, Bolivia and the Peruvian regions of
Puno, Cusco and Ucayali. Its capital is the city
of Puerto Maldonado. The name of the
region is a very common Spanish-language
designation for the Virgin Mary, literally
meaninThe region is almost entirely lowlying
Amazonian rainforest. The climate is
warm and damp, with average temperatures
around 26º C (max. 34º C, min 21º C). The
rainy season is from December to March,
when torrential rainfall causes rivers to swell
and often burst their banks. Annual
precipitation can be as much as 3 metres.
The south-western boundary with the Cusco
Region is known as the Isthmus of
Fitzcarrald, a series of small mountains that
separate the Madre de Dios River and the
Urubamba River.
Due to the vast size of the area and its low
population density, rivers provide the best
way of getting from one town to another.
Human activity is invariably confined to
riverbanks.
The only road of note is between Puerto
Maldonado and the city of Cuzco (530 km
away). However, it is in very poor condition
and flights between Cuzco and Puerto
Maldonado remain the most common and
reliable method of transport between the
two. From Puerto Maldonado there is a road
to the mining town of Laberinto ("Labyrinth")
(about 50 km long). There is also a road
between Cuzco and the town of Atalaya. It is
roughly 300 km long, and impassable in the
rainy season.

PASCO :

Is a region in central Peru. Its capital is Cerro
de Pasco. he region is divided into 3
provinces (Spanish: provincias, singular:
provincia), which are composed of 28
districts (distritos, singular: distrito).
The provinces, with their capitals in
parenthesis, are:
Daniel Alcides Carrión (Yanahuanca)
Oxapampa (Oxapampa)
Pasco (Cerro de Pasco).

LOCATION, EXTENSION AND POPULATION
The department of Pasco is located in the central part of the country. Its territory comprises parts of the Sierra (ridge of the Andes mountains) and parts of the Ceja de Selva (High Jungle or mountain rim). Pasco limits to the north with Huánuco, to the south with Junín, to the east with Ucayali, and to the west with Lima. It is located at 4,355 m.a.s.l. (14,288 ft). The weather is cold, the highest temperature being 20ºC (68º F), the lowest, 8ºC (46º F). It has an extension of 21,854 km² (8,438 sq ml), and a population of over 600,000 people.

The capital of Pasco is Cerro de Pasco, which extends over the sloping Ulianchin mountain and sits at the skirts of the Patarcocha lagoon. Other important cities in Pasco include, Oxapampa, Villa Rica, Yanahuanca, Chaupimarca and Huayllay.


BRIEF HISTORIC OVERVIEW
The first settlers of the region known today as Pasco, were members of the Huanca culture who extended their domains throughout the central Sierra. In constant war with other cultures, such as the Chancas, they built small fortifications to defend themselves.

With their submission to the Inca empire, this region became part of the Chinchaysuyo (one of the four regions in which the empire was divided), which served as refuge for travelers heading for other regions.

During colonial times, the Spanish discovered the fabulous mineral resources in Pasco. Native oral tradition tells that way back, in the year 1630, Santiago Hauricapcha, a shepherd, discovered these mine beds while having to take shelter from a storm. He improvised a bonfire to prepare his meal and, after a while, discovered that threads of gold were running down from the heated stones of his bonfire. Uninformed, loyal and serving, the peasant communicated his findings to his employers who, since those times, took hold of the most wonderful silver, zinc, lead, and copper mines in this part of the continent.

During the Republic, Daniel Alcides Carrión, one of the most outstanding doctors of medicine in Pasco, set a great example of professionalism and courage in trying to help others. He inoculated himself with the wart virus to study the effects and possible antidotes, but died in the effort.

Huayllay Stone Forest.MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PASCO
Huayllay Stone Forest. Located at 4,335 m.a.s.l. (14,222 ft), this fossilized forest has an extension of 60 km² (23 sq ml). This natural beauty, declared National Park in 1939, is a swarm of multiform rocks molded by nature in a dazzling fashion. These rocks depict a variety of figures, such as, elephants, human faces, beasts, towers, sphinxes, dinosaurs, warriors, among many others.

Patarcocha Lagoon. It is located in the outskirts of the city. The beautiful scenery consists of nevados or snow-covered mountains, flora, fauna, and an ideal fishing spot.

The Temple of San Miguel de Chaupimarca. Founded in March of 1827, this temple keeps valuable images of colonial times.

Oxapampa. A farming province located in the Ceja de Selva (High Jungle), well-known for its German settlers.

Pozuzo. This village of European origin is located in the Oxapampa province. The local people keep the ways of their ancestors.

Villa Rica. A location of the Oxapampa province in the Jungle region of Pasco, it is known for its coffee plantations.

Yanahuanca is the capital of the province of Daniel A. Carrión. The Gollarisquiza mineral bed is found in this area. Potatoes, oca and barley are grown in abundance, as well as sheep stock farms.

Valles del Palcazu, Anacayali, Neguachi y Pichis. Valleys noted for their farming production, mainly fruit trees, and their stock farms.

Valle de Huancabamba. A valley famous for its production of aguano, cedar, oak, tornillo, ulcumano and alfaro lumber.


TYPICAL DISHES AND BEVERAGES
Pasco bases its cuisine on a great variety of broths, soups, lamb and beef stews. Typical dishes, such as the broth of lamb head, the patazca or mote (stewed corn) soup, and the oca, bean, potato and chupes (chowders), come from this part of the country.

Like in other regions of the Sierra the specialty, however, is the pachamanca (barbecue). The diversity of meats (beef, lamb, pork) added makes it a dish with a variety of flavors.

The aguardiente is by far the preferred drink because, as they say, it helps to keep the body warm.


TOURIST CALENDAR
July 27 through 30. The Pozuzo Tourist Week. This town commemorates the arrival of the 300 settlers of European origin, who came mainly from the Tyrol and Prussia. Festivals are held the 27 and 28 (coinciding with the Peruvian Independence Day), where parades and the traditional dances and ribbon tournaments take place.

August 25 through 31. The Oxapampa Tourist Week. During this week the local people honor their patron saint, Santa Rosa de Lima, for whom they have built a beautiful chapel all made of local wood. During these six days, trading fairs, parties, sport championships and other contests are held.

October 8 through 14. Villa Rica Tourist Week. A fair of regional farm products and livestock takes place during this week. During the ribbon tournaments, a blend of European traditions, mainly from the Tyrol, young horsemen will try to string loops, placed in high blockheads by the local young girls.

November 27. Anniversary of Cerro de Pasco. Week-long celebrations, including farm and livestock fairs, parades, dances and other activities.

December 7 through 10. The religious festivity of the Immaculate Conception takes place in Paucartambo during these days. Masses and novenas are held, and traditional dances are performed by local bands. The leading event is the procession in honor of the Immaculate Conception. Later, the local people offer their best typical dishes to all those present in the ceremony.

December 31. New Year's Eve. The people of Pasco celebrate this day dancing to the rhythm of the music of their local bands, and drinking abundant beer and aguardiente. The traditional Baile de los Negritos (dancers disguised as black men) is performed by dancing groups swinging along the streets. They stop to visit the homes where Nativity scenes have been arranged, and are received with something to drink and eat.

Puno : "THE CAPITAL OF FOLKLORE PERU AND LATIN AMERICAN "

Is a region in southeastern Peru. It is
bordered by Bolivia on the east, the Madre
de Dios Region on the north, the Cusco and
Arequipa regions on the west, the Moquegua
Region on the southwest, and the Tacna
Region on the south. Its capital is the city of
Puno, which is located on Lake Titicaca. he
Puno region is located in the Collao Plateau.
The western part of Lake Titicaca, which is
the world's highest navigable lake, is located
in the region. The Andean mountains make
up 70% of the region's territory, and the rest
is covered by the Amazon rainforest.
The climate is cold and dry, with a fourmonth
rain season. On the other hand, the
climate of the rainforest is warm. The water
resources are taken from the Lake Titicaca, 50
lagoons and more than 300 rivers. There is
also an important potential in underground
waters.

SAN MARTIN :

Is a region in northern Peru. Most of the
region is located in the upper part of the
Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Its capital is
Moyobamba and the largest city in the
region is Tarapoto.
The territory of San Martín can be divided
into four morphological zones:
The west, near the eastern side of the
Andean Plateau, with a rough topography
and many ravines;
The zone of the wide valleys, with stepped
terraces formed by the Huallaga River and its
affluents, where population is engaged
mainly in cattle and agriculture;
The southwest zone, with a relief coming
down from the Cordillera Azul, with low
elevation, where is an impressive canyon
known as Cajón de Sión, which finishes in the
Cayumba rapids;
A small lower jungle zone with areas easily
flooded and with almost no accidents.
The Huallaga River is one of the most
important rivers in the region. It forms,
together with its tributaries an
hydrographical system which drains all of the
region's territory. The Pongo de Aguirre is an
important canyon formed by the Huallaga
going through the Andean hills.

TACNA :

Is the southernmost region in Peru. Its name
originates from the Quechua words taka
("hit") and na ("place"), which would mean "I
hit this place". This expression is thought to
be related to the Quechua conquest of the
Aymara people. The regional capital is the
Heroic City of Tacna.
Present-day Tacna Region was occupied by
forces from neighboring Chile as a result of
the War of the Pacific. Tacna was
reincorporated into Peruvian sovereignty in
1929 and today it is known for being one of
the most patriotic areas in the country. The
Tacna Region is bordered by the Pacific
Ocean on the west, the Moquegua Region on
the north, the Puno Region on the northeast,
the Bolivian La Paz Department on the east,
and the Tarapacá Region of Chile on the
south. The border between the Tacna Region
and Chile is known as La Línea de la
Concordia.
The region is located below the Titicaca
plateau, and has a diverse geography,
including volcanoes, deserts and
mountainous zones, from which arise rivers
that go over the punas and the plateaus, thus
forming the hydrographical system of this
zone. The region is small in size, but has a
great mining and agriculture potential. It has
various climates and a diverse production.

Is a region in central Peru. It is bordered on
the east by the Cusco Region, on the west by
the Ayacucho Region, and on the south by
the Arequipa and Ayacucho regions. The
region's name originates from the Quechua
language and means "God speaks". The
region is divided into 7 provinces, which are
composed of 79 districts.

AREQUIPA :

Is a region in southwestern Peru. It is
bordered by the Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac and
Cusco regions on the north; the Puno Region
on the east; the Moquegua Region on the
south; and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its
capital, also called Arequipa, is Peru's secondlargest
city. This region has a rough surface
which is characterized by heavy layers of
volcanic lava covering large areas of its inter-
Andean sector. It has deep canyons like the
ones formed by the Ocoña and Majes rivers
opposed to medium-altitude plateaus such
as La Joya, and high-altitude ones such the
Arrieros Pampa and those located in the
zones of Chivay, Huambo and Pichucolla.
Volcanic cones are seen in this area emerging
above the plateaus and forming snowfalls,
such as Misti, Chachani, Ampato, Mismi,
Solimana and Coropuna. In contrast with
these heights, there are deep and impressing
canyons, including Majes,
Colca, Sihuas and Ocoña where important
aspects of the ecological evolution of this
zone can be clearly observed.In the Coast,
small plateaus and dunes represent
characteristics of the desert of Arequipa, like
the ones located in the Majes, Sihuas and La
Joya pampas which are particularly beautiful
and developed.
From a hydrographic point of view, the rivers
draining its territory belong mainly to the
Pacific watershed but there are also some
rivers belonging to the Amazon
hydrographic system. Some of the region's
main rivers are: Ocoña, Yauca, Camana and
Quilca. The starting point of the Amazon
River, the longest river on Earth, is located in
the Arequipa region.

AYACUCHO :

Is a region of Peru, located in the southcentral
Andes of the country. Its capital is the
city of Ayacucho. The region was one of the
hardest hit by terrorism during the 1980s.
A referendum will be held on October 30,
2005 to decide whether the region will
merge with the current regions of Ica and
Huancavelica to form the new Ica-Ayacucho-
Huancavelica Region, as part of the
decentralization process in Peru.
The region is divided into 3 provinces , which
are composed of 12 districts .

CAJAMARCA :

Is a region in Peru. Area: 33,248 km2.
Population: 1,259,808 (1993 census). The
capital is the city of Cajamarca.
The department is divided in 13 provinces.

CALLAO :

Is a region located in the central coast of
Peru. It is bordered by the Lima Province on
the east, north and south; and by the Pacific
Ocean on the west. It includes the city of
Callao, which is Peru's most important port,
and the San Lorenzo, El Frontón, Cavinzas
and Palomino islands. It is the country's
smallest region.
The Callao region is composed of only one
province, the Constitutional Province of
Callao (Spanish: Provincia Constitucional del
Callao).

HUANCAVELICA :
Is a region in Peru. Area: 22,131 km2.
Population: 385,162 (1993 census). The
capital is the city of Huancavelica.
The region is divided in 7 provinces.

HUANUCO :
Is a region in central Peru. It is bordered by
the La Libertad, San Martín, Loreto and
Ucayali regions on the north; the Ucayali
Region on the east; the Pasco Region on the
south; and the Lima and Ancash regions on
the west. Its capital is the city of Huánuco.
Huánuco has a rough topography
comprising parts of the Sierra and the High
Jungle (mountain rim) regions. Being
equidistant from the north and the south of
the country, it has the privilege of having a
mild weather with an average annual
temperature of 20°C (68° F).
This region is important for its geographical
location, history, and for the richness of its
land, where the presence of man goes back
to ancient times. El Hombre de Lauricocha
(Man of Lauricocha) is among the most
distinctive examples, dating from 10,000 BC,
as well as Kotosh, where vestiges of the
oldest settlement in the Americas (4,200 BC)
took place.
Several ethnic groups inhabited this region.
However, after a severe resistance, they
started to incorporate as part of the Inca
empire. Huánuco then became part of the
Cusco-Cajamarca-Cusco route.
In the beginning of the 19th century, during
the emancipation process, Huánuco was one
of the first cities to promote Peru's
independence. Moreover, a first oath took
place in this city on December 15, 1820, after
several uprisings in Huamalpies, Huallanca and Ambo.

JUNIN :
Is a region in the central highlands of Peru. Its
capital is Huancayo. The region has a very
heterogeneous topography. The western
cordillera located near the border with the
Lima Region, has snowy and ice covered
peaks. On the east, there are high glaciar
valleys which end up in high plateaus
(Altiplano). Among them is the Junín Plateau
that is located between the cities of La Oroya
and Cerro de Pasco.
The Mantaro Valley becomes wider before
Jauja up to the limit with the Huancavelica
Region. This area concentrates a large share
of the region's population. Towards the east,
near the jungle, there is an abundance of
narrow and deep canyons, with highly
inclined hillsides, covered by woods under
low-lying clouds.
The Huaytapallana Cordillera is located in the
south central area of the region. This
cordillera holds a great fault which is the
reason earthquakes happen in the area.
The upper jungle, with valleys of great
length, modelled by the Tulumayo,
Paucartambo, Perené and Ene rivers, is
located on the eastern side of the region.
Lake Junín, the largest lake entirely within
Peru, is located in the region, except for its
northernmost tip which belongs to the Pasco
Region.

LAMBAYEQUE :

Is a region in northwestern Peru, known for
its rich Chimú and Moche historical past. The
region's name originates from the ancient
pre-Inca civilization of the lambayeques. The
city of Chiclayo is the region's capital as well
as its largest city.
As part of the new decentralization process
in Peru, this region is planned to become
part of the Northern Region (Región Norte).
The territory of the Lambayeque Region is
made up by large plains irrigated by rivers
from the Andes, in most of the area farming
takes place due to the lack of water. However
the valleys that are found in this area
generate half of the sugar cane that is
produced in Peru. In addithion Lambayeque
and Piura provide most of the rice crops
consumed in Peru. This agriculture output is
possible by a reservoir called "Proyecto
Olmos" which holds an annual amount of
2,050 millions of cubic meters of water.
In a smaller scale in the last centuries, the
Olmos Carob Tree Forest held goat herds that
were fed with the food of this tree. This gave
rise to the leather, cordobanes and soap
industry.
There are two small islands off the Pacific
coast of the Lambayeque Region: Lobos de
Afuera, and Lobos de Tierra; there was a
dispute with the Piura Region over
ownership of the latter island.
The region is bordered by the Piura Region
on the north, the Cajamarca Region on the
southeast, the La Libertad Region on the
south and the Pacific Ocean on the west.

  LORETO :

Is Peru's northernmost region. Covering
almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is
the nation's largest region and also one of
the most sparsely populated ones, due to its
remoLoreto's large territory comprises parts
of the High and Low Jungle, all of its surface
is covered with thick vegetation.
This territory has wide river flood beds, which
are covered with rainwater and usually are
swamped in summer. In these flood areas
there are elevated sectors called restingas,
which always stand out on the Amazonian
plain, even in times of the greatest swellings.
There are numerous lagoons known as
cochas and tipishcas, surrounded by marshy
areas with abundant grass vegetation.
Numerous rivers cross Loreto's territory, all of
which are part of the Hydrographical
Amazonian System. Most of them are
navigable.
The main river crossing the region is the
Amazon, one of the world's most important
rivers. Its numerous curves are always
changing and sometimes make for a difficult
journey. The width between banks of the
Amazon sometimes measures a staggering 4
km. The Yavari river runs from Peru to Brazil,
the Putumayo River serves as a border with
Colombia, and the Ucayali and Marañón
rivers penetrate Loreto after going through
the Pongo de Manseriche.te location in the
Amazon Rainforest. Its capital is the city of
Iquitos.

MOQUEGUA :
Is a coastal region in southern Peru. The
region's name is of Quechua origin and
means "quiet place". While the regional
capital is the city of Moquegua, the port city
of Ilo is more commercially active. The
region's volcanoes and its geomorphology
^{make its geography remarkable. It is formed
by upstream portion of the Tambo River, one
of the most torrential coastal rivers, which
forms deep valleys that can be divided ino
three sectors, the first one being in the
northwest, forming the Puquina-La Capilla
sector. These are veritable oasis enclaved in
the rocks; arid hillsides and some terraces
where horticulture is possible. High quality
alfalfa as well as fruits, especially grapes, are
produced here, due to a good climate and a
rich soil. The second sector is the valley of
Omate, one of the most populated and fertile
soils of the department. The Ubinas Volcano,
which is the only active one still active in
Peru, is located nearby.
In the hillsides, the land is fertile in contrast
with the desolation and sterility of its
highlands. In the southern part of the Tambo
River is located the town of Carumas, which
along with Puquina and Omate, are the vital
centers of this geography. The Moquegua
River is a short run one and is formed by its
tributaries: the Torata, Huaracane and
Tumilaca rivers. After passing through the
regional capital, it digs deep into a canyon
called the Osmare.}

PIURA:
Is a coastal region in northwestern Peru.
"Piura" is derived from the Quechua word
pirhua, whose approximate meaning is
"supply base", as the area was used by the
Incas as a stop to get provisions during their
conquest of the area's original inhabitants.
Known for its warm tropical and dry or semitropical
beaches, exquisite food and
hospitable people; the region's capital is
Piura and its largest port cities, Paita and
Talara, are also among the most important in
Peru.
As part of the ongoing decentralization
process in Peru, a referendum will be held on
October 30, 2005 to decide whether the
region will merge with the current regions of
Lambayeque and Tumbes to create the new
Northern Region (Spanish: Región Norte).
he Piura Region is bordered by the Tumbes
Region to the north, southern
Ecuador,Lambayeque Region on the south,
the Cajamarca Region on the east and the
Pacific Ocean to the west.
The territory of the Piura Region has many
climate variations due to its geographical
location.
It is just of 4 degrees south the equator yet
receives both ocean currents at the same
time: the cold Humboldt Current (19-15 °C)
and the warm niño current (27-22 °C).

     This males Piura a confusing land both
tropical and desert at the same time. Many
call still call it piura:
The Land of where the Desert meets the
Tropics
The coast is divided by the Peruvian
subtropical desert of Sechura on the south
and bushy like savanna tropical-dry forests to
the center and north of the region. There are
also small tropical valleys where rice and
coconut fields are common, especially
around the Piura and Sullana rivers.
There is a high Amazon climate (selva alta) as
one goes away from the coast on to the
sierra, Paramo climates and cooler
temperatures apear as one climbs the sierra.
Topography is smooth in the coast and
rough in the Sierra. There are many desertic
plains in the southern region.
The Sechura Desert, located south of the
Piura River, is Peru's largest desert and one of
the worlds examples of how a tropical desert
looks and boundaries a tropical terrain to
the north.

      The Bayóvar depression, which is the lowest
point in the country, is located in this desert.
The morphological forms most common in
the coast are the dry ravine that suddenly
become copious when there are heavy rains,
forming tropical dry forests all over. Other
features are half-moon shaped dunes, the
marine terraces such as those of Máncora,
Talara and Lobitos. Valleys formed by fluvial
terraces from the Chira River and Piura
Rivers.To the east, valleys are more or less
deep and have been eroded by fluvial waters
forming equatorial tropical-dry-forests. The
major peak surpasses 3000 m. The Paso de
Porculla, to the southwest of the territory is
only 2,138 meters high and is the lowest of
the Peruvian Andes.The rivers crossing its
territory belong to the Pacific watershed and
to the Amazon Basin. The Chira River is the
most important and flows its waters into the
Pacific Ocean. The Piura River, whose banks
hold the city of the same name, only flows its
waters into the sea during summer, which is
the rainy season.

UCAYALI :
Is an inland region in Peru. Located in the
Amazon rainforest, its name is derived from
the Ucayali River. The regional capital is the
city of PucallpaThe Ucayali Region is
bordered by the Brazilian state of Acre on the
east; the region of Madre de Dios on the
southeast; Cusco on the south; Junín, Pasco
and Huánuco on the west; and Loreto on the
north.