Department of Lima

Not to be confused with Lima Province or Lima District.

Lima Nimaja (Jaqaru)
Department
Jirishanca and Rondoy mountains
Flag Seal
Location of Lima within Peru
Coordinates: 11.85°S 76.45°W / -11.85; -76.45
Country	Peru
Subdivisions	10 provinces Barranca Cajatambo Cañete Canta Huaral Huarochirí Huaura Lima Oyón Yauyos
Established	12 February 1821
Founded by	José de San Martín
Capital	Lima (de jure) Huacho (de facto)
Government
• Governor	Rosa Vásquez Cuadrado
Area
• Total	32,129.31 km2 (12,405.20 sq mi)
Highest elevation	5,654 m (18,550 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2017)
• Total	864,853
• Density	26.9179/km2 (69.7170/sq mi)
UBIGEO	15
Dialing code	01
ISO 3166 code	PE-LIM
Website	www.gob.pe/regionlima/

Lima (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈlima]; Jaqaru: Nimaja, [niˈmaxa]) is a department of Peru. Located in the country's central coast, it is administered by a regional government based in Huacho, whose jurisdiction does not include the quasi-autonomous special regime of the Province of Lima, coterminous with the country's capital, Lima.

Etymology

Further information: Lima § Etymology

The name comes from one of two sources: Either the Aymara language lima-limaq (meaning "yellow flower"), or the Spanish pronunciation of the Quechua word rimaq (meaning "talker", and actually written and pronounced limaq in the nearby Quechua I languages). It is worth nothing that the same Quechua word is also the source of the name given to the river that feeds the city, the Rímac River (pronounced as in the politically dominant Quechua II languages, with an "r" instead of an "l"). It is known in Jaqaru, a language spoken in the department's districts of Catahuasi and Tupe, as Nimaja.

It was also known simply as the Department of the Capital (Spanish: Departamento de la Capital) from 1821 until 1823.

History

Main article: History of Lima

The remains of early Andean inhabitants, hunters and harpoon fishermen from more than 6500 years ago, are to be found in the department of Lima. These remains were found in Chivateros, near the Chillón River, and in various other places. These persons incorporated nets, hooks, farming, ceramics and weaving to their everyday objects. The inhabitants of the coast lived in the lomas and the valleys, where they built temples and dwelling complexes, leading to huge ceremonial centres, such as the Huacoy on the Chillón River; Garagay and La Florida on the Rímac River, Manchay on the Lurín River; and Chancay, Supe and many other valleys to the north and south. There are finely ornamented temples with figures modelled in clay.

Lithic prehistoric projectile points of Paijan type were found at Ancón, 40 kilometres northeast of Lima in the Chillón River Valley.

The 5,000-year-old ruins known as El Paraíso are also located in this area. A temple at the site is believed to be about 5,000 years old.

From 1784 to 1821, the area was administered as the Intendancy of Lima.

Republican period

After independence, its northern area was administered as the Department of the Coast. When the department was created in 1821 as the Department of the Capital, the aforementioned department was annexed into it in 1823.

From 1836 to 1839, the department was part of North Peru, a constituent country of the Peru–Bolivian Confederation.

In 2006, a team of archeological researchers led by Robert Benfer announced their findings from a four-year excavation at Buena Vista in the Chillón River valley a few kilometres north of present-day Lima. They had discovered a 4200-year-old observatory constructed by an early Andean civilization, a three-dimensional sculpture, unique for the time period in this region, and sophisticated carvings. The observatory is on top of a 10-meter pyramidal mound and has architectural features for sighting the astronomical solstices. The discovery pushes back the time for the development of complex civilisation in the area and has altered scholars' understanding of Preceramic period cultures in Peru.

The Lima culture (100 A.D. to 650 A.D.) arose in this area, specially in the central valleys from Chancay to Lurín. It was distinguished by painted adobe buildings.

During this time, the Huari conquest took place, thus giving rise to Huari-style ceramics, together with a local style known as Nievería. As the population grew, their culture changed. With the decline of the Huari, whose most important center was Cajamarquilla, new local cultures arose. The Chancay are the most well-known. They developed large urban centers and a considerable textile production, as well as mass-produced ceramics.

At this stage in the mid-15th century, the Incas arrived from their base in the Andes. They conquered and absorbed the regional cultures and occupied important sites such as Pachacamac, turning it into an administrative centre.

Geography

The department of Lima is bordered by the departments of Ancash on the north, Huánuco, Pasco, and Junín on the east, Huancavelica on the southeast, Ica on the south, and the Pacific Ocean and the Lima Province on the west.

The department has a coastal and an Andean zone, and has a great diversity of natural regions: the Coast or Chala (0 to 500 meters above sea level) up to the Janka or Mountain range (Spanish: Cordillera, over 4800 meters). The predominating regions are the Yunga (500 to 2300 meters above sea level) and Quechua (2300 to 3500 meters)

Politics

Subdivisions

Provinces of the Department of Lima

The department is divided into ten provinces, which are composed of 171 districts.

• Barranca (Barranca)
• Cajatambo (Cajatambo)
• Cañete (San Vicente de Cañete)
• Canta (Canta)
• Huaral (Huaral)
• Huarochirí (Matucana)
• Huaura (Huacho)
• Lima (Lima)
• Oyón (Oyón)
• Yauyos (Yauyos)

Culture

Landmarks

Points of interest in the department include Caral, Lachay National Reserve and Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve.

Lachay National Reserve

The Lachay National Reserve, in the Huaura province, is a unique mist-fed eco-system of wild plant and animal species, is a natural reserve located in the north of the department.

Huacho is the capital of the Lima Region and the most populous city of the department (excluding Lima which is administered by an autonomous government, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima). Sitting at the bottom of a wide bay, it has a pleasant and dry climate. In its vicinity is the Huaura River where rice, cotton, sugar cane and different fruits and cereals are grown. This has given rise to an important cotton industry as well as soap and oil factories.

Lunahuaná District of Cañete Province, is located 38 km (24 mi) away from the south city of San Vicente de Cañete. The Incahuasi Archeological complex is located there. Lunahuaná has a dry climate and the sun shines during most of the year. Lately, Lunahuaná has become an adventure sports paradise, such as: Canotaje (Whitewater Rafting), Parapente & Ala Delta. Whitewater rafting is possible due to the Cañete River, which has rapids up to level 4. The main settlement in this district is the town of Lunahuaná.

See also

• Administrative divisions of Peru
• Regions of Peru

External links

• Lima Region Information Hub – Lima Region Information Hub official website
• Lima Region Tourism Board – Lima Region Tourism Board (CEPTUR) official website
• North Lima Region – Lima Region: Social, Cultural and Tourist Information
• Lima Travel Guide – General facts and travel information about Lima