Puno Region

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Región Puno
Image:Puno region logo.PNG
Location of the Puno region in Peru
See other Peruvian regions
President David Jiménez Sardón
Capital Puno
Largest city Juliaca
Area 71,999 km²
Population
  - Total
  - Density

1 297 103 (2004 estimate)
18.0/km²
Subdivisions 13 provinces and 108 districts
Elevation
  - Lowest
  - Highest

820 m (Lower Lanlacuni)
4725 m (San Antonio de Esquilache)
Latitude
Longitude
13°00' to 17°08' S
71°08' to 68°50' W
Main resources Quinoa; it is also the nation's largest producer of sheep, alpacas and llamas.
Poverty rate 78%
Percentage of country's GDP 2.2%
Dialing code 051
ISO 3166-2 PE-PUN
Official website: www.regionpuno.gob.pe

Puno 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 in the geographical region known as the Altiplano or high sierra.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Lake Titicaca, which is partly located in the Puno Region
Lake Titicaca, which is partly located in the Puno Region

The 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 four-month 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.

[edit] Political division

The region is divided into 13 provinces (provincias, singular: provincia), which are composed of 107 districts (distritos, singular: distrito). The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:

[edit] History

In ancient times, the Collao plateau was inhabited by Aymara groups (Collas, Zapanas, Kallahuayos and Lupacas). The Quechuas came later.

According to chronicler Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, these ancient times coincide with the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, who emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca to found the Inca Empire.

The Aymara culture, also known as Putina, was the most important and influential pre-Hispanic culture in the region.

During the Viceroyship, Puno was the obliged route for travelers going to Potosí, Bolivia. In 1668, viceroy Conde de Lemos established San Juan Bautista de Puno as the capital of the province of Paucarcolla. Later, it was called San Carlos de Puno, in honor of the ruling king, Charles II of Spain.

In 1870, the railway route Arequipa-Puno was installed and navigation in Lake Titicaca started.

[edit] External links

Political division of Peru Peru State Flag

Amazonas | Ancash | Apurímac | Arequipa | Ayacucho | Cajamarca | Callao | Cusco | Huancavelica | Huánuco | Ica | Junín | La Libertad | Lambayeque | Lima | Loreto | Madre de Dios | Moquegua | Pasco | Piura | Puno | San Martín | Tacna | Tumbes | Ucayali

The Lima Province is not part of any of the twenty-five regions.