Chanchamayo Province

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chanchamayo
Image:Location of Chanchamayo Province.png
Location of Chanchamayo in the Junín region
Coat of Arms
Country Flag of Peru Peru
Region Junín
Capital La Merced
Area
Area
Elevation (capital)		 4,723.4 km2
Population (as of the 2005 Census)
Population
 - Total
 - Density
142,127 (2002 estimate)
30.1/km² 
Subdivisions 6 districts
Official website
n/a

Chanchamayo is a province in northern Junín Region, in central Peru.

The province's name derives from the Chanchamayo River, whose source is in the Andean Sierra and flows northwards becoming the Perené River.

The province has an estimated population of 142,127, half of which live in the provincial capital, La Merced. Another important town in the province is San Ramón.

The Chanchamayo province is famous for citrus production and quality coffee growing.

[edit] History

The first inhabitants of this territory were the Yanesha' people and Ashaninkas. The first reported European presence in the area dates back to 1635, when Franciscan Fray Juan Jerónimo Jiménez founded the settlement of San Buena Ventura de Quimiri, which was 3 km away from present-day La Merced.

[edit] Political division

The province is divided into six districts (Spanish: distritos, singular: distrito), each of which is headed by a mayor (alcalde). The districts, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:

 This Peruvian geography article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
v • d • e
Flag of Peru Provinces of Junín Region | Peru