San Martín Region

San Martín Region
Region

Seal

Location of the San Martín Region in Peru
Coordinates: 7°12′S 76°48′W / 7.2°S 76.8°W / -7.2; -76.8Coordinates: 7°12′S 76°48′W / 7.2°S 76.8°W / -7.2; -76.8
Country Peru
Subdivisions 10 provinces and 77 districts
Largest city Tarapoto
Capital Moyobamba
Area
 • Total 51,253.31 km2 (19,789.01 sq mi)
Highest elevation 3,080 m (10,100 ft)
Lowest elevation 190 m (620 ft)
Population (2005 Census)
 • Total 778,545
 • Density 15/km2 (39/sq mi)
UBIGEO 22
Dialing code 042
ISO 3166 code PE-SAM
Principal resources Coffee, rice, yucca, cocoa, tobacco, cebu cattle.
Poverty rate 62.4%
Percentage of Peru's GDP 1.85%
Website www.regionsanmartin.gob.pe

San Martín (Spanish pronunciation: [sanmaɾˈtin]) is a department in northern Peru. Most of the department is located in the upper part of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Its capital is Moyobamba and the largest city in the department is Tarapoto.

Geography

Boundaries

Morphology

The territory of San Martín can be divided into four morphological zones:

The Huallaga River is one of the most important rivers in the region. It forms, together with its tributaries a 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.

History

Tupac Yupanqui entered and subdued the Inca dominion, the province of Moyobamba, known back then by its native name, Muyupampa. In 1539, Spaniard Alonso de Alvarado reached the Mayo River and founded a city he named Santiago de los Valles de Moyobamba, which later became the capital of Maynas. Another important personality was Priest Manuel Sobreviela who, between 1787 and 1790, accomplished traveling across the Huallaga River and subsequently published a map named "Planning for the course of the Huallaga and Ucayali Rivers and for the Pampa del Sacramento".

On August 19, 1821, Moyobamba was the first Peruvian city in declaring its independence.

The construction of a highway in recent years has increased the exchange of different products, benefitting the economy of this region.

Political division

Map of the San Martín region showing its provinces

The region is divided into 10 provinces (Spanish: provincias, singular: provincia), which are composed of 77 districts (distritos, singular: distrito).

The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:

San Martín Peru

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Archaeology

Gran Pajáten is a pre Inca complex of circular slate buildings decorated with figures of flying condors situated on the border with La Libertad. Due to its difficult access, tourism is not yet possible at the site.

See also

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