Arequipa
Capital of Arequipa department in the western Andes of southern Peru; it stands at a height of 2,363 m/7,753 ft in a fertile valley at the base of the dormant volcano El Misti (5,822 m/19,100 ft); industries include textiles, soap, and leather goods; population (2005) 783,000; urban agglomeration 1,140,800. It is the second-largest city of Peru and the cultural focus of southern Peru. Arequipa was founded by Pizarro in 1540 on the site of an ancient Inca city, and has a cathedral, founded in 1621, and a university.
Arequipa
| Department in southern Peru, divided into eight provinces; area 63,343 sq km/24,457 sq mi; population (1996) 999,026. It is mainly a mountainous region with fertile valleys, and also includes a large area of coastal desert. Sugar cane is grown in the Tambo river valley. Alpaca wool is the main product of the sierra region. The department is mainly agricultural but also has extensive mineral resources. The capital city is Arequipa. |
| In the north of the department is the Nevado Coropuna (height 6,425 m/21,074 ft), the Nevado de Ampato (height 6,310m/20,697 ft), and the Cañon del Colca near the town of Cabanaconde; at 60 km/37 mi in length and 3,000 m/9,842 ft in depth, it is considered the deepest canyon in the world. |
