Huaraz

Capital of the department of Ancash, in the north-central highlands of Peru; population (1996) 132,474. Some 300 km/186 mi north of Lima, Huaraz is situated at the foot of the Andean Cordillera Blanca, at an altitude of 3,091 m/10,141 ft, and stands on the banks of the River Santa in a long narrow valley known as the Callejón de Huaylas. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1970; much rebuilding has been undertaken since. A centre for nearby mining and agricultural areas, it is now subordinate in importance to the coastal city of Chimbote. There is a new airport at nearby Anta.

The area is frequented by tourists attracted to the beautiful scenery of the nearby Cordillera Blanca. The region lies in the Parque Nacional Huascará, and the capital has become the climbing, trekking, and back-packing centre of Peru.